Are There Different Kinds Of Anemia
There are several different types of anemia, but each of them causes the number of red blood cells in circulation to drop. Red blood cell levels are low due to one of the following reasons:
- Your body cannot make enough hemoglobin .
- Your body makes hemoglobin, but the hemoglobin doesn’t work correctly.
- Your body does not make enough red blood cells.
- Your body breaks down red blood cells too quickly.
Some types of anemia that you may have heard of include iron-deficiency anemia and sickle cell anemia.
Why Is There Ringing In My Ears
by Hearing Wellness Center | Apr 8, 2020 | Tinnitus Articles
Lets set the scene: Youre lying in bed attempting to sleep after a long tiring day. Your eyelids are starting to get heavy and you know that sleep is right around the corner. Then as youre lying there in the quiet of the night, you start to notice the sound of ringing in your ears. Your phone, TV, and radio are all turned off so you know its nothing in your room. No, this noise is coming from inside your ears and you dont know how to stop it.
If this scenario has happened to you, then its likely that youre one of the 50 million people that suffer from tinnitus. This condition makes you hear buzzing, whooshing, and ringing sounds, among others, within your ears. The majority of people suffering from tinnitus think of it as a mere inconvenience they notice it now and again but it doesnt really affect their day-to-day lives. But this is not the case with everybody who is suffering from tinnitus. For some, it can cause them to Disengage socially, have a hard time working, and to lose sleep.
Other Diseases & Medical Conditions
- Tinnitus is a reported symptom of the following medical conditions:
- Metabolic Disorders: Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Anemia
- Autoimmune Disorders: Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia
- Blood Vessel Disorders: High Blood Pressure, Atherosclerosis
- Psychiatric Disorders: Depression, Anxiety, Stress
- Vestibular Disorders: Ménière’s Disease,Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Otosclerosis
- Tumor-Related Disorders : Acoustic Neuroma, Vestibular Schwannoma, other tumorous growths
Again, a person experiencing tinnitus should not assume that he/she has one of the medical conditions listed above. Only a trained healthcare provider can appropriately diagnose the underlying cause of tinnitus.
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How Common Is Tinnitus
Tinnitus is common and can occur at any age. Most people have an occasional episode of tinnitus after going to a loud concert or disco. For most people, this is temporary and soon goes. As many as 1 in 10 people have persistent tinnitus that is mild and not very troublesome. However, about 1 in 100 people have tinnitus which persists most of the time, and severely affects their quality of life.
Sinus Pressure And Barometric Trauma
Nasal congestion from a severe cold, flu, or sinus infection can create abnormal pressure in the middle ear, impacting normal hearing and causing tinnitus symptoms.
Acute barotrauma, caused by extreme or rapid changes in air or water pressure, can also damage the middle and inner ear. Potential sources of barotrauma include:
- Diving / Snorkeling / Scuba
- Flying
- Concussive explosive blasts
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Youre Still Smoking Yes This Affects Your Hearing Too
Smoking rates have declined over the years, yet there are many people who are still smoking. It can be very hard to quit if youve been smoking for much of your life.
In any case, heres one more reason to re-double your efforts to kick the habit: It may be making your tinnitus worse. In fact, one study found that smokers are 15 percent more likely to suffer from hearing loss than non-smokers. The chemicals in cigarettes can harm the inner ear and constrict the blood vessels that carry blood to your ears, which leads to ringing in the ears.
Why Is My Ear Making A Weird Noise
Ringing in your ears, or tinnitus, starts in your inner ear. Most often, it is caused by damage to or the loss of sensory hair cells in the cochlea, or the inner ear. Tinnitus can present in many different ways, including sounds related to the ocean, ringing, buzzing, clicking, hissing or whooshing.
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Youre Taking Drugs : These Medications Make Tinnitus Worse
Many medications can cause and worsen tinnitus. These include drugs most people think are harmless like over-the-counter pain medications, as well as prescription opiates like Oxycontin or morphine.
In addition to these, research has shown that some diuretics, antidepressants, antibiotics and cancer drugs can make tinnitus worse and cause permanent hearing loss. These drugs are known as ototoxic medications, which means that they can cause hearing loss. The good news is that tinnitus symptoms usually only last for as long as youre taking the medication the bad news is that some people need to take these drugs on a regular basis for other health reasons.
If you have to take these drugs, talk to your doctor about alternatives that may have less of an effect on your tinnitus. When possible, make lifestyle changes to reduce your need to take these drugs long-term.
Reason For B12 Deficiency
Dietary habits can result in B12 deficiency. Vegetarians and those who consume few dairy products are more likely to be deficient. Another group of people who are likely to be vitamin B12 deficient are those with pernicious anemia, which affects 1 to 2 percent of adults. This is characterized by a lack of intrinsic factor, and they can’t properly absorb vitamin B12 into the gastrointestinal tract. High doses of oral vitamin B12 or intramuscular supplements may be effective treatments.
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Also, up to 30 percent of older people have lower amounts of hydrochloric acid secreted into their stomachs, and this means they’re less likely to be able to absorb vitamin B12. Also, lower hydrochloric acid levels might increase the growth of normal intestinal bacteria that use vitamin B12. That reduces the amount of vitamin B12 available to the body even more.
Without vitamin B12, your body won’t make enough red blood cells, and the cells it does make will be too large. Red blood cells are needed to provide enough oxygen to tissues and organs. Without enough oxygen, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia.
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Complementary Therapies For Ringing In The Ears
There are several natural complementary therapies that are popular. These are things like: acupuncture, acupressure, hypnosis, yoga, reflexology, meditation, stress-relieving exercises, massage, and so on. Many complementary therapies are based around relieving stress and anxiety and fostering a state of well-being.
Why Natural Remedies For Tinnitus
Because of the failure of conventional medicine to provide better outcomes more often, sufferers are increasingly searching out and using natural remedies to help relieve their ringing ears.
These remedies include things such as herbal remedies, homeopathy, dietary changes, lifestyle changes, dietary supplements, aromatherapy, etc…
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How Do I Manage Anemia
While some types of anemia are short-term and mild, others can last throughout a lifetime. There are several ways to help manage anemia, including:
- Following a healthy diet.
- Drinking enough water to stay hydrated.
- Exercising regularly. However, if you have been weak, you should begin exercising cautiously. Check with your healthcare provider about ways to exercise safely.
- Avoiding exposure to chemicals that set off anemia.
- Washing your hands often to avoid infection.
- Taking good care of your teeth and going to the dentist regularly.
- Talking to your doctor about any changing symptoms.
- Keeping track of your symptoms by writing them down.
Men Women And Iron Deficiency
Small amounts of iron are lost in urine, feces, and dead skin cells. Far larger amounts are lost through bleeding. This is why premenopausal women are most at risk of becoming iron deficient. Even postmenopausal women can be iron deficient, if they developed a large deficiency previously and have not built iron stores back up to normal. Iron deficiency can also result from internal bleeding, such as from cancer or an ulcer.
Because the biggest source of iron is meat, vegetarians and vegans are also more likely to develop iron deficiency. They must be careful to get enough iron from other sources, such as tuna and other oily fish, beans, tofu, eggs, wholegrain breads, green vegetables and dried fruits.
Taking Vitamin C with meals helps the body absorb more iron.
For those who have iron overload, certain herbs and spices, such as green tea and rosemary, can reduce iron absorption. The polyphenol curcumin, found in turmeric, acts as an iron chelator and helps remove iron from the body.
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How Can Tinnitus Be Managed
There are a few treatments available to help stop the ringing in your ears, all depending on the root cause of your tinnitus. One relevant thing to note, however, is that there is presently no known cure for tinnitus. But these treatments will still present a good chance for your tinnitus to improve or disappear altogether.
Studies have revealed that hearing aids help cover up tinnitus in individuals who have hearing loss.
If covering up the noise doesnt help, cognitive-behavioral therapy has been confirmed to help people deal with the ringing in their ears that doesnt fade away with other treatments. This type of mental health therapy helps patients change their negative thoughts about tinnitus into more positive, practical thoughts that will help them function normally on a day to day basis.
Obstructions In The Middle Ear
Blockages in the ear canal can cause pressure to build up in the inner ear, affecting the operation of the ear drum. Moreover, objects directly touching the ear drum can irritate the organ and cause the perception of tinnitus symptoms. Common obstructions include:
- Excessive ear wax
- Loose hair from the ear canal
- Dirt or foreign objects
In many cases, the removal of the blockage will alleviate tinnitus symptoms. However, in some situations, the blockage may have caused permanent damage that leads to chronic tinnitus.
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Youre Watching The Late Late Late Show Sleep Deprivation And Tinnitus
Insomnia can have many negative impacts on the body. Whether youre skimping on sleep to get more done or youre unable to get the recommended 7-8 hours, its time to take action.
Start by keeping a behavior journal to track your daily routine and find out which activities may be impacting your sleep duration or quality. Some common culprits include:
- Caffeine or sugar in the late afternoon
- Drinking alcohol in the evening
- Not getting enough exercise
- Not managing stress
- Using devices that emit blue light, including TVs, phones, and tablets right before bed
Once youve determined the cause or causes, you can take the right steps to get yourself back on track and sleeping like a baby.
You may also find that your tinnitus symptoms are worse during the night time when youre trying to sleep, and that tinnitus itself is keeping you up. This is because tinnitus has no noise competition in a quiet bedroom, which makes it deafeningly loud. Try using a white noise machine to add some background noise while you sleep
What Makes Tinnitus Worse Here Are 12 Things To Avoid
Is the ringing in your ears getting worse? Stop doing these 12 things that aggravate tinnitus and you may see an improvement.
If you have tinnitus, no one has to tell you how miserable it can be. Verging on painful, it makes it hard to hear, concentrate, relax, and enjoy life. Yet much as youd like to get rid of it, you may be doing some things to make your tinnitus worse. Lets look at 12 things that may make the condition worse.
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Signs Of Iron Deficiency Anemia
Tinnitus is a common symptom of anemia and usually manifests as a ringing in the ears, though it may also come across as a humming or pulsing sound. Nearly 15% of the population, suffer from tinnitus, while about 20 million people have a more chronic form of the ailment. Tinnitus happens throughout the day, but you might notice it the most during bedtime since there are no other competing sounds to drown out the ringing.
In addition to hearing loss and tinnitus, here are some of the other signs of iron deficiency anemia:
- Fatigue
If you have any of these other symptoms, tell your doctor.
Nutritional Deficiency And Ringing In The Ears
If you experience ringing, buzzing or clicking in your ear, or if you hear a whistling or hissing sound, you are not alone. Ringing in the ears — sometimes referred to as tinnitus — is common, according to MedlinePlus 1. It may affect one or both ears, and it may be constant or intermittent. Its not medically serious, but it can be emotionally distressing. There is no one standard cure for the condition, but some people who suffer these symptoms are deficient in certain nutrients. Bringing your diet back into balance may help to alleviate these phantom sounds.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
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Some Forms Of Tinnitus Can Be Heard By A Specialist
There are actually two different types of tinnitus: subjective and objective. Subjective tinnitus is the most common form and can only be heard by the person who is suffering from the condition. Objective tinnitus, on the other hand, can be heard by a hearing specialist through the use of a stethoscope, or in rare instances by just being close enough to the ear. Objective tinnitus often has a distinct cause and in many cases may be curable, whereas subjective tinnitus is usually not.
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Can Taking Iron Supplements Or A Diet Rich In Iron Make Tinnitus Go Away
This will depend on the extent of hearing loss you suffer from. Hearing loss can be both temporary and permanent. If you suffer from Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss , theres a 96.4% chance that your hearing loss is permanent. When hearing loss is permanent, Tinnitus can persist permanently as well. In such cases, there is little chance that supplementing Iron in your diet or as supplements will reverse Tinnitus.
But, if your hearing loss is temporary, like when caused by exposure to loud noises, there is a chance that Iron supplements or an iron rich diet can provide enough oxygen replenishment to help repair or rejuvenate the cells in your ear. Hearing can be restored to normal and your Tinnitus could shut off like a switch.
How to tell if you have anemia?
A lot of people try to self-diagnose their iron deficiency by trying to self-examine their eyes, skin or nails. Though there are some tell-tale visual signs that can indicate iron deficiency, only a blood test reviewed by a licensed doctor can confirm an iron deficiency and its extent and impact on your health.
You can use the following symptoms of iron deficiency as a starting point to investigate Iron levels in your body.
Common Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
- Pale skin
- Chest pain, palpitations and shortness of breath
- Brittle nails
What causes Anemia?
Menstruation and bleeding
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency
A Diet poor in Iron
Diseases and other conditions
Thyroid Problems
too much iron is also a problem!
The Link Between Iron Deficiency Anemia And Hearing Loss
Contributed by Joy Victory, managing editor, Healthy HearingLast updated August 5, 20192019-08-05T00:00:00-05:00
A growing body of evidence is indicating that anemia and hearing loss are linkedparticularly for a common type of anemia that causes low iron levels.
Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen tothe body, including the auditory system.
In one study, people with iron-deficiency anemia were twice as likely to have hearing loss than those without the blood disorder. To find the link, researchers with Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine analyzed the medical records of 305,339 adults between the ages of 21 and 90.
An association exists between IDA and hearing loss, the authors of the study wrote. The next steps are to better understand this correlation and whether promptly diagnosing and treating IDA may positively affect the overall health status of adults with hearing loss.
The study, published in 2017, was not designed to prove that iron-deficiency anemia causes hearing loss, only that there was a relationship between the two. Still, older studies have found similar relationshipsone study from 2002 found a link between iron-rich diets and better hearing at high frequencies.
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How Can I Prevent Anemia
Some kinds of anemia, such as those that are inherited, cannot be prevented. However, you can prevent anemia caused by iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency and vitamin B9 deficiency by eating well. This includes eating a diet with enough foods that provide iron and these vitamins, along with vitamin C food sources to help with the absorption. Make sure that you drink enough water. Some studies have indicated that this will help keep hemoglobin levels up.
What Causes Tinnitus
Tinnitus is still a bit of a mystery, but specialists have narrowed down a few triggers for this problem. Its most common in individuals who have damaged hearing, as well as individuals who suffer from heart conditions. Its believed that tinnitus happens due to reduced blood flow around the ears, which causes the heart to pump blood harder in order for it to get where it needs to go. People who have iron-deficiency anemia often suffer from tinnitus symptoms because their blood cells dont carry enough oxygen throughout their body, which, once again, works the heart harder to get nutrients to the right place, often resulting in tinnitus.
Tinnitus also occurs as a result of other conditions, such as Menieres disease, ear infections, and ear canal blockages. Situations where tinnitus becomes more pronounced happen with all of these condition because they all affect the hearing. At times treatment can be difficult when the cause of tinnitus isnt evident, but that doesnt mean treatment isnt possible.
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