When we speak of the causes of ringing in ears or tinnitus, we speak of varying medical conditions, ranging from ear problems to circulatory disorders. You see, this perception of a noise in the ears or head where there is no external source is a symptom and not a disease of sorts. However, it can prove to be nuisance to its sufferer's life, especially when it becomes permanent.
Ear ringing is often associated with age-associated hearing loss. However, in this generation of MP3 players, age is not the primary reason why people suffer from tinitus. On the other hand, the most common cause is known as noise-induced cochlear damage; around 90% of the cases of ringing in the ears is caused by this condition.
One apparent cause of noise-induced cochlear damage is listening to music with the stereo or MP3 player set to a very high volume. Going to concerts and staying near the speakers is another leisure activity that can cause damage to your ears without you realizing it. Furthermore, working around noisy environments such as in construction sites and airports contribute to this damage. But does this mean that you would have to deprive yourself of the pleasure of listening to music using your MP3 player, or going to concerts, or quit your job? Definitely not, as long as you do them in moderation and make use of some preventive measures such as setting the volume of the MP3 player to not more than 60% of its maximum volume and wearing earplugs when going to very noisy places.
Another common cause of tinitus is stress. While stress is necessary to make you wake up in the morning and be motivated and productive, it can be harmful when it accumulates and so much pressure is put into your body that it fails to respond positively. Apparently, this can have adverse effects, one of which is tinnitus. Moreover, the unwanted sound is also aggravated by stress, so it should be properly managed. Finding time to relax definitely helps. You can also seek help from stress management programs like counseling and hypnotherapy.
Further causes of ringing in ears include sinusitis, allergies, Meniere's Disease, presbycusis or age-associated hearing loss, earwax impaction, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, whiplash injury, muscle tension, thyroid disorder, vitamin B12 deficiency, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and malformation of the capillaries. If you experience ear ringing, it is strongly recommended that you go see your doctor so that something can be done to trace the root cause of your tinnitus.
