What cause ones ear to ring? I have not been around loud noises. I don't have high blood pressure. Thank you

Answer 1

To understand causes for ringing ears and tinnitus, it's important to know a little bit about the ear itself. The main mechanism of hearing is the cochlea, located in the inner ear. The cochlea is lined with thousands of tiny auditory hair which maintain an electrical charge. Microscopic hairs form a fringe on the surface of each auditory cell, and these hairs, when stimulated by sound waves, send electrical signals to the brain that are then translated into sound. If the hearing is impaired, these hair cells are damaged, bent or destroyed, causing partial or total hearing loss, and may also be one of the causes of ringing in the ears. As we age, we lose hair cells, which is why the elderly are often hard of hearing. Trauma to the cochlea from loud noises or accidents can also cause hair cell damage. The most frequent tinnitus causes and causes for ringing ears are related to hair cell damage.

Some other possible causes for ringing ears include the following:

- Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) occurring usually around age 60 can cause ringing in the ears.

- Trauma-related damage to the inner ear (could result from excessive exposure to loud sound is a possible tinnitus cause.

- Long-term use of medications and Ototoxic drugs are causes of ringing in the ears--Many prescription and over-the-counter drugs may cause tinnitus and/or hearing loss that may be permanent or may disappear when the dosage is reduced or eliminated.

- Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) is a painful condition of the jaw joint, often caused by tension. There is a fairly common association between TMJ and tinnitus leading medical authorities to consider TMJ as one of the causes for ringing ears, however the exact mechanisms for this are not clearly understood.

- Otosclerosis (stiffening of the bones in the middle ear) is one of the possible causes of ringing in the ears.

- Trauma or injury to the head or neck can be a tinnitus cause.

- Buildup of excess wax in the ear can reduce your ability to hear outside noises, and has been known to cause ringing in the ears.

- Ear infection – can be a tinnitus cause.

- Atherosclerosis – buildup of cholesterol and other fatty deposits causes the middle and inner ear to loose its elasticity and may lead to causes for ringing ears.

- High blood pressure and factors that increase the blood pressure such as stress, alcohol and caffeine may be causes of ringing in the ears.

-Noise exposure -repeated exposure to such loud noises as guns, artillery, aircraft, lawn mowers, movie theaters, amplified music, heavy construction, etc., can cause permanent hearing damage and are causes for ringing in the ears.

-Food -specific foods may cause tinnitus. Problem foods include red wine, grain-based spirits, cheese, and chocolate. Causes for ringing ears may also include foods rich in salicylates (the same ingredient as in aspirin, which also can cause tinnitus when taken in large amounts).

-Lyme disease -a parasitic, tick-borne disease, which is most commonly seen in eastern United States. In some cases, Lyme causes ringing in the ears.

-Growths/tumors--Acoustic neuromas, glomous tumors, otosclerosis may all cause tinnitus. Surgery may be recommended.

-Vascular abnormalities--Arteries may press too closely against the inner ear structures or nerves and can be a tinnitus cause.

-Dental procedures--Strain on the temporomandibular joint during any dental work has been one of the causes for ringing ears.

-Meniere's Disease is a serious disease of the inner ear, resulting in recurrent attacks of vertigo, hearing loss, and probable causes of ringing in the ears.

-Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is pain in the the muscles, tendons, and ligaments and definitely is one of the causes of ringing in the ears.

But just to be sure, consult your doctor for an examination

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Tinnitus

What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head. In many cases it is not a serious problem, but rather a nuisance that may in time go away. It is not a single disease, but a symptom of an underlying condition. Nearly 36 million Americans suffer from this disorder. In almost all cases, only the patient can hear the noise.

What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus can arise in any of the four sections of the ear: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear, and the brain. Some tinnitus or head noise is normal. If for example, one goes into a sound proof booth and normal outside noise is diminished, one becomes aware of these normal sounds. We are usually not aware of these normal body sounds, because outside noise "masks" them. Anything, such as wax or a foreign body in the external ear, that blocks these background sounds will cause us to be more aware of our own head sounds. Fluid, infection, or disease of the middle ear bones or ear drum (tympanic membrane) can also cause tinnitus.

One of the most common causes of tinnitus is damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear. Advancing age is generally accompanied by a certain amount of hearing nerve impairment, and consequently tinnitus. Loud noise exposure is a very common cause of tinnitus today, and it often damages hearing as well. Unfortunately, many people are unconcerned about the harmful effects of excessively loud noise, firearms, and high intensity music. Some medications (aspirin, for example) and other diseases of the inner ear (Meniere's syndrome) can cause tinnitus. Tinnitus can in rare situations be a symptom of such serious problems as an aneurysm or a brain tumor (acoustic tumor).

How is tinnitus evaluated?
A medical history, physical examination, and a series of special tests can help determine precisely where the tinnitus is originating. It is helpful for the doctor to know if the tinnitus is constant, intermittent or pulsating (synchronous with the heart beat), or is it associated with hearing loss or loss of balance (vertigo). At the very least, all patients with persisting unexplained tinnitus need a careful hearing test (audiogram). Certain patterns of hearing loss may lead the doctor to the diagnosis.

Answer 4

I have the same condition. Mine is caused from taking large amounts of the antibiotic vancomycin(excuse spelling) for a long period of time. I went to an ear,nose and throat dr. and he told me there is no "magic pill" for this. He told me to try Niacin, located in the vitamin section of the store. This does seem to lessen the noise. Someone on this web site recommended getting one of those "white noise machines". I have not tried it yet. Good luck.

Answer 5

Long term aspirin use can cause this. I don't know why. I just know it does.

Answer 6

Someone is talking about you