I’ve noticed for the past few days that my ears have been ringing. Anytime it gets quiet, I notice it. I have a headache right now, but I think that might be from sitting in front of the t.v. for too long. Why do people’s ears ring, and is there anyway to stop it? It’s starting to really get on my nerves.

Tinnitus
it is called Tinnitus

Tinnitus, or ‘ringing in the ears’, refers to hearing sounds such as tones, whistling, wind rushing, crickets, etc. that aren’t acoustically generated. In other words, a person with Tinnitus can hear them in a quiet room. The most common Tinnitus sound is a tone.

Most people experience a temporary Tinnitus condition at some point in their life, such as after a loud concert, or as a complication to an inner ear infection. Unfortunately for more than 16% of the adult population, this condition is chronic – it never goes away. Of the 50+ million people in North America with chronic Tinnitus, 12 million have a severe case. For these people it is not unusual to perceive a tone greater than 90 dB-SPL. Note that 80dB-SPL is the level in industry at which a hearing conservation program is required. (Room-level conversation is typically 65 dB-SPL and a jet engine is around 110 dB-SPL)

Chronic Tinnitus can be caused in a number of ways: an over-exposure to constant loud or explosive noise (on the job exposure is a common source), reaction to medication, a head injury (car crashes are a common source), complication of illness, and others.

One of the most common complaints related to Tinnitus is that it adversely affects sleeping patterns. Sufferers find they can’t get to sleep in a quiet room because of the annoying sound they perceive in their head. For many, this results in being progressively sleep deprived, and can start a downward spiral in psychological health. The reality is that Tinnitus is the only hearing affliction where anxiety, depression, and contemplating suicide are normal psychological complications. For most sufferers, their perceived level of Tinnitus is not constant and can worsen from exposure to high intensity noise, negative emotional pressures, heavy physical exertion, caffeine, salt, tobacco, allergens, and certain medications. Note that a common complication of aspirin for Tinnitus sufferers is that it temporarily worsens (makes louder) their Tinnitus.

Outside of a cure, the most common desire of Tinnitus sufferers is to be able to control their tinnitus rather than have it control them. A major factor in this is being able to sleep well and have the energy to face Tinnitus every day. When Tinnitus sufferers feel they have control, they are able to lead productive lives and many are able to get off all medications. The key to getting control is working with an audiologist to establish a personal Tinnitus management program.

A Tinnitus Management program is a set of coping strategies that may vary depending on the level of activity and environment. It rarely is a one-component program. Typical program components include hearing aids, masking, residual inhibition, dietary and lifestyle changes, counseling, and support groups