Why is it noisy in the head and in the ears? This condition can occur in every person after listening to loud music, stress or overwork. It usually quickly disappears after being in silence and resting. If noises appear constantly, then this is an alarming sign. It is especially dangerous if the sounds in the ears and head are accompanied by pain, hearing loss and a feeling of constriction. Such symptoms may be the first sign of serious illness. Why are there noises and how to get rid of them? We will consider these issues in the article.
Types and degrees of noise
Why is it noisy in the head and ears? To answer this question, you need to pay attention to your feelings. It is important to determine the nature of the sounds and the frequency of their occurrence. This will help suggest a possible cause of discomfort.
Doctors call tinnitus a sensation of extraneous sounds inside the skull and in the organ of hearing. This is not an independent disease, but only a manifestation of various pathologies. Doctors distinguish the following varieties of tinnitus:
In the vast majority of cases, noise is subjective. It is felt even in the absence of a sound source. A tinnitus attack often occurs unexpectedly and also suddenly stops. Often sounds amplify at night and prevent a person from falling asleep. In severe cases, hearing is impaired. The nature of sounds can be different. The patient may complain of hum, whistling, buzzing, throbbing, hissing.
In more rare cases, noise is objective. The sound source is localized in the inner ear or in the vessels. A person hears constant clicks or throbbing. For example, with inflammation in the organ of hearing, spasms of the ear muscles occur. They are felt by the patient as a click. With vascular disorders, the patient feels a pulsation. For example, with atherosclerosis in humans, plaques form on the walls of blood vessels. The passage of blood is significantly impeded and is accompanied by a very low noise, which the patient perceives as a strong pulsation.
Doctors distinguish the following severity of tinnitus:
- Easy. A person feels noise only occasionally. This does not affect his health and does not interfere with a normal life.
- Average. Sounds occur mainly in silence and at night. In the afternoon, the noise decreases. There are difficulties with falling asleep.
- Heavy. The patient constantly makes noise in the ears and head. This disrupts the patient’s sleep. A person has to constantly wake up.
- Very heavy. Sounds become very loud. This violates not only sleep, but also interferes with normal work. Disability decreases, a person becomes irritable.
If the patient is very noisy in the ears and head, then it is impossible to cope with this condition on their own. Sounds disappear only after eliminating their cause, which can only be determined by a physician. Need to visit a local therapist. If necessary, the doctor will refer the patient to a specialist with a narrower profile.
Possible reasons
What makes noise in the ears and head? This symptom may indicate the following diseases:
- infectious inflammation in the middle and inner ear;
- vascular diseases (hypertension, atherosclerosis);
- persistent decrease in hemoglobin;
- osteochondrosis;
- CNS pathology;
- malfunctioning of the thyroid gland;
- alcohol poisoning or overdose of drugs.
We can conclude that tinnitus appears in diseases of various organs. In order for the doctor to be able to accurately diagnose, the patient must describe in detail the nature of the noise. The following types of sounds are distinguished:
- Ringing. Ringing noise is usually associated with excessive irritation or dysfunction of the auditory receptors. These cells send erroneous signals to the brain. This phenomenon is also observed in healthy people after exposure to too loud sounds in the ear, for example, if a person works in noisy conditions. Ringing is noted in hypertensive patients with atherosclerosis, as well as in patients with neurological pathologies and osteochondrosis.
- Rumble. If a person has a “buzzing” head and hears constant monotonous sounds, then this is caused by a malfunction in the work of the auditory analyzer. Often, dizziness is felt. The patient's sensitivity to any natural sounds increases, he perceives them distorted. Dysfunction of the auditory analyzer can be provoked by such diseases as atherosclerosis, osteochondrosis, vegetative-vascular dystonia. It can also be a side effect of antibiotics or antidepressants. Elderly people often complain about buzzing in the head, this is due to age-related changes in the auditory analyzer.
- Whistling. This nature of sounds usually indicates ear pathology. If, at the same time, the stuffiness of the auditory canal is felt, then, most likely, the noise is associated with a sulfur plug. But whistling can be a sign of serious diseases: otosclerosis or damage to the eardrum. Whistling sounds can also be felt with disruption of the thyroid gland.
- Squeak. High frequency sounds most often occur in weather-sensitive people when the weather changes. Squeak is also felt with anemia, a deficiency of vitamins E and group B, as well as alcohol poisoning.
- Clicks. In most cases, these sounds indicate inflammatory processes in the ear. Usually they are accompanied by shooting pains.
- Ripple. This type of tinnitus is noted in cases of cerebrovascular accident. A person physically feels the difficulty of moving blood through the vessels. Sometimes the patient seems to have a pulse in his head and ears.
Next, we will examine in detail the most common causes of tinnitus and methods to get rid of discomfort.
ENT diseases
Why is it rustling in my head and blocking my ears? In most cases, this is due to damage to the organ of hearing. Inflammatory processes and injuries lead to severe malfunctions in the operation of the sound analyzer. Tinnitus can be a sign of the following diseases:
- Sulfur cork. If the patient is noisy in the head and the ear is blocked (right or left), then, most likely, sulfur has accumulated in the ear canal. Cork is a hardened discharge of the ear glands. The patient feels heaviness and fullness in the ear. Hearing decreases dramatically. When the passage is blocked, the pressure inside the ear rises sharply, because of this the person feels a constant noise. If the cork is large, then sounds arise in the head. You should not try to remove the accumulation of sulfur with cotton buds or douche. This way you can push the cork even further. It is better to contact the otolaryngologist. The doctor will rinse the ear with a Janet syringe, and the cork will easily come out.
- Otitis. With inflammation in the deep parts of the hearing organ, the patient complains that he has a noise in his head and pressure on his ears. Such symptoms appear in the acute period of the disease, but sometimes persist after recovery. With otitis, the temperature rises, discharge from the ear and severe pain of a shooting character appear. These sensations radiate to different parts of the face and head. Discomfort is usually one-sided. If the patient feels that his left ear is blocked and is noisy in his head, then this indicates left otitis media. Such symptoms appear in the early days of inflammation. Subsequently, shooting pain occurs in the affected ear. The patient needs the appointment of oral antibiotics and ear drops with an antibacterial effect.
- Eustachyitis. With inflammation of the Eustachian tube, the patient is disturbed not only by noise, but also by hearing loss, as well as a sensation of transfusion of fluid in the ear cavity. Autophony often occurs, the patient feels the resonance of his voice in the head and ears. At the same time, a person's well-being can remain within normal limits, pains appear only with differences in external pressure, the temperature rises slightly. In most cases, eustachitis is a complication of respiratory diseases. Vasoconstrictor nasal drops and antihistamines are prescribed to the patient.
- Otosclerosis. If the patient is dizzy and tinnitus, then this may be a sign of pathological changes in the auditory ossicles. Otosclerosis is the most dangerous disease of ENT organs. Without treatment, a person can completely lose their hearing. This disease is not accompanied by pain, but the immobility of the auditory ossicles is steadily progressing. Symptoms such as hearing loss, loss of balance, and dizziness often indicate otosclerosis. Often, the patient is good at distinguishing quiet speech, but does not hear loud sounds. In some cases, hearing improves in noisy environments and worsens in silence. At night, a person is so loud in his ears that it is almost impossible to fall asleep. This disease can only be cured surgically. The patient undergoes an operation during which the mobility of the auditory ossicles is restored.
- Meniere's Disease. There are times when patients periodically very dizzy and noisy in the ears. Why is this happening? Such symptoms are often a sign of Meniere's disease. The labyrinth is located in the inner ear. This structure is responsible for maintaining the body in equilibrium. In Meniere's disease, fluid pressure increases in the maze. This is accompanied by bouts of severe dizziness with a sensation of tinnitus. In this condition, it is difficult for the patient to maintain balance even in a sitting position. It seems to him that all surrounding objects rotate. In about half the cases, hearing is impaired. To stop the attack, antipsychotics, vasodilators and antihistamines are used. Diuretics also help reduce pressure inside the maze.
Hypertension
Often, hypertensive patients complain that they have a headache and tinnitus. The reason for this may be high blood pressure. During a pressure surge, strange sounds in the ears and skull may disturb the patient: chirping, ringing, humming, crackling. This is due to vasospasm and difficulty circulating.
With an increase in blood pressure, the patient feels other unpleasant symptoms:
- bursting pain in the head;
- heart palpitations;
- nausea
- flickering of black dots in the field of view;
- squeezing in the chest.
What to do if at high pressure it makes a noise in the ear? How to treat this condition? First of all, you need to measure blood pressure using a tonometer. If the pressure is really above normal, then you need to take a hypotensive drug. You can also drink a clover decoction (1 tablespoon of dried flowers per glass of water). This harmless home remedy will help get rid of an unpleasant hum.
Atherosclerosis
This is a chronic disease in which fatty deposits appear on the walls of blood vessels. Lipid plaques impede the free flow of blood, as a result, various organs and tissues receive few nutrients. In advanced cases, oxygen starvation (ischemia) of tissues occurs. Most often, atherosclerosis affects the coronary and cerebral vessels.
If a person has a headache and tinnitus, then this may indicate atherosclerotic changes in the vessels of the head. Pathology is accompanied by other symptoms:
- constant fatigue;
- memory impairment;
- dizziness
- insomnia.
The patient must follow a low-calorie diet with a restriction of fats in his diet for life. Prescribe statins - drugs that stabilize cholesterol, as well as nootropic drugs to improve cerebral circulation.
Anemia
The cause of tinnitus may be a drop in hemoglobin levels. This condition is also called anemia or anemia. It is accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of red blood cells. These blood cells carry oxygen to the brain. With their deficiency, the central nervous system suffers from hypoxia.
Anemia can be of various origins. It can be triggered by various diseases or poor nutrition. In some cases, anemia is congenital. Reduction of red blood cells is accompanied by the following manifestations:
- weakness
- dizziness
- severe tiredness;
- pallor of the skin;
- shortness of breath
- brittle hair and nails;
- fainting.
Iron-based drugs are prescribed to patients. In severe cases, a blood transfusion is indicated. Noise disappears after normalization of the level of red blood cells and hemoglobin.
Pathology of the spine
Why is my head spinning and making noise in my ears with osteochondrosis? This question is often asked by patients. Most often, tinnitus is observed in lesions of the cervical spine. Near the spinal column are the vessels that feed the brain. With osteochondrosis, growths on the vertebrae appear. These formations press on the vessels. As a result, a person’s blood supply to the brain is disturbed, which causes tinnitus.
In this case, the patient also has other symptoms of dystrophic changes in the spine:
- pain in the neck and head;
- stiff back muscles (especially after sleep);
- muscle fatigue in the affected area;
- weakness.
This pathology requires complex treatment. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain. Chondroprotective agents are indicated; these drugs help to suspend pathological processes in the vertebrae. Patients are also recommended a course of physiotherapy and physiotherapy.
Pathology of the nervous system
Vegetative-vascular dystonia (VVD) is often accompanied by tinnitus. This disease is extremely common, but it does not have specific symptoms. In patients, the regulation of the functioning of various organs by the autonomic nervous system is impaired. This can be accompanied by pain in different parts of the body, which seriously complicates the diagnosis.
With VSD, patients complain of a pulsating noise. These sensations resemble manifestations of arterial hypertension. The appearance of sounds in the head and ears is accompanied by a frequent heartbeat, increased nervousness, a sense of fear. Patients often experience panic attacks.
VVD does not pose a serious danger to the health and life of the patient. However, this disease gives a lot of unpleasant sensations. Treatment consists of prescribing sedative and nootropic drugs,
A more dangerous cause of tinnitus is cerebral hypertension. This condition occurs due to excessive cerebrospinal fluid pressure on the meninges. In this case, the patient is often dizzy and makes noise in the ears. High intracranial pressure also causes nausea, vomiting, excruciating bursting pain in the head.
Cerebral hypertension is a symptom of many neurological diseases, including dangerous brain tumors. Only an expert can establish its exact cause. Patients are prescribed diuretics, they help to remove fluid from the body and lower cerebrospinal fluid pressure. But such therapy only stops the unpleasant symptoms of pathology. Etiotropic treatment is needed to address the cause of hypertension.
Thyroid disease
There are times when the patient feels a noise in the head and stuffiness in the ear. However, an examination of ENT organs does not show any pathologies. With such symptoms, thyroid function should be checked. After all, tinnitus is often observed with hypothyroidism.
This disease is characterized by a decrease in thyroid function. Often, its cause is a deficiency of iodine in the diet. The patient's face and mucous membranes swell, the timbre of the voice changes, and body weight increases. Patients complain of constant weakness, fatigue, increased drowsiness.
Why does it make noise in the head and block ears with hypothyroidism? Lack of thyroid hormones leads to swelling of the auditory tube. This becomes the cause of tinnitus. The nasal mucosa can also swell, so hypothyroidism is often accompanied by a runny nose. Often, patients take manifestations of endocrine pathology for signs of rhinitis or ear diseases.
To normalize thyroid function, synthetic thyroid hormones are prescribed to the patient. It is also recommended to follow a diet with a high content of iodine in the diet.
Alcohol intoxication
Why is it noisy in the head and ears after taking a large amount of alcohol? Ethanol has a vasodilating effect. However, this is a temporary effect. Shortly after vasodilation, their spasm sets in. Therefore, alcohol intoxication is often accompanied by sharp fluctuations in blood pressure. This leads to noise. This can only be avoided by completely abandoning the use of alcohol.
A more disturbing sign is a tinnitus in a hangover state. Sounds in the ears and head are noted during withdrawal symptoms in alcohol dependence. In the body, ethanol turns into a toxic substance - acetaldehyde. . . . . .
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Diagnostics
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- otoscope examination of the ear;
- auditory acuity testing (audiometry);
- electroencephalogram;
- blood pressure measurement;
- MRI of the vessels of the brain, spine or thyroid gland (depending on the proposed diagnosis);
- blood test for hemoglobin and lipids;
- Ultrasound of the thyroid gland;
- study of the level of thyroid hormones.
Prevention
How to prevent the appearance of extraneous sounds in the ears and head? The following recommendations should be followed:
- Protect your hearing from excessive loud sounds.
- With a tendency to hypertension, regularly measure blood pressure. If necessary, take antihypertensive drugs.
- Avoid injuring your head and ears.
- Regularly clean the ear canal of sulfur.
- In time to cure colds. Influenza and SARS very often lead to inflammation in the middle ear.
- Include foods containing iron and vitamins in your diet. This will help avoid anemia.
- Exclude alcohol.
- Avoid overdose of drugs with an ototoxic effect.
It is important to remember that diseases accompanied by tinnitus can lead to dangerous complications: hearing loss, hypertensive crisis, cerebral ischemia. Therefore, with the appearance of extraneous sounds in the ears and head, you can not postpone a visit to the doctor.