Are Your Ringing Ears Drowning Out Your Cell Phone?
That ringing in your ears may not be your cell phone.
What’s Your Number?
A study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine reported that regular use of a mobile or cell phone appears related to chronic tinnitus.
Tinnitus is that annoying ringing or buzzing in the ear.
Here are a few of the findings from the study.
- Regular use was defined as an average of at least 10 minutes a day
- Regular users were over 70 percent more likely to have tinnitus
- Those who used cell phones for four years or more were twice as likely to have tinnitus
Most of the study participants used their phones on both ears. Although the study relied on participants to self-report their use of mobile phones, the researchers do not think that is a reason to dismiss the connection with tinnitus.
Where’s the Mute Button?
An estimated 10 – 15 percent of adults have chronic tinnitus, and the prevalence is increasing. The ringing in the ears can occur from hearing loss as we age. There are also medical conditions that can cause the condition, including:
- Certain medications
- A buildup of earwax
- Excessive use of alcohol or caffeinated drinks
- Injury to the ear
- Meniere’s disease
The treatment depends on the cause – if that can be determined. The cause is often difficult to diagnose and harder to treat. As always, the best approach is discussing options with your physician.
Stop the Noise
When I was younger, predictions of hearing loss centered on that old time rock-n-roll. This report of the dangers of cell phones joins a recent report of hearing loss in teenagers. Many attribute teenage hearing loss to the loud music pumped in their ears through earbuds.
Sounds like we have come full circle – or it would if I could hear past this ringing in my ears.
i-Stock Photo Credit: 3dbobber
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