Ringing in the ear: what can it be?

Expert answer:

Tinnitus in the ear can be a symptom of hearing loss, ear problems, stress, diabetes or even cause the use of medications, neurological diseases and even tumors. The causes of tinnitus in the ear are many, but it is already known that most cases are caused by some degree of deafness.

It seems that as the sound no longer enters through the ears, the brain suffers dysfunctions in the areas related to the processing of the hearing, being able to generate the ringing in the ear. However, tinnitus can have numerous other causes, such as:

  • Problems in the ear, such as inflammation and excess wax;
  • Aging;
  • Diabetes, anemia;
  • Cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure and heart failure;
  • Stress, anxiety, depression;
  • Smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages;
  • Excessive consumption of caffeine;
  • Use of medications, such as some diuretics and anti-inflammatories;
  • Constant exposure to loud noises, constant use of headphones;
  • Jaw dysfunctions (learn more in: Tinnitus and head pressure: what can it be?);
  • Multiple sclerosis, head trauma, meningitis sequelae.

Ringing in the ear has cure in most cases and the treatment focuses on the cause of the problem whenever it is possible to detect it.

Early diagnosis is very important to the success of the treatment, so the patient should consult a general practitioner, family doctor or go directly to an otolaryngologist if tinnitus persists.