The Ringing in Your Ears Might Be a Symptom

At one time or another almost everyone has experienced a ringing in their ears, otherwise known as tinnitus. A constant ringing can become an unbearable affliction but for most of us it is just a momentary discomfort that's duration is only a few moments long. This curse is known as tinnitus and for some sufferers it can affect their lives a great deal, and ringing in your ears might be a symptom of other medical problems.

Often a symptom of anxiety might introduce itself as a ringing in the ears. Although there are many symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, tinnitus is just one. Not all who have anxiety or panic attacks will develop Tinnitus. And developing a ringing in the ears does not mean you are experiencing a panic attack. It is just one of many. Low or high blood pressure can also be a symptom of tinnitus, as well as having high cholesterol levels. If you are experiencing a prolonged ringing in your ears, it would be prudent on your part to have you cholesterol levels checked. Cholesterol is plaque deposited in your arteries and as the blood flows through the arteries it must work harder to get through which increases your blood presser and causes the ringing in your ears.

Allergies or sinus problems can also manifest as a ringing in the ear. Although antihistamines and antibiotics are medications used to treat these conditions, they do not readily assist in the draining of the mucus in the ear; consequently the pressure builds and the ringing in the ear begins. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, muscle tension, thyroid disorders, and vitamin B12 deficiency are also conditions that can produce ringing in your ears.

The most common cause of ringing in the ear is tinnitus, but there are several different types. One of the rare forms is called atherosclerosis. Most forms of tinnitus produce a ringing in the ear that only the patient can hear, however, in atherosclerosis sufferers, with the use of a stethoscope, the doctor can also hear what the patient hears. A structural problem in the patient is the cause and if the stethoscope is placed on the neck or near the ear the doctor can hear the ringing as well. It can be heard as a rushing or pulsing sound or even a rhythmic beat, and in actuality the patient and doctor are hearing the patient's own pulse flowing through their veins.

The majority of tinnitus patients have the form of tinnitus that only they can hear. And even though it is more common, it is by far less understood. It can manifest itself as a buzzing, popping, whining or even a type of white noise as well as a ringing in the ear. It can be heard in one ear or both, and the treatment for this condition is as different for each patient as is the sound that it produces. As to treatment, there is no known medical cure, however, some alternative treatments can be found. Most of which are by natural homeopathic means, as well as hypnosis, acupuncture, acupressure, and implants.