Tinnitus tends to get worse at night for the majority of the millions of people in the US that suffer with it. But what’s the reason for this? The ringing or buzzing in one or both ears is not a real noise but a side-effect of a medical problem like hearing loss, either lasting or temporary. But none of that information can give an explanation as to why this ringing becomes louder during the night.
The truth is more common sense than you may think. But first, we have to learn a little more about this all-too-common condition.
What is tinnitus?
To say tinnitus is not a real sound just adds to the confusion, but, for most individuals, that is true. The person dealing with tinnitus can hear the sound but no one else can. Your partner sleeping next to you in bed can’t hear it although it sounds like a tornado to you.
Tinnitus is an indication that something is not right, not a condition on its own. Substantial hearing loss is generally at the base of this condition. For a lot of people, tinnitus is the first sign they get that their hearing is at risk. Individuals who have hearing loss frequently don’t notice their condition until the tinnitus symptoms start because it progresses so slowly. This phantom noise is a warning flag to signal you of a change in your hearing.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus is one of medical science’s greatest conundrums and doctors don’t have a strong comprehension of why it occurs. It may be a symptom of numerous medical problems including inner ear damage. There are very small hair cells inside of your ears that move in response to sound. Tinnitus often means there’s damage to those hair cells, enough to keep them from transmitting electrical messages to the brain. These electrical signals are how the brain translates sound into something it can clearly comprehend like a car horn or someone speaking.
The present hypothesis regarding tinnitus is about the absence of sound. Your brain will begin to compensate for signals that it’s waiting for because of hearing loss. It gets confused by the lack of input from the ear and attempts to compensate for it.
When it comes to tinnitus, that would explain some things. Why it can be caused by so many medical conditions, such as age-related hearing loss, high blood pressure, and concussions, for starters. It also tells you something about why the ringing gets worse at night for some people.
Why does tinnitus get louder at night?
You may not even recognize it, but your ear receives some sounds during the day. It will faintly pick up sounds coming from a different room or around the corner. At the very least, you hear your own voice, but that all goes quiet during the night when you try to go to sleep.
Abruptly, all the sound disappears and the level of confusion in the brain goes up in response. When confronted with complete silence, it resorts to producing its own internal sounds. Hallucinations, such as phantom sounds, are often the result of sensory deprivation as the brain attempts to produce input where none exists.
In other words, it’s too quiet at night so your tinnitus seems worse. Producing sound may be the remedy for people who can’t sleep due to that irritating ringing in the ear.
How to create noise at night
A fan running is frequently enough to decrease tinnitus symptoms for many people. The volume of the ringing is decreased just by the sound of the fan motor.
But you can also get devices that are exclusively made to lessen tinnitus sounds. White noise machines simulate nature sounds like rain or ocean waves. The soft noise soothes the tinnitus but isn’t distracting enough to keep you awake like keeping the TV on might do. Alternatively, you could go with an app that plays calming sounds from your smartphone.
Can anything else make tinnitus symptoms louder?
Lack of sound isn’t the only thing that can bring about an increase in your tinnitus. Too much alcohol before bed can lead to more severe tinnitus symptoms. Tinnitus also tends to worsen if you’re under stress and certain medical issues can lead to a flare-up, also, like high blood pressure. If adding sound into your nighttime program doesn’t help or you feel dizzy when the ringing is present, it’s time to learn about treatment options by making an appointment with us right away.
References
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/hearing-loss-tinnitus-statistics/