Why are my ears ringing?

According to the Mayo Clinic, about 20 percent of Americans deal with some type of ear ringing. The medical term for this condition is tinnitus. Now, tinnitus itself is NOT an ear disease. It’s more appropriate to classify it as a symptom for some other issue. Think of the ringing as a warning bell.

Of course, there are many reasons your ears could be ringing, and if the ringing persists, it’s best to go see your doctor as soon as possible. He or she will be able to examine you more closely to identify why your ears are ringing and to come up with a plan for treating the root cause before it becomes something more serious.

Here are some of the most common reasons for tinnitus.

  • Stress—Stress is actually one of the most common causes of tinnitus. A lot of people who are stressed out don’t even realize it because stress doesn’t always manifest itself in ways we all know (e.g. muscle tension, anger, anxiousness, etc.). Sometimes, stress shows up by causing a ringing in your ears. It’s important to pay attention if the ringing occurs on a regular basis, because stress can lead to serious health problems, such as a heart attack. Stress management can help reduce your stress and reduce or eliminate the ringing in your ears.
  • High or low blood pressure—The ringing in your ears could be linked to your blood pressure. Experts believe that high or low blood pressure could cause tinnitus. If you suffer from ringing in the ears, get your blood pressure checked immediately. High blood pressure puts your life in danger, so don’t ignore it and assume it will get better. It won’t. Listen to those warning bells in your ears.
  • Exposure to loud noise—If you’ve ever been to a loud concert, you’ve probably experienced at least mild tinnitus. Repeated exposure to loud noise can cause this ringing to become a regular/permanent condition. But that’s not all. Loud noise can cause serious damage to your ears, causing your hearing to suffer. The solution? Wear ear plugs, and stand back from loud noise whenever possible.
  • Allergies—Your allergies or your allergy medications could be another possible culprit behind your ringing ears. When mucus builds up in the middle ear, the pressure starts to increase in your ears. Once that happens, you’re prone to an ear infection, and an ear infection equals, you guessed it, ringing ears.
  • Inner ear disease—Your tinnitus could be caused by Meniere’s Disease. This inner ear condition causes dizziness, vertigo, severe ear pressure, and, of course, ear ringing. If your ears continue to ring on a regular basis, visit your doctor to determine if this inner ear disorder is the cause.

Have you ever experienced ringing in your ears? What was the cause of it? Share your experiences by leaving a comment.