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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Could Ear Plugs Worn While Sleeping Cause Tinnitus While I'm Also Taking BP And Pain Medication?

I have a continual ringing in my ears, both of them. I am on several pain medications and also high blood pressure meds. What can I do to relieve the ringing? Also, I wear ear plugs at night because my husband is a loud snorer, could the plugs be contributing to the ringing?
Tue, 8 Jan 2019
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Diabetologist 's  Response
Hello i just read your query.Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people. Tinnitus isn't a condition itself — it's a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder.

Although bothersome, tinnitus usually isn't a sign of something serious. Although it can worsen with age, for many people, tinnitus can improve with treatment. Treating an identified underlying cause sometimes helps. Other treatments reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable.

I suggest removing your ear plugs at night as removing them may help decrease your symptoms.
•Earwax removal. Removing impacted earwax can decrease tinnitus symptoms.
•Treating a blood vessel condition. Underlying vascular conditions may require medication, surgery or another treatment to address the problem.
•Changing your medication. If a medication you're taking appears to be the cause of tinnitus, your doctor may recommend stopping or reducing the drug, or switching to a different medication.

High blood pressure. Hypertension and factors that increase blood pressure, such as stress, alcohol and caffeine, can make tinnitus more noticeable.
•Turbulent blood flow. Narrowing or kinking in a neck artery (carotid artery) or vein in your neck (jugular vein) can cause turbulent, irregular blood flow, leading to tinnitus.
•Malformation of capillaries. A condition called arteriovenous malformation (AVM), abnormal connections between arteries and veins, can result in tinnitus. This type of tinnitus generally occurs in only one ear.
Treatment-
Noise suppression
In some cases white noise may help suppress the sound so that it's less bothersome. I would suggest using an electronic device to suppress the noise. Devices include:

•White noise machines. These devices, which produce simulated environmental sounds such as falling rain or ocean waves, are often an effective treatment for tinnitus. You may want to try a white noise machine with pillow speakers to help you sleep. Fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners in the bedroom also may help cover the internal noise at night.
•Hearing aids. These can be especially helpful if you have hearing problems as well as tinnitus.
•Masking devices. Worn in the ear and similar to hearing aids, these devices produce a continuous, low-level white noise that suppresses tinnitus symptoms.
•Tinnitus retraining. A wearable device delivers individually programmed tonal music to mask the specific frequencies of the tinnitus you experience. Over time, this technique may accustom you to the tinnitus, thereby helping you not to focus on it. Counseling is often a component of tinnitus retraining.
Medications
Drugs can't cure tinnitus, but in some cases they may help reduce the severity of symptoms or complications. Possible medications include:

•Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, have been used with some success. However, these medications are generally used for only severe tinnitus, as they can cause troublesome side effects, including dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and heart problems.
•Alprazolam may help reduce tinnitus symptoms, but side effects can include drowsiness and nausea. It can also become habit-forming.

Hope this proves to be of some help to you.Goodluck.
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Could Ear Plugs Worn While Sleeping Cause Tinnitus While I'm Also Taking BP And Pain Medication?

Hello i just read your query.Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people. Tinnitus isn t a condition itself — it s a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder. Although bothersome, tinnitus usually isn t a sign of something serious. Although it can worsen with age, for many people, tinnitus can improve with treatment. Treating an identified underlying cause sometimes helps. Other treatments reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable. I suggest removing your ear plugs at night as removing them may help decrease your symptoms. •Earwax removal. Removing impacted earwax can decrease tinnitus symptoms. •Treating a blood vessel condition. Underlying vascular conditions may require medication, surgery or another treatment to address the problem. •Changing your medication. If a medication you re taking appears to be the cause of tinnitus, your doctor may recommend stopping or reducing the drug, or switching to a different medication. •High blood pressure. Hypertension and factors that increase blood pressure, such as stress, alcohol and caffeine, can make tinnitus more noticeable. •Turbulent blood flow. Narrowing or kinking in a neck artery (carotid artery) or vein in your neck (jugular vein) can cause turbulent, irregular blood flow, leading to tinnitus. •Malformation of capillaries. A condition called arteriovenous malformation (AVM), abnormal connections between arteries and veins, can result in tinnitus. This type of tinnitus generally occurs in only one ear. Treatment- Noise suppression In some cases white noise may help suppress the sound so that it s less bothersome. I would suggest using an electronic device to suppress the noise. Devices include: •White noise machines. These devices, which produce simulated environmental sounds such as falling rain or ocean waves, are often an effective treatment for tinnitus. You may want to try a white noise machine with pillow speakers to help you sleep. Fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners in the bedroom also may help cover the internal noise at night. •Hearing aids. These can be especially helpful if you have hearing problems as well as tinnitus. •Masking devices. Worn in the ear and similar to hearing aids, these devices produce a continuous, low-level white noise that suppresses tinnitus symptoms. •Tinnitus retraining. A wearable device delivers individually programmed tonal music to mask the specific frequencies of the tinnitus you experience. Over time, this technique may accustom you to the tinnitus, thereby helping you not to focus on it. Counseling is often a component of tinnitus retraining. Medications Drugs can t cure tinnitus, but in some cases they may help reduce the severity of symptoms or complications. Possible medications include: •Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, have been used with some success. However, these medications are generally used for only severe tinnitus, as they can cause troublesome side effects, including dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and heart problems. •Alprazolam may help reduce tinnitus symptoms, but side effects can include drowsiness and nausea. It can also become habit-forming. Hope this proves to be of some help to you.Goodluck.