{"id":61519,"date":"2023-11-14T10:45:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-14T15:45:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=61519"},"modified":"2024-10-25T10:26:08","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T14:26:08","slug":"left-ear-ringing-causes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/left-ear-ringing-causes\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is my left ear ringing? Causes of tinnitus in one ear"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ringing in the ears is called <\/span>tinnitus<\/span><\/a>, which can be distracting and disruptive. Most people characterize it as a high-pitched ringing that may not drown out other noise but often takes center stage when it occurs. Other sounds someone experiencing tinnitus might experience are buzzing, hissing, roaring, clicking, chirping, humming, pulsing, whistling, or whooshing. Several possible health conditions cause tinnitus and can affect anyone, though it is more common in older adults with hearing loss. An estimated <\/span>10% to 25% of adults have tinnitus<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does it mean when your left ear is ringing?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Tinnitus can happen to both children and adults. <\/span><\/p>\n

“Ringing in the ears, more generally referred to as tinnitus, can be due to multiple causes which may be interconnected, though by far the most common cause is hearing loss,” says <\/span>Scott Shapiro,<\/span> MD<\/span><\/a>, an ENT physician-surgeon who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the ear and base of the skull. He is a neurotologist and assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) at <\/span>Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School<\/span><\/a>. “It can be useful to think of tinnitus as the response of the brain to hearing loss; when the brain notices a loss of hearing, it tries to amplify the sound information it is receiving, but the response is exaggerated and results in extra noise, which we perceive as ringing or sometimes a ‘static’ type of sound,” says Dr. Shapiro. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tinnitus can be unnerving to experience and debilitating, especially when trying to concentrate on work or a conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tinnitus may seem to come and go. <\/span><\/p>\n

“It is typically worse when there is little sound in the environment, such as when trying to fall asleep at night, and often is less severe or bothersome during the day when there is more noise in the environment,” says Dr. Shapiro. Some people have tinnitus once and never again, while others always experience it.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are several types of tinnitus, each with different causes and treatments. Here are some common reasons why your ears ring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing loss<\/span><\/h3>\n

The common cause of tinnitus, especially among the older population, is hearing loss, though hearing loss can occur to people at any age due to various factors. “Tinnitus caused by hearing loss that comes with getting older usually doesn’t go away on its own,” says <\/span>Jared Braunstein<\/span><\/a>, MD, a board-certified internist with <\/span>Medical Offices of Manhattan<\/span><\/a>. People with tinnitus associated with hearing loss are likely to experience chronic tinnitus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Noise-induced tinnitus<\/span><\/h3>\n

You may have tinnitus after a loud concert or sporting event or if you work in a profession with loud noises, such as dentistry or construction. “If tinnitus is caused by being exposed to loud noises for a long time or over and over again, it may not go away on its own and could turn into a chronic condition,” says Dr. Braunstein. Permanent damage to the hair cells of the inner ear causes chronic tinnitus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ear wax buildup or fluid in the ears<\/span><\/h3>\n

Tinnitus is often temporary, especially in younger individuals. “Tinnitus caused by a one-time exposure to loud noise or a short-term problem, like earwax buildup, may go away on its own in a few hours to a few days after the cause has been removed or fixed,” says Dr. Braunstein. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fluid in the ears is another temporary cause. <\/span><\/p>\n

Kids frequently get earwax buildup and fluid in the ears, which may require treatment or can be resolved independently. <\/span><\/p>\n

Underlying medical conditions<\/span><\/h3>\n

There are a host of conditions that can lead to ringing of the ears. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n