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Pregnancy can turn out to be a bothersome experience if you are feeling a constant ringing in your ears. Do you suspect if it’s related to something serious? Or is it harmless? What is causing this buzzing sound? And most importantly, are the pregnant women at risk of developing tinnitus?
More than the annoying ringing sound, tinnitus can cause anxiety in pregnant women thinking of all the possible questions listed above. Continue reading to know all about tinnitus during pregnancy. In the latter part of the article, we also discuss how you can handle tinnitus during your pregnancy. But let’s start with the basic questions first!
What Is Tinnitus?
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Tinnitus is the sensation of ringing in the ears which affects around 15-20% of people. It could be a symptom of an ear injury or a problem with the circulatory system. So, it’s not a condition, but a symptom of an underlying issue (1).
Does It Affect Pregnant Women?
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Tinnitus can affect anyone, including pregnant women. It is the most common complaint related to ears during pregnancy. Moreover, women who had tinnitus before pregnancy have reported an increase in their condition once they became pregnant (2).
Causes Of Tinnitus
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Tinnitus can be caused or even worsened by several health conditions. Here are some of the most common causes of tinnitus (3):
- Age-related hearing impairment: It’s possible that you may suffer hearing loss as you age. This kind of hearing impairment is known as presbycusis.
- Being exposed to loud noises: Being constantly exposed to loud noises for the long term can impair your hearing. Listening to music at a very high volume or loud noises from chain saw and firearm can cause hearing loss.
- Blockage by earwax: Too much of earwax can block your ear canal causing eardrum irritation and hearing loss.
- Changes in the earbone: The bones in the middle of your ears may become stiff and cause hearing impairment and tinnitus. This condition tends to be hereditary.
Other than these, there are a few unusual causes of tinnitus:
Hypertension: High level of blood pressure can cause tinnitus. Being stressed and consuming alcohol or caffeine can also lead to high blood pressure.
Head/neck tumor: One of the symptoms of having a tumor in the head or neck may be tinnitus.
Preeclampsia: A warning sign of preeclampsia during the third trimester of pregnancy could be tinnitus (4).
Certain medications and herbal supplements are also known to cause or aggravate tinnitus. Tinnitus tends to stop when you no longer take the medications.
Risk Factors Of Tinnitus
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Certain people are more at risk of experiencing tinnitus than others (5).
- Long term exposure to loud noise can damage your ears causing hearing loss. People who work in an environment which is too loud or noisy and people who constantly listen to loud music are more at risk than others.
- Age is also another factor for experiencing tinnitus. As you grow older, the nerve fibers in your ears may get effected causing hearing problems.
- Though tinnitus can occur in women, men are more likely to develop this condition.
- People who smoke are at greater risk of developing this condition.
- Conditions such as hypertension and narrowing of arteries can also put you more at risk of experiencing tinnitus.
How To Prevent Tinnitus During Pregnancy?
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Here are a few things you can do to prevent tinnitus during pregnancy:
- Don’t expose yourself to loud noises or heavy metal music. If you are listening to music, keep the volume low (6).
- Avoid smoking and also limit your caffeine intake as it can cause tinnitus.
- Do meditation or yoga to manage stress during pregnancy. Staying active during your pregnancy can help you deal with stress in a healthy way.
- Stick to a healthy and nutritious diet and limit the intake of salt during your pregnancy. Also, try to avoid eating too much fried or junk food and opt for healthier alternatives (7).
Though tinnitus does not exempt pregnant woman, doing the above things can help you to prevent tinnitus during pregnancy. Tinnitus may be annoying, but it may not always be a cause of concern. So, try not to stress out if you develop it during your pregnancy. And if the ringing or buzzing sound lasts more than a few days, consult your doctor as soon as possible.
