What Causes Ringing in the Ears?

Ever been in a quiet room and heard a sound that didn't originate in the room but in your own ears? Perhaps it sounded like a high-pitch alarm, a buzzing, or a sporadic beeping like a Morse code. You jangle your ear, massage it, push against the drum, but the tones still persist.

You might have tinnitus. Colloquially, tinnitus is known as "ringing in the ears."

There are 5 main causes:

1. Too Much Loud Noise
We live in a world of extremes and that includes extreme yelling, extreme music volume, and extreme concerts. Such noise is the primary cause of ear ringing.

The human ear should only be subjected to 80 decibels or less. This decibel level is equivalent to an alarm clock going off. Anything louder can put you at risk if you are exposed to that sound for a continuous period of time on a regular basis. With something extra loud – like a concert, which can be as much as 120 decibels – just being exposed to the volume once can result in tinnitus.

When using headphones to listen to music, start with the volume so low that you cannot hear it; then, slowly turn up the volume to the lowest level that is enjoyable. Many music players have high volume options. Do not choose these. Use the same strategy when listening to car music.

Consider spending a few dollars for ear plugs that you can use at concerts, around construction areas, or wherever there might be loud blasts of sound.

2. Hearing Loss
Damage to the inner ear can cause hearing loss and lead to tinnitus. Hearing loss is the second most popular cause of ringing in the ears. When the ear is damaged, it ceases to pick up vibrations and convert them to sounds. Also, nerves in the inner ear fail to transmit signals to the brain. Constant loud noises, natural aging, and Meniere's disease, which is an inner ear disorder, can result in the type of hearing loss that accompanies ear ringing. When no external sounds can be heard by an ear, that ear is more likely to hear internal ringing at a more intense volume and frequency.

3. Clogged Ears
This is a rare cause of tinnitus. However, sometimes ear ringing can be caused by something as simple as debris or built-up ear wax. Be wary of putting any foreign objects in ears, including cotton swabs.

4. Chemical Side Effects
Medicines or foods with excess caffeine or aspirin can cause ear ringing -- so can too much alcohol.

5. Infections
Viral ear infections accompanied by fluid in the ear often cause ringing. These infections develop during an extreme cold, flu, or sinus infection.