Causes of Tinnitus: What Really Triggers Ringing in the Ears
When you hear ringing, buzzing, or hissing in your ears with no external sound, you’re experiencing tinnitus, a symptom, not a disease, often linked to hearing system dysfunction. It’s not rare—nearly 15% of adults deal with it, and many don’t know why. The good news? Most causes are identifiable, and some are even preventable.
Tinnitus often starts after noise exposure, damage to the inner ear from loud sounds like concerts, machinery, or headphones turned up too high. This isn’t just about being loud—it’s about how long and how often your ears are pounded. One concert won’t do it, but years of earbuds at 80% volume? That’s a recipe for trouble. The hair cells in your cochlea get worn down, and your brain tries to fill the silence with noise. It’s like static on a broken radio.
Another big player is medication side effects, especially drugs like high-dose aspirin, certain antibiotics, and diuretics. You might not connect your new ear buzz to that painkiller or blood pressure pill you started last month, but it happens. Some meds are known to be ototoxic—they harm the ear’s delicate structures. If tinnitus showed up after starting a new drug, talk to your doctor. It might not be permanent.
Other common causes include earwax blockage, age-related hearing loss, and conditions like Meniere’s disease or TMJ disorders. Even stress and high blood pressure can make tinnitus louder or more annoying. It’s not all in your head—but your brain plays a role. Once the ear sends faulty signals, your brain starts amplifying them, turning a quiet hum into a constant roar.
What you’ll find in the posts below aren’t just generic lists. These are real, practical breakdowns of how medications, injuries, and daily habits link to tinnitus. You’ll see how drugs like Coreg or Benoquin can affect your nervous system, how swelling from meds might relate to inner ear pressure, and why some antibiotics trigger ringing you didn’t have before. No fluff. No guesswork. Just clear connections between what you take, what you’re exposed to, and what you hear.
