Tinnitus often gets worse at night for most of the millions of individuals in the US that experience it. But what’s the reason for this? The buzzing or ringing in one or both ears isn’t an actual noise but a complication of a medical issue like hearing loss, either lasting or temporary. Naturally, knowing what it is won’t clarify why you have this buzzing, ringing, or whooshing noise more frequently at night.
The real reason is pretty straightforward. To know why your tinnitus gets louder as you attempt to sleep, you need to know the hows and whys of this really common medical problem.
What is tinnitus?
For most people, tinnitus isn’t an actual sound, but this fact just adds to the confusion. The person with tinnitus can hear the sound but no one else can. It sounds like air-raid sirens are ringing in your ears but the person sleeping right near you can’t hear it at all.
Tinnitus is an indication that something is not right, not a condition by itself. Substantial hearing loss is generally at the base of this disorder. Tinnitus is often the first sign that hearing loss is Taking hold. People who have hearing loss frequently don’t notice their condition until the tinnitus symptoms start because it develops so gradually. Your hearing is changing if you start to hear these noises, and they’re alerting you of those changes.
What causes tinnitus?
Presently medical scientists and doctors are still not sure of exactly what triggers tinnitus. It might be a symptom of inner ear damage or a number of other possible medical conditions. The inner ear contains many tiny hair cells made to move in response to sound waves. Often, when these little hairs become damaged to the point that they can’t efficiently send signals to the brain, tinnitus symptoms happen. These electrical signals are how the brain converts sound into something it can clearly interpret like a car horn or a person talking.
The present theory pertaining to tinnitus has to do with the absence of sound. The brain remains on the alert to receive these messages, so when they don’t come, it fills that space with the phantom noise of tinnitus. It attempts to compensate for sound that it’s not getting.
That would explain some things regarding tinnitus. Why it can be caused by so many medical conditions, such as age-related hearing loss, high blood pressure, and concussions, for starters. That may also be the reason why the symptoms get louder at night sometimes.
Why are tinnitus sounds louder at night?
You might not even detect 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 stops during the night when you try to fall asleep.
Abruptly, all the sound disappears and the level of confusion in the brain rises in response. It only knows one thing to do when faced with total silence – generate noise even if it’s not real. Hallucinations, including phantom sounds, are frequently the result of sensory deprivation as the brain tries to produce input where none exists.
In other words, it’s too quiet at night so your tinnitus seems louder. If you are having a hard time sleeping because your tinnitus symptoms are so loud, producing some noise may be the answer.
How to create noise at night
A fan running is often enough to reduce tinnitus symptoms for many individuals. Just the sound of the motor is enough to decrease the ringing.
But you can also buy devices that are exclusively made to lessen tinnitus sounds. White noise machines simulate environmental sounds like rain or ocean waves. The soft noise soothes the tinnitus but isn’t distracting enough to keep you awake like leaving the TV on may do. Your smartphone also has the ability to download apps that will play soothing sounds.
What else can worsen tinnitus symptoms?
Lack of sound isn’t the only thing that can trigger an upsurge in your tinnitus. For instance, if you’re indulging in too much alcohol before bed, that could be a contributing factor. Other things, like high blood pressure and stress can also be a contributing factor. Contact us for an appointment if these tips aren’t helping or if you’re feeling dizzy when your tinnitus symptoms are present.
References
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/hearing-loss-tinnitus-statistics/