I've Heard a Ringing in My Ears Most of My Adult Life — Now It's Suddenly Gotten Louder

I've never really thought much about it, but I recall that I used to say to my friends that there was no such thing as silence and there was always a faint ringing, yet in the last 3 - 4 weeks it has increased quite dramatically.

It's not driving me nuts but I want to try and understand why it has suddenly got louder.

 

Many things can cause tinnitus but the most common are exposure to loud noise and headphone use. Do you listen to audio through headphones, earbuds or a headset? If the answer is yes this could be the reason for the increase in tinnitus. Do you work in a noisy environment? Hearing loss can cause the onset of tinnitus or an increase. Stress can also cause tinnitus or an underlying medical problem within your inner ear.

Please click on the links below and read my posts on tinnitus.

All the best
Michael

PS: I see on your Avatar that you lift weights. Some exercises including lifting weights can increase tinnitus for some people.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/​

 

Michael has included some of the common causes of tinnitus. Here is a longer list of causes which may include some of the causes mentioned above.

These causes, single or combined, can trigger or aggravate tinnitus including by not limited to drug reaction or side-effects from ototoxic drugs, ear wax build-up, ear or Eustachian tube infection or ETD, ear drum injury, fluid build-up in ears feeling pressured or fullness, sinus infection & congestion, TMJ, TTTS, high blood pressure or blood circulation problem, loud noise exposure or acoustic trauma/shock, head trauma & injury, neck injury or muscle problems, hearing loss, Meniere's Decease, barotrauma from sudden change of air pressure such as during landing & taking off on flights especially with blocked nose causing failure to balance the pressure changes, slapping of the ears, deep grief for the loss of loved ones, untreated sleep apnea, extreme, extended stress, anxiety & panic disorder, etc., etc. T can also be caused or made worse by unhealthy diet such as too much salt, sugar, caffeine, MSG, alcohol etc. or by lacking some mineral or vitamin supplements, such as Magnesium, Zinc, B12, D3 etc.

There are other causes besides these. If you can identify any of the above cause(s) around the time of the increase, that will help you fix the problem if it is fixable. Good luck. God bless.