Noise in the ears and head: causes, treatment, reviews

The problem of tinnitus is quite common, in addition, it is unpleasant. After all, this interferes with the normal life of a person, diverting his attention, the patient feels discomfort. Sound can be intermittent or continuous, it is observed almost always when a person is exposed to noise with a large number of decibels. If you were at a concert and then went outside, your ring may ring inside your head. This is quite normal, because every person has transient episodes of ringing. Another thing is when the sound is observed for several days, weeks and even months. This symptom directly indicates the presence of serious health problems. There are quite a few reasons for tinnitus, and further treatment depends on them. Therefore, before solving the problem, it is necessary to find the source.

Medical certificate

Tinnitus is a sensation of sound in the ears according to medical terminology. Otolaryngologists quite often encounter such a problem in practice. It is worth noting that about 10% of the world's population seek help with this symptom, and even more people continue to live without having to consult a doctor. Sometimes constant tinnitus can be an independent disease, but in most cases it is a sign of some other disease.

sound effect in the ear

Tinnitus is considered one of the most difficult symptoms, because it does not have an external irritant. According to patients, they often complain of high-pitched ringing. Usually people compare this sound with a bell. There are a lot of reasons for tinnitus: from a banal sulfuric plug that clogs the ear canal, to complex nervous disorders in the central nervous system. Only a qualified doctor will be able to correctly diagnose the source of ringing, and then deal with its treatment. Therefore, if possible it is better to contact a trusted doctor.

Causes of tinnitus and head noise

The brain takes the irritation of the inner ear for an extraneous sound. Consider the most widespread primary sources of the problem:

  1. Stress or emotional stress. The release of adrenaline into the blood can lead to a sensation of a rumble or ringing in the ears and head. Sometimes auditory quality deteriorates due to depression or overwork. At the same time, consciousness and thoughts are confused, but balance is maintained. To begin with, the patient just needs to relax, form a daily routine, calm down. If this does not help, then turn to specialists for help.
  2. Sulfur cork. Extraneous noise often occurs due to clogging of the ear canal. How to get rid of tinnitus caused by this reason, we will tell in the appropriate section of our material.
  3. Loud music. Hearing loss and the appearance of an extraneous hum can occur due to the passion for loud music. Today's teenagers polly walk around in the headphones for half a day, sooner or later this will affect the health of their hearing aids.
  4. Allergy. One of the symptoms of this problem is tinnitus. The symptom will pass by itself when you cope with the underlying disease.
  5. Arterial and atmospheric pressure. With their differences, a person often lays ears or an extraneous sound appears.
  6. Head injuries with damage to the auditory organs. This can be cured with surgery.

Tinnitus Non-Hearing Aid

In addition to the above sources of the onset of the disease, there are other causes of tinnitus. Here we are talking about diseases that can be both systemic and localized. If the patient has a pulsating form of sound in the ears, then most likely he is concerned about one of the following diseases:

  1. Atherosclerosis. The main symptom of the disease is the deposition of cholesterol under the endothelium of the walls of the vessels. Because of this, atherosclerotic plaques appear, which lead to a violation of the properties of the liquid part of the blood and a decrease in the lumen of the vessel. As a result, the blood flow changes, and with a close localization of the plaque to the hearing organs, the patient develops a sound in the ears.
  2. High blood pressure. This disease is found in 80% of the elderly, one of the most common diseases in the world. If the numbers on the tonometer are off scale, a person may feel a noise in the right or left ear. This is a standard symptom of hypertension. The use of caffeine and other products or drugs that activate the nervous system will worsen.
  3. Oncology. Only those cases when diseases are localized in close proximity are dangerous to the ears. Auditory nerve neuroma is the most common cause of tinnitus from all cancers. It is worth noting that the tumor is benign, but causes a constant hum, which is almost impossible to get rid of.
noise bothers the child

Tinnitus Forms

As already noted, an extraneous sound appears for a reason. This may be a disease of the hearing aid or a symptom of other diseases. So, with tinnitus, what should I do? If a person feels a ringing on an ongoing basis, you must make an appointment with the otolaryngologist. He will conduct a study and make a diagnosis.

There are certain forms of tinnitus, we will analyze each of them in more detail:

  1. Constant noise. This symptom is characteristic of atherosclerosis and lesions of the arteries of the neck. Tinnitus of this kind alone will not work, it will take a long treatment. It is worth noting that medicines in this case are powerless. A person quickly gets used to the constant sound, so this does not so much reduce his ability to work.
  2. Ringing and pain in the ear. Often, this symptom is observed when inflammatory processes occur that are localized near the inner or middle ear. Quite often, the patient has otitis media. If the disease proceeds with the formation of pus, this can change the anatomical structure of the auditory ossicles. As a result, the patient feels a rumble in the ears of a constant nature, but with variable intensity.
  3. Throbbing in the ears. This symptom directly indicates the appearance of a hypertensive ailment. If the blood pressure is greatly increased, then there is an increase in the pulse wave, which radiates to the ear. After the problem with hypertension is resolved, the ringing will go away on its own. A rare cause of tinnitus of this nature is erythrocytosis. With such a disease, an excessive amount of red blood cells is found in a person, which worsens the properties of the blood.
  4. Noise, coupled with dizziness. The situation is the opposite of hypertension. If the patient has low blood pressure, he will also feel an extraneous sound, which is always accompanied by dizziness. This is due to a lack of oxygen in the brain tissue. Also, a symptom is observed with atherosclerosis with a large number of plaques.
  5. The noise is one-sided. If the sound is localized either in the right or in the left ear, then this indicates damage to the vascular tissue on only one side. The symptom is also manifested in the presence of systemic autoimmune diseases.

Classification

It is worth noting that the causes and treatment of tinnitus are interconnected. It is not possible to offer quality therapy without understanding the source of the problem. Information is needed on the nature of the sound and its accompanying symptoms. The situation is complicated by the fact that the symptoms are often subjective. How then to diagnose a disease? To facilitate this task, the Soviet academician I. Soldatov developed a classification that became significant in the further development of medicine.

constant tinnitus

The method of distinguishing four degrees of noise is quite popular among current doctors, as it is very convenient and practical. The academician divided the noise into several stages:

  1. Extraneous sound does not reduce performance, it is easy to get used to it, it practically does not interfere with the normal functioning of people.
  2. Ringing is expressed quite clearly, especially worries patients at night.
  3. The noise is continuous, attacking the patient day and night. A person has to be distracted by him, insomnia and irritability appear.
  4. Extraneous sound is difficult to tolerate, the patient hears it every second, performance decreases to zero.

In practice, such a classification is easy to apply. The specialist evaluates the patientโ€™s behavior according to the symptoms, relates it to any stage, and then determines its diagnosis. Thus, the classification of the academician greatly simplifies the final diagnosis.

Signs of Tinnitus

However, an extraneous sound is not always a symptom of a disease. There are many cases in which a patient has tinnitus, that is, a noise disease. Ringing or buzzing constantly, significantly distracts a personโ€™s attention and reduces his level of performance.

noise related to work

Consider the symptoms of tinnitus:

  • decreased auditory attention;
  • a person cannot focus on performing simple tasks; for this, he needs to make extra efforts;
  • sharp irritability - constant noise has a strong effect on the nerves of the patient, so you should not expect manifestations of tolerance from him;
  • painful insomnia - sometimes an extraneous sound disturbs the patient so much that he cannot fall asleep;
  • aggressiveness - the patient roughly responds to surrounding people, chronic fatigue is manifested, he falls into a state of frustration;
  • there are cases when a person cannot distinguish real extraneous noise from sound in his head, this is the most serious sign.

The considered problem in each situation can manifest itself in different ways. Ringing can pester both day and night, and can abruptly disappear for an indefinite period of time in order to reappear for no apparent reason. Treatment for tinnitus and head noise should only be done after a correct diagnosis.

Doctor's actions

As already noted, the otolaryngologist must first make a preliminary examination. After identifying certain symptoms, it is necessary to proceed to laboratory and instrumental diagnostic studies. I must say that only a comprehensive examination will help to identify the cause without error.

noise interferes with sleep

After collecting an anamnesis, specialists prescribe a series of measures to confirm or refute the preliminary diagnosis. Consider the most effective methods for determining the disease:

  1. Otoscopy This method consists in an external examination by a doctor of the auditory canal. Otoscopy allows you to immediately confirm or exclude some types of diseases, such as blocking with sulfuric stopper, the presence of an inflammatory process in the ear. The study is carried out using a device called an otoscope.
  2. Audiometry This method is needed to determine the threshold of sensitivity of the hearing aid. Thanks to the study, it is possible to establish the amplitude of the sound and its audibility by the patient.
  3. Auscultation. Here the doctor will use a phonendoscope, which allows you to pick up extraneous sound and vibration. This method is indispensable for determining the pulsating ringing or hum.

Immediately after such events, you can prescribe a treatment for tinnitus. However, in some situations, the information received is not enough. Then the doctor should apply other methods, such as computed tomography of the head and angiography of the arteries. Based on the results of all studies, a diagnosis is made and therapy is prescribed.

Tinnitus treatment

It is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease. If the cause could not be found (this also happens), then the doctor should look according to the situation. The specialist often focuses on one of the following methods:

  1. Drug therapy. Includes medications containing vitamin B, zinc, as well as drugs to improve brain activity.
  2. Special implants. They are aimed at creating white noise that blocks other extraneous sound. The patient usually turns on the disk with the sounds of nature, and falls asleep safely.
  3. Psychotherapy. Treatment of this kind comes down to the ability to meditate. The patient switches his attention to another sound, and the noise in the ear area no longer distracts him.

Drug therapy

Treatment of noise in the ears and head with drugs is the most effective, despite the fact that currently there are no such drugs that universally relieve the problem. Diagnosis plays an important role in the choice of therapy. When a doctor knows a specific cause, he tries to eliminate it. If the underlying disease is cured, the accompanying symptoms will not bother.

tinnitus remedy

If the patient has otitis media, specialists prescribe antibiotics. Quite effective are Augmentin, Chloramphenicol and Ceftriaxone. It is worth noting that the independent choice of medicines is not always a good idea. Before taking any drug, it is better to consult with your doctor.

Medicines help with the detection of inflammatory processes along with the appearance of tinnitus. Reviews about such drugs as Albutsid, Otipaks, Resorcin, Sofradex, etc., are the most positive. These products are available in drops and solutions, therefore, are convenient to use.

In case of extraneous sound in the ears due to hypertension, the treatment should be aimed at normalizing blood pressure. If the noise appears for psychological and neurological reasons, it is necessary to connect a specialist in the relevant field.

How to clean your ears? Sulfur cork

The most common way to clean the ear canal is to use a cotton swab. But in the case of the presence of sulfur cork, this method is ineffective, since it only pushes it further. For prevention purposes, you can buy Remo-Vax drops in a pharmacy. Drip them several times a month in your ears, they perfectly soften the passage and remove sulfur.

Cork is detected quite often, especially after diving into the water or taking a shower. When moistened, it swells, so a person hears worse. To remove the old sulfur cork, you must first soften it. For this, warmed-up sunflower oil is ideal. Prepare for hearing to deteriorate during the procedure due to the presence of extra fluid.

ethnoscience

As always, in addition to traditional medicine methods, you can use folk methods. The main goal is to alleviate the condition of the patient, but in no case to cure completely. Dill infusion is considered quite effective. This plant must be crushed, pour boiling water and let it brew for twenty minutes. It is recommended to take half a glass thirty minutes before meals for a month.

Another way to reduce noise is to finely chop two or three cloves of garlic. Then you need to pour it with two tablespoons of propolis, strain after five days. Ready solution to use for rubbing behind the ears several times a day.

noise insomnia

Useful herbs are lemon balm and hawthorn. Their action can ease the torment of people suffering from extraneous sound in the ears.

Preventative measures

The appearance of noise in the ear: the causes, treatment, drugs that are most effective - all of this we examined in our material. To reduce the likelihood of a symptom, it is necessary to use preventive recommendations:

  • When listening to music on headphones, keep an eye on the volume, especially when traveling on the subway. The combination of the sound of the train and the music puts a huge strain on the ear.
  • If your work involves constant noise, use ear plugs.
  • When you experience tinnitus, avoid drinks containing caffeine and alcohol. They only increase discomfort.
  • To clean the ears, use solutions or drops, cotton buds push the sulfur into the ear canal, which leads to clogging.

There are a lot of reasons for tinnitus, we examined the main ones. Preventive measures include simply a more attentive attitude to health. It is much easier to prevent the disease than to treat it later. Therefore, the choice is yours.


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