Tinnitus Side Effects

Tinnitus can have devastating side effects or complications since ringing in the ears can be an underlying symptom of a more severe illness. Experts believe that tinnitus in itself must not be a cause for alarm since most tinnitus go away even without medical treatment. But what if the ringing never goes away? What if the ringing and the swishing sounds intensify? What if these symptoms are just the tip of the iceberg? These are just some of the many instances when medical consult is the ideal step in learning what causes tinnitus and to seek treatment as soon as possible.

Here are some of the possible tinnitus side effects which may not be true for all individuals with tinnitus:

1.    Hearing loss – tinnitus may become so severe that the ringing noises can drown out external noises. As a person ages, the nerves for hearing may become damaged or may reduce its function resulting in gradual hearing loss and tinnitus. Hearing loss after experiencing chronic bouts of tinnitus may also be due to trauma to the head and structures for hearing.

2.    Headaches – tinnitus felt everyday can significantly reduce concentration and may also lead to minor to extreme headaches.

3.    Vision changes – due to stress brought about by tinnitus headaches and vision changes are often the result. Vision changes can be anywhere from blurring of vision to severe vision impairment.

4.    Nausea and vomiting – severe tinnitus especially ringing in the ears caused by infections of the fluid in the vestibular organs can cause nausea or vomiting. This may also be accompanied by dizziness which can severely affect a person’s daily activities.

5.    Stress – there is no doubt that daily ringing in the ears can cause tremendous amounts of stress. Many tinnitus sufferers have insistent ringing from the moment they wake up to just before they fall asleep which can affect activities at work, school and even doing simple chores at home.

6.    Insomnia – this tinnitus side effect is common in tinnitus sufferers who wake up in the middle of the night due to severe ringing in the ears. Insomnia can lead to great stress and can drastically affect a person’s appetite, mood and may also make a person depressed.

7. Mood changes – tinnitus can cause emotional and psychological effects as well. The most common is changes in mood which can also lead to impaired concentration, inability to make precise and expert decisions and may also lead to relationship problems. As mentioned, depression can also stem from the inability to maintain relationships and to socialize.

8.  Anxiety – if simple illnesses cause some amount of anxiety, what more of constant ringing in the ears? There is tremendous anxiety as person wonders what treatment to use to reduce this irritating ringing in the ears. A person may also get anxious in the hopes of totally recovering from tinnitus. Constant family support and immediate medical consult must be done to determine the reason for tinnitus and to seek treatment to ultimately reduce anxiety.