The perception of ringing, humming, or buzzing sound in humans is also known as tinnitus. To be entirely technical, tinnitus is described as a condition where you hear some ringing sound in one or both ears although there is no such sound in your surrounding environment. The American Tinnitus Association says this complex neurological and auditory condition affects about 1% to 5% of the world's population. This condition results due to damaged tissues and structures within your ears caused by external events, or by a disorder in the nerves near your ears. But this condition is treatable. Whether it happens due to some underlying disease or a complication with your auditory sensation, you can get over it.

Home Remedies to Ease Ringing in Ears Immediately

If you are concerned about how to stop ringing in ears, there are different ways to stop the effect and prevent the cause. You will need a doctor's advice at first. Below are the leading home remedies you can try.

1. Distract yourself

When the ringing sound becomes too distracting, one home remedy is diverting your attention from that ringing sound. Try paying attention to or listening to some other external sound, such as some quiet music. Be sure to avoid loud or maximum volume because that can escalate the ringing effect.

2. Play white noise

White noise is a gentle noise type made of several frequencies of equal intensity. If tinnitus leads to your loss of sleep, concentrating on a white noise you can sleep well. White noise can be the humming sound of a room fan, oceanic waves, or television static sound.

3. Head tapping

Head tapping also helps to get rid or reduce ringing sound. It's a simple procedure. First, cover your ears using the palms of your hands, letting your fingers rest on the skull. Using the index finger, begin tapping your skull the way a drum is tapped. Repeat this gentle tapping about 50 times any time you experience tinnitus.

4. Other natural remedies

If you are worried about how to stop ringing in ears, onion, holy basil, garlic, or saline solution can help. By dropping 2-3 drops of a solution made from these products into the affected ear, they provide some antibacterial properties that kill the tinnitus-causing bacteria.

Stop Ringing in Ears over the Long Run

Below are the tips you should try to prevent ringing in ears in the long term.

• Avoid loud noises

Do you love parties and concerts? Unfortunately, most concerts play very loud music that causes hearing loss or tinnitus. A sound level of about 85 decibels (dB) and above causes hearing loss or tinnitus--many concerts play loud music ranging from 115 dB and higher! You should limit extra partying. If you must party, sit farther away from the speakers. Noisy construction sites and noisy traffic areas can also cause hearing damage, so avoid these noisy venues.

• Wear earplugs when attending concerts

If you can't avoid parties and concerts, make sure you wear earplugs to reduce sound intensity. You are much more susceptible to experiencing ears ringing after a concert because of the high volume of music played there.

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco

Caffeine, smoking, and alcohol increase your blood pressure because your blood vessels contract when you use caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol. When your blood pressure rises, ringing effects increase. There is no guarantee tinnitus will be eliminated entirely if you reduce these drugs, but you will certainly experience some relief from the ringing sound.

• Consume less salt

Meniere's disease is a medical condition that results in tinnitus. This disease causes a collection of excess fluid in the inner ear part which leads in tinnitus, hearing loss, or dizziness. During treatment of this disease, victims are advised to reduce table salt intake in order to control the sodium level, which in turn triggers Meniere's disease symptoms such as tinnitus.

• Get enough sleep

Although tinnitus causes sleepless nights, lack of sleep due to fatigue can elevate the intensity of the ringing effect. Use sleep aids as explained above and get enough resting and sleeping hours. Seven hours of sleep every night can help ward off tinnitus.

Possible Causes of Ears Ringing

Here are several causes of tinnitus. Remember, before treating any seeming cause, it's important to seek a doctor's diagnosis.

Common causes

• Exposure to loud noise

Exposing your ears to loud music through iPods, MP3 players, live concerts, excessive use of earphones or headphones, excessive use of loud machines like power saws and firearms are all common causes of tinnitus. Short period exposure causes temporary tinnitus effects, but long-term exposures can cause permanent ear damage or tinnitus.

• Age-related hearing loss

Presbycusis is a medical term used to refer to hearing loss due to old age. Hearing loss above age 60 years can cause tinnitus.

• Earwax blockage

Earwax helps in protecting the inner ear. Earwax blocks bacteria and other foreign objects or particles from getting into the middle and inner ear. However, earwax blocks your outer ear thus leading to tinnitus. One way of how to stop ringing in ears is to get rid of excess earwax.

• Ear bone changes

Ear bone change can happen due to osteoporosis or genetically directed excessive growth of middle ear bones. Such an abnormality results in hearing difficulties that give birth to tinnitus effect.

Other less common causes

• TMJ disorders

Your temporomandibular joint (abbreviated TMJ) is the joint located in front of your ears, adjacent to where the jawbone meets the skull. Disorders of your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) lead to tinnitus as the most probable symptom.

• Head or neck injuries

In case you get a neck or head injury, the nerves or organs adjacent to your ears and brain might develop some problems. Some of these injuries result in tinnitus.

• Drugs side effects

Some drugs like aspirin, quinine, cancer medications, antidepressants, and water pills are associated with causing tinnitus. The ringing effect occurs especially when there is an overdose of these drugs. Good news, though! Stopping their usage also stops the tinnitus effect.

Take Home Message

Ringing ears, called tinnitus, is something that can be corrected or at least reduced in intensity. It won't resolve on its own, so you should consult your doctor for diagnosis of the cause and advice for the best treatment option.