Where’s That Aggravating Noise in my Ears Coming From?

Woman with tinnitus and ringing in her ears getting a headache.

As you probably know, extended periods of stress aren’t healthy for the body. When you are afflicted by persistent stress, everything from headaches to extreme muscle aches can be the result. But did you recognize stress can also trigger tinnitus, a ringing, buzzing, or clicking in the ears?

Stress isn’t the only thing that can trigger tinnitus, it can also be caused by a sinus infection, loud noises, and other variables. Let’s take a peak at some potential causes.

How to Recognize Unhealthy Stress

How does stress relate to tinnitus? It’s often easy to neglect how serious the medical impact of stress can be on our bodies. Disregarding stress isn’t a good idea.

Healthy Stress

Short term stress can actually be a really motivating factor when it comes to completing tasks. Stress can provide a boost of energy and adrenalin to accomplish tasks and projects that really need to be finished.

But short term, healthy stress and long term, unhealthy stress are two completely different things. The ability to complete goals can be assisted by healthy stress while unhealthy stress can physically harm you.

Unhealthy Stress

Usually, an irrational fear is the source of unhealthy stress. When an individual stays in a heightened state of anxiety, the consequence is often unhealthy stress.

Unhealthy stress is associates with our “fight or flight” response, a normal reaction that helps keep us safe in dangerous conditions. When an individual remains in a hyper-stressful condition for an extended period, it can lead to harmful physical symptoms.

Worrying

Worrying is an extremely universal cause of unhealthy stress. The importance of a relationship or situation can often be exaggerated. We might have ourselves convinced that we did or said something to spoil our chances at a promotion. Excessive worrying can lead to intrusive, seemingly unmanageable thoughts.

Unhealthy Stress And Intrusive Thoughts

We might worry about what we didn’t get completed today and worry over what we need to get done tomorrow. Obsession, endless internal dialog, and even panic attacks are a typical part of this type of stress. Eventually, our unhealthy stress wears on our bodies if we don’t take steps to curtail these thoughts.

Pain and muscle tension on the upper body are normal effects of unhealthy stress. Affected areas could include the head, neck, jaw, or shoulders.

Anger And Jaw Tension

Have you ever heard someone express their anger as jaw clenching? Jaw tension is a prevalent symptom of stress, anger, worry, and intrusive thoughts.

Pressure can be put on the fragile bones of the inner ear and eardrum by continuous tension. Over time, this strain can result in ringing in your ears.

Sinus Infections And Ear Strain

From sore throats to stuffy noses, sinus infections bring lots of undesired symptoms.

Headaches, sinus pressure, and pressure in the ears are common symptoms of a sinus infection. A ringing, clicking, or buzzing can be the result.

Nasal congestion often spreads to the ears during the course of a sinus infection. Blockage in the ears and severe pressure on the eardrum will develop because of the accumulated earwax this causes. And with this comes ringing in the ears.

You might not need to see a hearing specialist if the ringing is the result of a sinus infection, as the symptoms may improve naturally. If the ringing lasts for more than a few days, however, you should schedule an appointment with a hearing professional.

Prolonged Exposure to Loud Noises

Long-term ringing in the ears will probably not develop due to the occasional concert. If you regularly expose your ears to intense sounds, however, you might be putting stress on the tender areas of your ears.

When you expose your ears to intense noises frequently, your eardrums and the bones of the inner ears are strained, which can result in ringing, buzzing, or clicking.

Beyond the occasional ringing in your ears, exposure to intense sounds over a long period can result in temporary or permanent loss of hearing. Listening to music at a sensible volume and using ear protection when needed is crucial for hearing health.

Safeguarding Your Hearing

Whether caused by stress, muscle tension, an illness, or loud noises, tinnitus is nothing to ignore. It’s best to have your ears checked by a hearing specialist on a regular basis. If you think the ringing in your ears has a serious hidden medical cause, you should have them checked for your peace of mind.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.