What does it mean when my right ear ringing

Topic Resources

Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) is noise originating in the ear rather than in the environment. It is a symptom and not a specific disease. Tinnitus is very common—10 to 15% of people experience it to some degree.

Subjective tinnitus is by far the most common type. It is caused by abnormal activity in the part of the brain responsible for processing sound (auditory cortex). Doctors do not fully understand how this abnormal activity develops.

Objective tinnitus is much less common. It represents actual noise created by structures near the ear. Other people can sometimes hear the sounds of objective tinnitus if they listen closely.

More than 75% of ear-related disorders include tinnitus as a symptom, and people who have hearing loss, regardless of cause, often develop tinnitus. The most common causes of subjective tinnitus include

  • Exposure to loud noises or explosions (acoustic trauma)

Other causes of tinnitus include middle ear infections Otitis Media (Acute) Acute otitis media is a bacterial or viral infection of the middle ear. Acute otitis media often occurs in people with a cold or allergies. The infected ear is painful. Doctors examine the eardrum... read more

What does it mean when my right ear ringing
, disorders that block the ear canal Objects in the Ear Objects in the ear can be removed by flushing the ear canal with sterile water or saline or using suction, forceps, or other tools. If the foreign body cannot easily be removed, a referral to... read more (such as an external ear infection [external otitis], excessive ear wax, or foreign bodies), problems with the eustachian tube (which connects the middle ear and the back of the nose) due to allergies or other causes of obstruction, otosclerosis (a disorder of excess bone growth in the middle ear), and temporomandibular disorders Temporomandibular Disorders The temporomandibular joints are the connections between the temporal bones of the skull and the lower jawbone (mandible). There are two temporomandibular joints, one on each side of the face... read more . An uncommon but serious cause is a vestibular schwannoma Vestibular Schwannoma A vestibular schwannoma (also known as an acoustic neuroma) is a noncancerous (benign) tumor that originates in the cells that wrap around the vestibular nerve (Schwann cells). These tumors... read more
What does it mean when my right ear ringing
, a noncancerous (benign) tumor of part of the nerve leading from the inner ear.

Objective tinnitus usually involves noise from blood vessels near the ear. In such cases, the sound comes with each beat of the pulse (pulsatile). Causes include

  • Turbulent flow through the carotid artery or jugular vein

  • Certain middle ear tumors that are rich in blood vessels

  • Malformed blood vessels of the membrane covering the brain

Not all tinnitus requires evaluation by a doctor. The following information can help people decide whether a doctor's evaluation is needed and help them know what to expect during the evaluation.

Certain symptoms and characteristics are cause for concern. They include

  • Tinnitus in only one ear

  • Any neurologic symptoms (other than hearing loss), particularly difficulty with balance or walking, but also vertigo or difficulty seeing, speaking, swallowing, and/or talking

People with warning signs should see a doctor right away. People without warning signs in whom tinnitus recently developed should call their doctor, as should people with pulsatile tinnitus. Most people with tinnitus and no warning signs have had tinnitus for a long time but should see their doctor about it if they have not already done so.

In people with tinnitus, doctors first ask questions about the person's symptoms and medical history. Doctors then do a physical examination. What they find during the history and physical examination may suggest a cause of the tinnitus and the tests that may need to be done (see table Some Causes and Features of Tinnitus Some Causes and Features of Tinnitus

What does it mean when my right ear ringing
).

During the medical history, doctors ask about the following:

  • The nature of the tinnitus, including whether it is in one or both ears and whether it is constant or pulsatile

  • Whether the person has any neurologic symptoms

  • Whether the person has been exposed to loud noise or to drugs that can affect the ears

During the physical examination, doctors focus on examining the ears (including hearing) and the neurologic system. They also listen with a stethoscope over and near the person's ear and on the neck for sounds of objective tinnitus.

What does it mean when my right ear ringing

Possible tests for people with tinnitus include

Treatment of stress and other mental conditions (such as depression) may help. Many people are reassured if they learn that their tinnitus is not caused by a serious disorder. Caffeine and other stimulants can worsen tinnitus, so people should try to avoid these.

  • Most tinnitus is due to causes that are not dangerous, for example, exposure to loud noise, aging, Meniere disease, and use of certain drugs.

  • In many cases, the cause is unknown.

  • Findings that are of concern include tinnitus accompanied by any neurologic symptoms and tinnitus in only one ear (particularly when accompanied by hearing loss, dizziness, and/or balance difficulty).

  • Tinnitus rarely can be stopped, but certain techniques help people manage their symptoms effectively.

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What does it mean when my right ear ringing

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What does it mean when my right ear ringing

What does it mean when you get a ringing noise in your right ear?

Tinnitus is usually caused by an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, an ear injury or a problem with the circulatory system. For many people, tinnitus improves with treatment of the underlying cause or with other treatments that reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable.

Why does my ear randomly ring for a few seconds?

It's caused by sound created by the muscle movements around your ear, changes in the ear canal or blood flow problems. These problems are usually located in the face or neck and is why you'll likely hear sounds like your own pulse.

What does it mean when there is a high

Tinnitus that's continuous, steady, and high-pitched (the most common type) generally indicates a problem in the auditory system and requires hearing tests conducted by an audiologist. Pulsatile tinnitus calls for a medical evaluation, especially if the noise is frequent or constant.

Is it normal to hear high

If you are bothered by a high-pitched sound, buzzing, or shushing in one or both ears, you may have a condition called tinnitus, which effects a majority of the population at some point in their lives.