What causes ringing in the ears? When you experience the symptoms on your own, the mind is boggled as to the origin of this unhelpful condition. In this article, I will explain to you the primary and secondary factors that cause tinnitus and ringing in the ears, as well as how to successfully cure them.
Main cause: hearing loss
The main factor in tinnitus is hearing loss.
Inside the human ear is a snail-like organ called the cochlea. Inside there are thousands of tiny hairs. These hairs are like blades of grass: if you push them slightly, they will spring back. If you stamp them for a long period of time, they will be permanently damaged.
When you listen to a loud sound for long periods of time, the hairs in your cochlea get damaged and you experience hearing loss. At the same time, many people who have hearing loss also develop tinnitus. It takes some degree of hearing loss for your ears to ring, even if you think your hearing is perfect, it’s not.
Secondary cofactors
There is nothing you can do about hearing loss because it is irreversible. But why do some people who experience hearing loss never have tinnitus? This is due to secondary cofactors. You need hearing loss to get tinnitus, but you also need at least one or more secondary cofactors.
Here are just a couple of them:
Cofactor Example 1: Lifestyle
Did you know, for example, that your toothpaste could be causing or contributing to your tinnitus? Many toothpastes, especially those for sensitive teeth, contain potassium compounds that can be problematic for some people with tinnitus. Even regular toothpaste and the fluoride it contains can cause problems. You can try switching to a fluoride-free version for a while and see what happens.
Second example of cofactor: diet
Did you know, for example, that monosodium glutamate (commonly found in many prepared foods and not just Chinese food) is strongly linked to tinnitus? This is because it is a type of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. The same neurotransmitter that is toxic to the body and is also produced when hair cells die. Once again, try to eliminate it and all other glutamates entirely from your diet. This can be difficult because it’s often hidden in food, but the only way to find out is to try.
how to cure tinnitus
As you can see above, the only way you can cure or reduce your tinnitus is to look at each possible cofactor in isolation. The two examples above are just a small selection and there are many more. By looking at each one of them and making a small change to your diet or lifestyle, you can eventually pin down the main contributors to your tinnitus and experience a great reduction or total elimination of your symptoms altogether.