One evening while I was driving back home, there was a weird buzz in my ear. I thought it was due to listening to music using the headphones without any break. I took out the headphones to give the ears some rest. I was not able to hear the horns also properly. I drove home with caution and by the time I reached home, there was a pain that gradually increased over time in my left ear. I went to the nearest E.N.T doctor where he explained to me the following.
The buzzing was something due to a condition known as tinnitus. If a person often hears “ringing in the ears” but they also hear hissing, clicking or whistling sounds, then the person is said to suffer from tinnitus. The condition can be temporary or it can be chronic. Chronic tinnitus can lead to permanent loss of hearing.
The main objective of the treatment of a ruptured eardrum is patching it up. Patching up a ruptured eardrum can be done only with surgery. But until you go for surgery, you can try these home remedies to get relief from the pain.
Learn how tinnitus can get worse
Reports suggest that particular foods, drinks or drugs can make the symptoms worse. But remember not everyone is affected the same way hence, avoid triggers. Maintain a written log to keep a note of what can trigger the buzzing.
You won’t be able to avoid every possible trigger. Therefore, notice which factors can affect your symptoms. Some triggers could be:
- Caffeine filled drinks such as cola, coffee, tea and energy drinks
- Alcohol
- Aspirin
- Salt
Time to stop smoking!
There are two ways smoking makes tinnitus worse:
- The blood flow is harmed to the sensitive nerve cells that control your hearing
- Acting as a stimulant in your body, it makes the ringing in your ears sound louder
Add some soothing music to silence
The buzzing or hissing can bother you more when it’s absolutely quiet. In such a case, try these tips can help you get distracted from the ringing in your ears:
- Play soft music in the background
- Listen to the radio
- Turn on a fan
You can also consider a white-noise machine that creates sounds of ocean waves, rainfall or a running stream.
Relax every day!
When you first develop tinnitus or when it flares up, it’s normal to feel anxious and annoyed. Your symptoms can get worse by stress and worry.
Try using different ways to relax until you find what works best for you. To ease stress and improve your mood, try deep relaxation for even 15 minutes. Some methods you can use to relax are:
- Yoga
- Tai-chi
- Meditation
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Guided imagery
- Self-hypnosis
Quiet background noise can help mask symptoms of tinnitus and improve your concentration.
Enough sleep is needed
You are not the only one who is unable to sleep well due to tinnitus. This can become a vicious cycle. A soft hum can turn into a loud roar due to fatigue. Fatigue often makes symptoms worse. Practice these good sleep habits to get restful sleep:
- Make your bedroom cool and dark.
- Use a fan or white-noise machine if your surrounding is too quiet.
- Set aside 7 to 9 hours for sleep at night.
- Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
- Develop a bedtime routine, for instance taking a relaxing a warm bath before going to bed
- Make sure your bed and pillows are comfortable and supportive
- Avoid exercise, food or alcohol 2 to 3 hours before going to sleep.
Exercise three to five times a day
Many problems that seem to go along with tinnitus can be eased out exercising. You might be unaware that exercises are a mood booster. Exercise can lower stress, improve your sleep or fight depression.
It’s important that you start slowly. Ask your doctor or a fitness expert for guidance if you’re just getting started.
Protect your hearing
A common cause of tinnitus is a loud noise. For a short time, it can also make your symptoms worse. Protect your ears from a noisy world by following these tips:
- When using earbuds, keep music at 60% of full volume or lower. Avoid listening to music for more than an hour at once.
- At concerts, loud restaurants or other loud events, wear earplugs. If you are unable to hear somebody standing at an arm’s length away, it indicates that its loud enough to cause hearing damage and make the condition worse.
- When you are cutting the grass, using power tools or using snow or leaf blowers, use earplugs or earmuffs.
- Use ear protection in a noisy place always.
Look out for other health problems
Some illnesses can leave behind a side effect such as tinnitus. It is significant that you stay up to date on treatments that can help ease out the ringing in your ears.
Look out if any of these conditions is a cause of ringing in your ears-
- Disorders related to thyroid
- High blood pressure
- Lyme disease
- Fibromyalgia
- The buildup of ear wax
- Misalignment of jaw
- Traumatic brain injury
- Stroke
- Diabetes
Talk to your doctor about the medicines you take as some of them can cause tinnitus as a side effect.
Get used to the problem
You must not believe this but learning to ignore the problem can help with you cope with it. Try these-
- Try not to notice the ringing or buzzing
- Keep yourself distracted with work and activities
- Learn some coping techniques and practice them regularly.
Conclusion
There are various home remedies you can try to get relief from the constant buzzing. But if it continues to a stage where it is chronic, then it means your eardrum is perforated. For such a condition, you need tympanoplasty surgery. Visit your nearest E.N.T doctor to know more about the treatment!
