Hearing Associates of Libertyville, IL

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

It’s well known that stress, especially for extended amounts of time, can be very hazardous to the body. When you endure chronic stress, everything from extreme muscle aches to headaches can be the outcome. But did you know stress can also lead to tinnitus, a ringing, buzzing, or clicking in the ears?

Tinnitus can be caused by many different health factors, including stress, sinus infections, or loud noises. Let’s take a look at a few potential causes of that aggravating noise in your ears.

Unhealthy Stress – How to Identify it

How does stress relate to tinnitus? It’s often easy to take for granted how extreme the medical consequence of stress can be on our bodies. Disregarding stress is a bad idea.

Healthy Stress

Short term stress can actually be a really motivating factor when it comes to accomplishing duties. Stress can give a boost of energy and adrenalin to complete tasks and projects that really need to be finished.

There is a difference, though, between healthy, short-term stress and unhealthy, harmful stress. The ability to accomplish goals can be assisted by healthy stress while unhealthy stress can physically harm you.

Unhealthy Stress

Unhealthy stress is caused by the fear of something that, generally, never actually happens. When a person stays in a heightened state of anxiety, the consequence is often unhealthy stress.

Unhealthy stress is associates with our “fight or flight” response, a natural reaction that helps keep us safe in dangerous conditions. When someone stays in a hyper-stressful condition for a long period, it can result in harmful physical symptoms.

Worrying

Worrying is an extremely common cause of unhealthy stress. The significance of an interaction or situation can often be exaggerated. We might have ourselves convinced that we did or said something to spoil our chances at a promotion. When you worry in this way your invasive thoughts can really get away from you.

Unhealthy Stress And Intrusive Thoughts

We may worry about what we didn’t accomplish today and stress over what we need to do tomorrow. Fixation, perpetual internal dialog, and even panic are a typical part of this type of stress. Eventually, our unhealthy stress wears on our bodies unless we do something to curtail these thoughts.

Typically, unhealthy stress affects the upper part of the body by causing muscle tension and pain. The shoulders, neck, head, and jaw are areas that can be affected.

Jaw Tension And Anger

Have you ever read a book where the author talks about a character as being so angry his jaw clenched in rage? Stress, anger, worry, and invasive thoughts frequently come with jaw tension.

Pressure can be put on the fragile bones of the eardrum and inner ear by sustained tension. Ringing in the ears can be the consequence.

Sinus Infections And Ear Strain

From sore throats to stuffy noses, sinus infections bring about 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.

During a sinus infection, your nasal congestion frequently spreads to your ears. This can generate excess earwax, which causes clogged ears and severe pressure on the eardrums. Pressure on the little bones of the inner ear can trigger tinnitus symptoms.

You may not need to visit a hearing professional if the ringing is the result of a sinus infection, as the symptoms could improve naturally. But you should definitely make an appointment with us if the ringing persists for more than a few days.

Prolonged Exposure to Loud Noises

Long-term ringing in the ears will most likely not develop as a result of the occasional concert. However, you might be putting stress on the delicate parts of your ear if you frequently expose yourself to intense sound.

Buzzing, Clicking, or ringing can be the outcome when the eardrum and inner ears are put under the enormous strain of repeated exposure to intense noises.

Beyond the intermittent ringing in your ears, exposure to loud sounds over a prolonged period can trigger temporary or permanent hearing loss. Listening to music at a sensible volume and wearing ear protection when necessary is crucial for hearing health.

Safeguarding Your Hearing

Whether caused by stress, muscle tension, an illness, or loud noises, tinnitus shouldn’t be ignored. It’s best to have your ears examined by a hearing specialist regularly. For your peace of mind, you should get examined, particularly if you suspect that your tinnitus is being triggered by a serious underlying medical issue.

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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.
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