Buzzing in Ears

A medical condition or more accurately a symptom in which one hears noise without receiving any kind of sound waves from the external environment is known as tinnitus, buzzing in ears, or ear buzzing. The noise can be soft or high-pitched in its form/intensity. The type/kind of sound also varies a lot.

Following are the different sounds heard by people with this condition: ringing, buzzing, roaring, blowing, hissing, sizzling, whistling, or humming. Some other sounds heard, apart from those mentioned above, are beeping, ticking, clicking in the ear, etc. Constant buzzing and hearing intermittent sounds are the two forms of this condition.

Buzzing sound can be heard either in single or both the ears. Tinnitus can either be subjective or objective. In the objective form, a patient hears the buzzing sound clearly. People who are in the vicinity of the affected person can also hear the sound emitted from the ears. In the subjective form, only the affected person can hear such sounds.

• Exposure to loud noise is one of the main causes of ear buzzing. Even a slight damage that is caused to the ears can have long-lasting effects on hearing.

• The different causes of ear buzzing include: ear infection, wax in the ear, presence of foreign objects in ears, nose allergies, etc.
• It can also be the result of aging. The hearing ability is impaired naturally due to aging.

• Ear buzzing may also result from the side effects of certain medicines.
• It is also one of the side effects of genetic hearing loss.

• The central dorsal cochlear nucleus auditory neurons of the body exhibit a homeostatic response to maintain the balance of body systems. To compensate the auditory input loss, these neurons become hyperactive. The buzzing sound can also be the result of such complications taking place in the body.

The feeling of dizziness is many times experienced along with ear buzzing. Problems in the functioning of the vestibular labyrinth, an organ of the inner ear, are responsible for dizziness. The vestibular labyrinth is composed of small canals that contain sensors and fluids. Rotation of the head is monitored with these sensors.

Utricle and saccule are parts of the inner ear which contain otoconia that are small particles present in the saccule and utricle. These are connected to the sensors which help in monitoring the back-and-forth motion of the body. Damage caused to any of these parts results in dizziness and in some cases, buzzing in ears.

The remedies mentioned below can be used at home itself:

• Putting the maidenhair tree extract in ears is one of the commonly used remedies. The quantity of this extract to be used, at a time, should be 20 - 30 mg.

• A person should avoid eating stuff, like processed foods, salt, sugar, and edibles containing saturated fats.

• The regular diet should contain plenty of fruits, vegetables, kelp, and garlic. Foods which contain high amounts of vitamins A, B, and E; choline; zinc; etc., should also be included in the diet.
• Beverages like tea, coffee, alcohol, and sweet foods tend to aggravate the problem.

• One of the effective means of tackling this condition is to take alternate hot and cold water foot baths.
• Wearing earplugs is an efficacious remedy.
• One should also exercise regularly to avert this condition.

Get yourself checked thoroughly to determine the exact underlying cause of tinnitus before resorting to any of the above-mentioned treatment options. Sometimes alternative therapies, such as counseling can also help in coping with this condition.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.