Tinnitus is the state of constantly hearing ringing in your ears. But it's not a condition in itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying cause. According to the Mayo Clinic, one out of five people has tinnitus, so the problem is fairly common and often associated with age, ear injury or a disorder of the circulatory system. Tinnitus will generally improve with treatment.
Treating the Cause
Because tinnitus is a symptom and not an actual disorder, the first step to treating it is diagnosing it. Your doctor will be able to find the underlying factor that's causing the ringing and should be able to treat tinnitus by treating the condition that's causing it. For instance, if your tinnitus is being caused by a vascular problem, the doctor will treat it through medication, or possibly even surgery, which will also take care of the tinnitus.
Wax Removal
Often, removing wax from the ear can help decrease the amount of ringing. Use caution when cleaning out wax, however. Wax is generally expelled by the ear when it builds up because of the sensitivity of the area. If you clean out your ears on your own using a cotton swab, don't go in to the mid-ear or inner ear canal. This can cause major problems with hearing and balance.
Medications
Your tinnitus could be caused by the medication you take. If you are on more than one medication, your doctor should be able to pinpoint which medication is causing tinnitus. If the medication you are on can be stopped or changed without consequence to your health, you might consider stopping taking the medication to see if that helps with the problem. Medication can also be used to treat tinnitus. There are three drugs that have shown some promise in treating tinnitus; tricyclic antidepressants, alprazolam and acamprosate all may be helpful in reducing ringing in the ears.
White Noise
White noise is another way to disrupt ringing in the ear. If you have tinnitus and it becomes overbearing, try introducing some white noise to your environment either through a white noise machine, a hearing aid or a masking device. The white noise machine simply surrounds your environment with natural sounds like rain or ocean waves. A masking device is similar to a hearing aid in how it's used, but puts out a low amount of white noise, which helps cover the ringing.
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