Whether you’ve just got back from a loud concert or band practice, or if you work in a particularly loud environment like a factory or a construction site, you might find that your ears won’t stop ringing. This ringing can vary from barely noticeable to extremely uncomfortable, and from a short time to days or even weeks on end.
For some, the problem is draining and nonstop, causing loss of sleep, stress, and anxiety. The sound of tinnitus (as it is often called) comes in many different forms, but it is usually a high-pitched ringing in your inner ear that sounds similar to white noise. It is a result of either damage to the hair cells in your ear, a problem with the ganglia (the ear’s gatekeeper), or a number of other problems.
Here are a handful of ways to help get rid of your tinnitus problem temporarily, but if your tinnitus problem persists, you should consult your doctor. A persistent problem might be indicative of poor blood circulation to your head and neck, and/or more severe nerve damage to your ear.
1. Wear ear protection to avoid it.
You should always be wearing hearing protection at a loud concert, in a factory, or in any other scenario that has loud volume levels. Earplugs and earphones are usually available at any hardware or general store – earplugs especially are cheap and disposable, so you can bring some for your friends at the next concert you go to.
Prolonged exposure to extreme volume could lead to hearing problems much worse than tinnitus.
2. Thump the back of your head with your fingers.
A quick fix for a slight tinnitus ringing is snapping your fingers on the back of your skull. To do this, cover your ears with your palms and face both of your middle fingers together at the back of your head, around where your neck meets your skull. Then, snap your index fingers off of your middle finger a number of times. Repeat this about 40 or 50 times daily.
This trick may help to signal your brain to stop interpreting the nerve damage as a ringing, as well as help the blood flow in your inner ear. It is not effective for everyone or as a long-term treatment, but it should help a temporary problem.
3. Cut back on coffee and/or cigarettes.
If you drink coffee and your tinnitus problem persists, it may help to lower your caffeine intake. Caffeine restricts the blood flow to your head and neck, causing the nerve endings that register sound to not get as much blood, therefore causing this ringing to happen.
The same goes for cigarettes, too. Much like caffeine, nicotine in the blood also restricts the flow to the nerves and cells in your inner ear, and if the nerve cells are damaged, they take longer to heal after being damaged by loud volumes.
Any cigarette smoker knows that cigarettes and coffee are a match made in heaven, so this may be difficult to cut back on for some. However, if your hearing problems persist, it will certainly help to get rid of your ear ringing, while also improving your overall health.
4. Clean the wax from your ears.
Though there are many home remedies to deep-cleaning wax build-up in your ears, many are questionable and may do more harm than good. A rule of thumb – do not use cotton swabs, twisted-up napkins, bobby pins, or anything along those lines to clean your ears, as these could rupture your ear drum and inner ear canal, and you’ll have a much more serious problem on your hands than a slight ringing.
Visiting a doctor that specializes in ear, nose, and throat problems often have vacuums and other tools that can safely and effectively remove build-ups of waxes and mucous. Keeping your ears clean of wax build-up routinely is a great way to eliminate tinnitus and to possibly avoid even worse hearing damage in the future.
5. Try to drown it out with other noises.
The worst part about tinnitus is when it hits you in the middle of the night. If your tinnitus is keeping you sleepless, it helps to drown out the sound by using a fan, a humidifier/dehumidifier, a white noise machine, or anything else that gives off a gentle hum or lulling sounds.
White noise machines have sounds like rain falling, wind blowing, and ocean sounds that are both relaxing and able to drown out the ringing in your ears.
Alternately, you can surely find a stream on the Internet that features these sounds. A playlist of ambient, minimalistic music would also be effective and relaxing when sleeping. There is plenty of music like this accessible by a quick Google search.
6. Eat and sleep better.
Chronic tinnitus can be a symptom of a poor immune system, especially if the problem persists. Eating healthier, sleeping better, and living more actively can obviously increase your life span and make you healthier, but, it’ll also help get rid of that annoying ringing in your inner ear.
7. Watch what kind of drugs you take.
Certain prescription medications can worsen tinnitus due to the affect they have on the blood flow in your head and sinuses. If you are on any prescription medications and you experience chronic tinnitus, perhaps you should ask your doctor if there is anything else you can take, or an alternative to remedying whatever health issues you may have.
Also, if you have tinnitus that is made worse by a head cold or sinus infection, perhaps try a more natural approach to remedying it. Medication can often impact blood flow in some way, so it’d be ideal to find a remedy that clears your sinuses and keeps your blood flowing better.
Tinnitus is annoying (and can certainly be debilitating if it is an intense case), but it’s usually not a serious health issue, nor can it develop into one. The best way to get rid of tinnitus is to always wear hearing protection in a loud environment, but obviously this is not always possible. These tips should clear up a persistent tinnitus problem if they are routinely done.
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