One of the primary causes of tinnitus is hearing loss, which is damage to inner ear from loud noises. The brain tries to compensate for the lack of stimulation to the nerves of the ear by creating its own sounds, hence the tinnitus. Tinnitus may be perceived as ringing, buzzing, hissing, whooshing, clicking or other sounds.

There are many people who have a loss of hearing and don’t know it. Some signs of hearing loss include:

1. You find that you are missing out on bits of conversations when people talk
2. You find the need to ask people to repeat things
3. Your friends or relatives complain that the volume on your television/radio is very high
4. You have a hard time hearing people speak on the telephone
5. You try to avoid group conversations because you can’t hear everyone

If any of the above is relevant to you, it is recommended that you see an audiologist to test your hearing.

If you hear noises in your ears that others don’t, then you are also suffering from tinnitus.

In general, you should use hearing protection when exposed to loud noises, as well as lower the volume of radios, MP3 players, and the like in order to prevent hearing loss and tinnitus. If you already suffer from hearing loss and tinnitus, you can prevent further damage to your ears.

Construction equipment and music have been clinically proven to cause hearing loss and tinnitus. If you work in a place where you are exposed to loud noises, you should purchase ear plugs if your employer doesn’t want to provide them for you.

If you are exposed to a loud noise and do not have hearing protection on hand,  try to get as far away from the source as possible. The further away you move, the less likely the sound will damage your ears.

Taking steps to protect your ears at home and in the workplace will help you have a better quality of life.