What Brings On Tinnitus: Everyday Triggers You Might Be Missing

The unfamiliar, often startling ringing, buzzing, whooshing or pulsating you hear in your ears can be unsettling. It may appear randomly, stay in the background throughout the day, or be an intense sensation as you are attempting to drift off to sleep. As a result, you may wonder if you are going crazy, or if there is something seriously wrong.

Do not worry; you are not alone. Millions of individuals suffer from tinnitus, which is defined as a condition where a person hears sounds that no other person can hear. There are individuals who experience tinnitus occasionally, while many others live with tinnitus for extended periods of time. For some individuals, the tinnitus is merely an annoyance, while for others it is a significant and potentially life-altering symptom.

Ultimately, tinnitus is created by your brain and is the creation of a sound that you hear but no one else does. Your concern now shifts to how tinnitus occurs in your daily life, why it is louder on some nights than others, why it began in the first place and what brings on tinnitus.

There are two types of tinnitus: acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term). Acute tinnitus usually results from exposure to extremely loud noises, such as a rock concert. Chronic tinnitus has been associated with hearing loss and certain medical conditions. Once you understand what is causing your acute tinnitus, what causes your pulsatile tinnitus, and what causes tinnitus to come and go, you will begin to regain control over your symptoms.

It is unnecessary to determine everything immediately. Begin with the basic concepts and gradually develop your understanding of your specific patterns and triggers, step by step.

What Brings On Tinnitus in the First Place?

Understanding the big picture before looking for smaller trigger patterns can be very helpful with tinnitus. Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease; it is your body’s response to an internal change that has occurred within your hearing system, or in how your brain interprets sounds.

If you ask what brings on tinnitus, generally there are many layers to the answer. The cause could be located at the level of the inner ear, the auditory (hearing) nerve, or even the parts of your brain that process sound. Sometimes, tinnitus can be related to simple issues such as ear wax. However, other times tinnitus may be associated with hearing loss, blood flow issues, or tightness/tension in your neck or jaw muscles.

In this regard, consider tinnitus a warning light on a car dashboard. The warning light is the “tinnitus,” but the true source of the problem is the system that is feeding your hearing.

How Your Ears and Brain Create the Ringing

There’s an easy way to understand it by looking at the process step-by-step. First, your outer ear picks up sound, then passes it to your middle ear; from there it goes to your inner ear where those vibrations are converted into electrical signals for your hearing nerve. Those signals go through the hearing nerve to your brain and are interpreted as the sounds you know.

When the tiny hair cells inside your inner ear are damaged, or when the signal sent down the nerve is weaker than usual, your brain doesn’t receive the “signal” it has been expecting from the input. The volume of the external world seems reduced. To compensate, your brain could start creating some of its own internal background noise.

This increased activity of your brain can be felt as ring, buzz, hiss, whistle, click, etc. Many people find that the altered way their brain processes sound, creates tinnitus (the sensation of hearing something when no sound exists) is a key part of what brings on tinnitus and keeps it going.

You are not imagining it. Your brain is attempting to replace the missing information and as a result, produces a sound that you perceive to be as real as other sounds you’ve heard before, regardless of whether anyone else can hear it.

Common Medical Problems That Bring On Tinnitus

There are many medical conditions that can increase your likelihood of developing tinnitus or increase the volume of tinnitus. The list below is a general description of each condition in everyday language.

Hearing Loss

As we age our hearing typically declines. The most affected range is usually in the higher frequency ranges. As the ears decline in their ability to detect sounds, the brain will frequently “increase the volume” internally as well. This increase can cause tinnitus.

Damage from Noise

A single extremely loud event or repeated exposure to loud levels can damage the inner ear. Examples include concert crowds, club goers, gun fire, construction equipment, police siren’s etc. Once the inner ear has been damaged, the brain will create internal noise to replace what it can no longer hear.

Ear Wax Build Up

Ear wax is beneficial to our ears; however excessive amounts of wax can impede the transmission of sound waves into the ear. If sound waves are blocked, then the ear and brain receive diminished stimulation, which can produce tinnitus or other symptoms.

Middle Ear Infections

Fluid build-up, increased pressure, and/or infection in the middle ear will disrupt the way sound travels through the middle ear. Middle ear infections can also produce other symptoms such as a feeling of being “full,” ear pain, dizziness, and tinnitus during recovery.

Trauma to the Head or Neck

Injury to the head or neck area can damage nerves, reduce blood flow to the inner ear and/or damage the jaw structure. Many individuals experience tinnitus immediately following trauma, particularly if it occurs on only one side of the body.

Temporomandibular Joint Problems (TMJ)

Discomfort, stiffness, clicking or limited motion in the jaw joint can cause irritation to the surrounding nerves and muscle structures. TMJ disorders and tinnitus can occur simultaneously in some individuals.

High Blood Pressure and Circulatory Issues

Abnormalities in the blood vessels close to the inner ear caused by high blood pressure, or poor circulation to the inner ear, can cause a person to perceive a pulsating or whooshing sound.

Medications

Certain antibiotics, chemotherapy medications, and high doses of particular pain medications can cause irritation to the inner ear and lead to tinnitus or exacerbate existing tinnitus. These are referred to as ototoxic drugs. Ototoxic drugs can induce tinnitus or worsen tinnitus depending upon the dose and duration of therapy.

Although the above conditions do not necessarily require immediate panic, they can provide a starting point to discuss with a physician or hearing specialist.

Everyday Habits: What Brings On Tinnitus Without You Noticing?

Once you have a grasp of the major health components, understanding how they play into your day-to-day life is much easier. This is usually when most people get surprised. Most of us experience a “pile-up” of multiple small irritants which may become a trigger that causes tinnitus to either come and go, or reach its peak at the most inconvenient times.

In this section we’ll review some of the triggers that contribute to tinnitus in everyday life. The intention is NOT to make you feel guilty about causing the sound. Rather, to help you identify some of the simple ways you can modify your behavior to give you a feeling of control over the sound.

Noise in Your Daily Life that Brings On Tinnitus

It’s obvious that working with heavy machinery or listening to music too loudly is going to damage your hearing, but there are many quieter forms of noise that can add up and create serious problems for you as well.

The constant roar of the city while wearing headphones to drown out the sounds of cars passing by, the thumping music during your workout class, the constant blaring of the leaf blower on Saturday morning, or being next to the speakers at someone’s wedding all contribute to the level of decibels you hear daily.

It could take one very loud event to cause tinnitus (ringing in the ears), or a number of moderately loud events throughout your day/week/months to bring on tinnitus, or keep it going.

Taking a couple of easy precautions to safeguard your hearing will go a long way:

• Lower the volume on your headphones slightly.
• Give your ears a break and take off your headphones/headset every hour to let them rest.
• Carry foam earplugs with you when you go to concerts, use power tools, play video games, etc.

You can still enjoy sound. You just give your ears a bit more care.

Stress, Anxiety, and Sleep: Hidden Triggers That Make Ringing Louder

Stress doesn’t “cause” all cases of tinnitus, but in many instances, stress will turn the volume up (i.e., make the tinnitus sound louder). When your body is under stress, your body releases various stress hormones that get your nervous system more alert and have your brain scan for potential threats.

When your brain is in this heightened state, it will lock onto sounds it typically ignores; i.e., tinnitus sounds. In addition to stressors (long workdays, money worries, family tensions), poor sleep caused by late night doom-scrolling, etc. can be detrimental to your overall health. When you don’t get good sleep, your brain is fatigued and irritated, making the tinnitus noise seem louder than it actually is.

You do not need to overhaul your entire life, try these easy habits:

• Create a pre-sleep routine (warm bath/shower + reading a book) to help wind down before bed.
• Turn off electronic screens 30-60 minutes prior to going to bed.
• Practice slow deep breathing when you feel stressed.

As time goes on, your body may learn to adapt to more calming times and better sleep quality may reduce some or all of the triggers for tinnitus.

Food, Drinks, and Drugs: What You Put in Your Body That Brings On Tinnitus

The foods and beverages that you ingest may cause an alteration of your circulation, fluid balance, and mental alertness, thus resulting in tinnitus “flare-ups” for many individuals.

These common causes for tinnitus flare-up are:

• Caffeine found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, and sodas

• Alcohol (especially in the evening hours)

• Nicotine from smoking or vaping

• High-sodium meals that alter the amount of fluid in your inner-ear

• Some nonprescription and prescribed medications

You may have no reaction to a specific item that affects others in a similar manner. In this case, your body may react differently to certain items such as salt, wine, etc. While these bodily changes may affect the onset of tinnitus and how often your tinnitus spikes, they are also part of the changes you experience during weekend or holiday celebrations.

Certain medications may also damage the inner ear. Before making any changes to your medication regimen, consult with your physician or pharmacist if you suspect that one of your medications is causing your tinnitus to be worse. Your doctor will help you determine the best course of action to maintain good hearing and to ensure your overall health.

Jaw Clenching, Poor Posture, and Neck Tension That Trigger Ear Noise

The ear is very close to many of the muscles and nerves associated with your jaw and neck. As such, if these areas are tense or in an abnormal position they may send distorted information to your ear.

When you have chronic grinding or clenching of your jaw (and/or) when you spend long periods sitting at a computer with your head tilted downward, this chronic tension can be a trigger for tinnitus or contribute to its surges.

• Checking your jaw throughout the day and releasing the tension gently.
• Stretching your shoulders and rolling them as well as your neck each hour while working at your desk.
• Changing your chair and monitor to help you sit up straighter.

While the above suggestions appear minor, over time, people often find that their tinnitus decreases along with any body pain from these suggestions.

What Brings On Sudden Tinnitus and Pulsatile Tinnitus?

Tinnitus almost always develops gradually with exposure to long-term hearing loss. It may develop quickly or be perceived differently than it has been, and while this can certainly be alarming; in this section we will explore the common causes of sudden onset tinnitus as well as the reasons behind that persistent pulsating/heartbeat sound in your ear.

In addition, by understanding when to seek emergency care for tinnitus, versus waiting to contact your primary physician or audiologist, you can be better prepared to react to tinnitus-related emergencies and become less confused about how to respond to an episode of tinnitus.

What Brings On Sudden Tinnitus and When It Is an Emergency

Sudden tinnitus is when the tinnitus occurs suddenly and may be limited to one ear; it can occur immediately after exposure to a high decibel noise such as a firework, explosion, or a gunshot close to the ear. Sudden tinnitus can also result from blunt trauma to the head such as a fall (sports), automobile collision, or dive accident, which results in a rapid change in ear pressure.

Additionally, sudden tinnitus has been known to present along with sudden unilateral hearing loss. The symptoms can include a feeling of being unsteady, a “muffled” sensation in voices, and/or an inability to hear the telephone in that ear.

If tinnitus occurs rapidly in one ear and is accompanied by rapid hearing loss, severe vertigo or dizziness, or a problem with walking straight, treat as an emergency situation. Seek immediate medical attention at an Emergency Room or Urgent Care facility as the sooner the condition is treated, the less permanent damage will be done to the hearing and the less of an impact there will be for the tinnitus.

What Brings On Pulsatile Tinnitus (Ear Noise in Time With Your Pulse)

Tinnitus that has a rhythm similar to your heart beat, (pulsatile) is a bit different than typical tinnitus, as it may sound like a “whoosh,” a “thump” or a “flutter” depending upon the speed of your heart. It could be felt like a “drum” inside your ear.

This kind of tinnitus usually is caused by some form of alteration in blood circulation or blood pressure. Some possible causes for this tinnitus include:

• High blood pressure
• Stiffened or twisted arteries/veins close to the ear
• Circulation/blood flow alterations in the neck/head
• Unusual tumors, or other structural abnormalities

Since pulsatile tinnitus typically relates to blood vessel and blood circulation, you will require a visit to a doctor to determine the cause of this tinnitus. although it may not be a serious condition at times it could be an indication of an issue requiring medical treatment.

If you notice a pulse sound in one or both of your ears, please record when you first noticed the sound, how frequently you hear it and what seems to make it better/worse. then contact your physician to schedule a visit. this is an important step in identifying why you have tinnitus and determining whether there are dangerous reasons for its occurrence.

Why Tinnitus Comes and Goes: Tracking What Brings On Tinnitus for You

It’s understandable that variable tinnitus may confuse you. There are times when it is louder, and there are times when it blends into the background. It could be you are waking with quiet ears, but after a long stressful day, you hear a high-pitched ringing.

The reasons why tinnitus comes and goes for most people include combinations of their surroundings (noise), the stress they experience, how well they are sleeping, what they eat, how tense they are, and overall health. Like fingerprints, every person has a unique pattern. Once you understand what factors contribute to your tinnitus, and what factors help to calm it down, you will have a greater sense of being able to manage it.

Common Patterns: What Causes Tinnitus to Come and Go During Your Week

When you consider all that happens in one week of your life, you can begin to identify patterns. There may be specific times when your tinnitus is worse such as:

• After attending a loud event (e.g., games, parties, concerts)
• On nights after getting very little sleep.
• After a very busy/stressful day at work.
• After consuming large amounts of salt through food (take out) or alcohol.
• After extended periods of being glued to screens (i.e., no breaks)

Many individuals experience tinnitus coming and going based on these factors. The listed items will help you recognize the triggers which cause you tinnitus during the most hectic or stressful parts of your daily routine.

You do not need to eliminate each trigger; you simply need to understand how your actions and nervous system interact with each other.

How to Track What Brings On Tinnitus in Your Daily Routine

The simplest approach to recognizing your personal triggers is to keep track of them for 2-3 weeks. The tracking process doesn’t have to be elaborate.

You may simply use a notebook, or a simple cell phone note. Every few hours, document:

• How loud your tinnitus felt (low, medium, high)
• What you did during the past couple of hours (noise, work, screen time, etc.)
• What you ate/drank – especially, caffeinated beverages, alcoholic beverages, and salty foods
• How you slept that previous evening
• Your overall level of stress at the moment
• Whether you are experiencing any jaw clenching, neck pain, or headaches

By reviewing your data after a couple of weeks, you’ll likely identify several commonalities associated with your “loud” days. At this point, you’ll begin to understand what contributes to tinnitus based upon your physical needs.

Small Changes That Can Calm Tinnitus Triggers Over Time

Once you discover which are your major tinnitus triggers, you may want to focus on just one or two to work on first. It is not necessary to “fix” all of them right now. Making small, consistent changes, rather than large, abrupt ones, typically produces greater long-term results.

Some ways that you may be able to make these changes include:

• Adding a brief “wind-down” routine to your bedtime routine. (Example: reading, meditation, etc.)
• Swapping one caffeinated beverage with an herbal tea or water.
• Using earplugs in your backpack and keeping your volume level low when using headphones.
• Taking regular short breaks from screen use during the day.
• Stretches of your neck and shoulder area multiple times per day.

While some of the above changes may not “heal” your tinnitus in most cases, they may decrease both the frequency and the intensity of tinnitus, as well as decrease the amount of tinnitus-related anxiety and stress you experience in your daily life by decreasing the number of tinnitus triggers present in your environment.

Your goal isn’t to achieve complete silence. Your goal is to simply have less fear, less stress, and many more days where tinnitus does not dominate your thoughts.

Conclusion

At first tinnitus will seem random and terrifying; however, it is not random. A variety of tiny items are added together to create tinnitus, such as hearing loss and other medical conditions and then day-to-day noise, stress, sleep, food and body tension.

You know now that loud sounds, busy thinking, bad sleeping habits, certain beverages and medications, jaw/neck tension and medical problems can all contribute to creating ear noises. You have also been shown how specific examples (such as sudden tinnitus) and (such as pulsatile tinnitus) require serious medical attention.

You don’t have to fix anything right away. You can begin to track your own patterns, speak with a hearing professional or a physician and make some minor and gentle adjustments to your lifestyle. Over time, these adjustments will allow you to feel more relaxed and more in control.

You will continue to hear the sound, but you will no longer be controlled by it. Learning what brings on tinnitus is the first real step towards regaining your sense of safety in your own body once again.