Health & Medical Hearing

Your Sinuses May Be Causing Your Ears To Ring

When a person is sick, it is not unusual for sinus pressure to build within their head.
Located between the ears, sinuses act as a filter for keeping unwanted particles out of the lungs.
When the sinus cavity swells, not only does it allow unwanted particles to pass through, it may also put pressure on the ear drums and airways that run throughout the head.
Sinuses will usually swell due to congestion brought on by a cold or allergies.
Swelling of the sinuses blocks the Eustachian tubes and the nose, restricting sound from passing through the tube as it normally would.
This swelling can cause ringing in the ears.
The medical term for ringing in the ears is tinnitus.
The most common cause for tinnitus is loud, unfiltered noise entering the ear; however, tinnitus can also result from a sinus infection, allergies or a number of other factors.
Ringing of the ears can be quite irritating and the sound heard can take on many different forms.
A common sound is a constant ringing, similar to that of a school bell.
In addition to a bell sound, many people have described the sound as a buzzing, crackling, drumming, or hissing.
For some people, the sound is simply a minor annoyance.
For others the sound can cause serious discomfort that inhibits a person's ability to function normally.
Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to avoiding sinus swelling.
If you feel a cold coming on, taking a decongestant will help keep the sinuses and airways clear.
Nasal sprays may also help by clearing up mucus.
In most cases, decongestants or nasal sprays will be all you need to keep the swelling from becoming severe.
As the cold progresses, the sinus cavity will continue to swell and the ringing in your ears will continue to get worse.
The only way to alleviate the ringing is to treat the sinus congestion and inflammation and this may require a visit to your doctor.
Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics to fight off the infection, and in turn reduce the swelling and the ringing sounds you hear.
In addition to a cold, another possible cause of sinus infection is allergies.
If allergies are causing your congestion, taking an allergy medicine daily will help combat the allergy and rid the sinuses of the swelling and ringing symptoms.
People with severe allergies may also need to see a doctor to deal with the ringing in the ears and other bothersome side effects.
Ringing in the ear can certainly be annoying, especially when combined with congestion and other symptoms of a cold or allergies.
The best advice to prevent ringing in the ears is to try stay ahead of the congestion and swelling.
Take whatever steps are necessary to manage the congestion by using decongestants and nasal sprays.
Inhaling steam may also help to break up congestion.
If over the counter drugs and home remedies do not work to relieve the congestion and ringing in the ears, a visit to the doctor may be necessary.

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