Hello everyone.
Welcome to my discussion on tinnitus in pregnancy. With all the reports of tinnitus in pregnant ladies popping up, I thought it would be an interesting topic for us to have a talk about.
How common is tinnitus during pregnancy? What are some of the things that you can do to ease it off? Is there a particular reason as to why it presents itself during pregnancy? Will it go away after I give birth?
These are the common concerns that an expectant mum with tinnitus has. As it is, with the new one entering the world, things may already seem a bit overwhelming for her. To have tinnitus, simply makes this even more challenging.
So, this article is my attempt to ease your mind, to give you tips that can help you deal with tinnitus. There are a couple of things that I think is worthwhile to mention that can help with tinnitus during pregnancy.
Does that sound good to you? Great! Lets begin.
My Battle with Tinnitus
I have written about my challenge that I am currently facing with tinnitus in more detail on my About Me, page. Just to recap and give you a brief outline, here is my story.
I am completely deaf in the right ear and rely totally on the left ear for my day to day communications. It has been just over 2years now, that I have been suffering from tinnitus. The ringing, roaring and whistling noises are so persistent that at times it makes trying to hear what people are saying to me, difficult.
So, when you tell me you’ve got tinnitus, whether you are pregnant or not, I can relate to you with regards to what you are going through. It can be very unpleasant and very frustrating to say the least.
You just feel like pulling out your hair or hitting your head against the wall.
The good news, is that it is manageable and I can say this from experience. I have found that doing certain things,lessens the intensity of tinnitus. Obviously some medication and therapies are definitely a no-go in pregnancy, but that does not mean that nothing can done.
I believe that for everyone and anyone who has tinnitus, something can and will work. It’s just a matter of finding out what that is.
This is the purpose of this website. To give you various options to try out, so that you may live as comfortable a life as possible, even with the tinnitus.
Is tinnitus COMMON in pregnancy?
Yes. To put your mind at ease, you are not going crazy. A lot of pregnant ladies have reported having tinnitus during pregnancy.
It may start as early as 8weeks, that is, within the first trimester and continue throughout the pregnancy.
There have been reports of ladies hearing roaring ,whooshing and whistling noises. Some ladies have also complained of hearing ‘heartbeat’ sounds in their ears. This type of tinnitus is called pulsatile tinnitus and I have written extensively on it in my article titled, ‘ The different types of tinnitus.’
So now that we know that tinnitus in pregnancy is common, let us find out the reason as to why it happens.
What is the reason that I get tinnitus during my pregnancy?
History of Tinnitus
If you had tinnitus before you were pregnant, there is a good chance that it can intensify during the maternal term.
Sinuses
One of the reasons that you can have tinnitus during your pregnancy may be due to blocked sinuses. When your sinuses are blocked up, there is fluid build up.
The primary function of the sinus is to humidify the air. The sinus also secretes a mucus layer thereby protecting the nose from dirt, dust and other pollutants. These are usually filled with air. When your sinuses become blocked they become filled with fluid, and you get a feeling of fullness in your nose and ears. If bacteria starts to grow in this area, then you can suffer from a sinus infection.
Common symptoms of a sinus infection
- Headache,
- Pressure in your eyes, ears and nose,
- A blocked nose accompanied by a yellow discharge.
- In some cases a fever.
Treatment options
My first recommendation as a pharmacist, is for you to consult with your doctor for the appropriate medication to use. There are antihistamines that clear up sinuses but if you read the label, it will say something to the effect of ,’ safety in pregnancy and lactation is not established.’ If an infection is present, then the doctor would also give you a course of antibiotics.
There is the option of using sea water nasal sprays and natural homeopathic tissues salts to treat the sinuses. These are generally safe but take a little longer to work depending on how bad the sinuses actually is.
High Blood Pressure
You body is going through some radical changes during this time, both on a physical and a hormonal level. Given that, the blood pressure tends to go up higher than normal during this phase of your life.
The solution here is to consider taking anti-hypertensive medication to control the blood pressure, thereby reducing the intensity of your tinnitus.
Ironically, though I feel that certain blood pressure medication can cause tinnitus as a side-effect. Though the chances are low, the possibility still does exist. Below, I have listed some anti-hypertensives that are prescribed for pregnant mums.
Methyl-Dopa : A study showed out of 1900 people, a very small percentage of people taking this medication, approximately 11 people, 0.58% suffered from Tinnitus.
Labetalol: A beta-blocker that works on the contractility of the heart to reduce blood pressure in pregnancy, has got a very low percentage (10 out of 73 people) of causing tinnitus. This drug is indicated as second line therapy for long term treatment of High Blood Pressure.
Nifedipine: This is a less popular drug administered in pregnancy. It is used for long term management of hypertension within this group. Out of 17000 people, 43 people have reported getting tinnitus from this medication.
At the end of the day, the decision is up to your doctor as to which medication to prescribe. This goes without saying that the benefits to risk ratio must be taken into account when considering the circumstances.
There is light at the end of the tunnel
The good news is that in most cases Tinnitus in pregnancy is self-limiting. That means that after birth, it goes away. Sometimes immediately and sometimes after a couple of days. Its just depends on time, but it will go away.
In that 9months, what else can I DO?
There are lots of other options that I think, is worth trying. Here they are
- Reduce Exposure to Loud Noise: Loud noise can certainly make the ringing in your ears worse. So wear ear protection where appropriate and abstain from sources of loud noises as far as possible.
- Stress Control : Reducing your stress levels is of paramount importance. I have dedicated numerous posts and talked extensively about controlling the stresses in our lives.
One example is to give yourself some time-out and escape onto nature walks. I have mentioned homeopathic tissue salts above. There are some for anxiety, restlessness and sleeplessness, that I highly recommend for controlling your stress and anxiety levels. Other activities such as coloring in activities, curbs stress levels and takes your mind to a different place. It’s well worth a try. - Diet: Salt, is a major aggravator for tinnitus. Trust me on this one. Check out my article, ‘The top 10 Salty foods to avoid in tinnitus.‘ Furthermore, with regards to caffeine intake, I personally found that it did NOT intensify my tinnitus. It may not be the same for you. You will find out what works for you via your own trial and error experiments. Watch out for foods with sugar and artificial sweeteners, as they tend to raise blood pressure.
- Avoid Silence: They say ‘Silence is a Killer,’ I think nobody knows how true this statement really is, other than us tinnitus sufferers. I know being in a silent place drives you batty. The best solution is, to use maskers to mask the ever so pronounced tinnitus. Things like noises of the fan and fridge are excellent maskers. Even playing music or having the TV on in the background helps. The point is to try to be in an environment that has sounds or noises to distract you from your tinnitus.
- Music therapy or listening to “White Noise :” is said to offer benefit for people wanting to distract themselves when going to bed. There are machines that can do this and are said to be quiet effective.
- Hearing Aids: I have a hearing aid and I can tell you that it works. For me it has been far from easy to get used to it, but it does the job of masking my tinnitus. I am able to easily pick up on a one to one conversation. It becomes more of a challenge when there are more people though, as the sound produced from the hearing aid is amplified and sometimes may be just too powerful. This option takes time to adjust to, but has great potential.
⇒If you are considering using some natural means to assist with tinnitus, I recommend you read my review of The Tinnitus Miracle. A guide offering natural methods to combat tinnitus. ⇐
Conclusion
That concludes my discussion on Tinnitus in Pregnancy. I hope that this article gave you some ideas on things to try out for your tinnitus.
I greatly appreciate you taking your time out to reading this article.
If you know of anyone else, who may find this article useful, please feel free to share this with them.
I would like to end off with these words to the mum-to-be.
“May lots of blessings and happy memories be bestowed upon you and your family with the arrival of the new member, and may you all be Watched upon and protected from any harm that may try to come your way.”
Take Care
Roopesh
hey Roopesh,
Very interesting site with lots of info on tinitus, you cover the subject really well. I know someone that suffers with it and I know how frustrating it can be for them, they would get a lot from your site so I am going to pass it on to them. This is great thanks and keep up the good work.
Hi Andrew
Thanks for your compliment, I really appreciate it.
I guess because tinnitus is something that is very personal to me, it becomes easier to talk and share my experiences and knowledge through this site.
Thank you for letting others know about this site.
It would be a pleasure for me to help him or her wherever I can.
Regards
Roopesh
Hi and thanks for sharing this interesting article with us. 🙂 I have one kid and I have never heard of this happening during pregnancy. What you wrote makes sense because usually pregnant women are very sensitive and they might “feel” some weird stuff and it is the natural part of pregnancy. 🙂
Hi Jess
It’s a pleasure sharing this article.
I am glad that you have not encountered Tinnitus during your pregnancy. As I mentioned, it can certainly be a challenge and offer additional stress, which in my opinion the mum does not need at this stage in her life.
Thanks for your comment.
All the best to you.
Roopesh
Hi,
This is my first time of hearing about Tinnitus and thank God it’s manageable. I have seen many expectant mothers going nuts over flimsy issues. I think it is partly as a result of this Tinnitus.
You have really dealt well with this subject and it is very helpful especially to our expectant mothers. Keep it up.
Cheers,
Daniel
Hi Daniel
Thank you for your comment.
From personal experience, I can tell you that the journey had been filled with lots of challenges regarding tinnitus. Especially, when testing out what works and what actually aggravates it.
The good news is that Tinnitus is certainly manageable, it is a question of trial and error.
Thanks for stopping by.
Regards
Roopesh
I had no clue that salt can contribute to Tinnitus. An extremely irritating condition to have. Also interesting that during pregnancy many women suffer form this. I like that you offer solutions of how to cope and even reduce the severity of the experience. Overall a very interesting article. Thanks.
Hi Rob
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, high amounts of salt can play havoc with tinnitus. If you like you can check out my article on the top 10 salty foods to avoid in tinnitus. There are some surprising ones there.
By offering solutions, I feel that it gives the expectant hope that things can be done to make it a little easier to deal with.
Thanks for stopping by.
Regards
Roopesh
I’m sorry to hear you had to go through this but you are obviuosly a very strong person because you made it through and express what you have to say on the matter. I enjoyed the way that you lead the reader in and the way you present your photos and content
Hi there.
Thanks for the comment.I am glad that you found the article easy to read and had a good experience in doing so.
It’s makes me feel that I am doing something right.
Thanks
Roopes
Your review on Tinnitus during pregnancy i believe is quite helpful for woman, especially pregnant woman, probably even men as well, as they can help their wives with this information you’ve provided.
I also believe that a lot of people may not actually be familiar with the word ‘Tinnitus’, what it actually mean and it’s purpose. Perhaps a brief explanation about the word Tinnitus itself, at least to give a layman a better understanding can be most useful. Cheers
Hi Johnson
Thank you for your comment.
I am hoping this article can make things clearer and easier for the expectant ladies out there and put their mind at ease.
Thank you for your suggestion on the addition of the definition of Tinnitus to this post.
I will certainly do something about it.
Regards and Take Care
Roopesh
Ii suffer from tinnitus and it is a very annoying ailment. However, I have never come across this in terms of being pregnant so this article was definitely an interesting read. I definitely agree that sinuses are a major factor which relate to getting tinnitus. Do you think there any herbal remedies to cure this?
Hi There
Thanks for Sharing..
Regarding herbal remedies, I think its a two-way street. It may either work or not.
I think its a question, of trying things out and to see from there.
You will only know if you give it a go.
Hope this helps.
Thanks
Roopesh
Thanks for posting this super cool piece, very informative! I actually had no idea that this could happen during pregnancy. My sister recently just had a baby and I wonder if she had any info on this topic. I’m sure she would have she would have loved to read this topic I’m going to have to share it with her. thanks again for the awesome post!
Hi Carl
Thank you for the comment and congratulations on the new addition to the family.
Tinnitus may not always happen during pregnancy and there may be a possibility that it did not affect your sister during her term.
I appreciate you sharing this post with her.
All the best
Roopesh
Hey there,
I’m glad to find this site. I’m
24 weeks and just recently have had pulsatile tinnitus for 2 weeks and it’s so distressing!! So most cases it does go away? It’s very hard to relax right now and my doctor doesn’t seem to have much advice. I’m being referred to an ENT but that could take 6-9 months so that’s not going to help much 🙁 Any other suggestions? I’m listening to music all day in my left ear. This is horrible
Hi Lynn
I feel your pain, this is the third year going with my tinnitus(it has improved over time). I really wish that I could tell you what will make it go away, but unfortunately I cannot. Perhaps during the day try one of those masking machines, it may bring a slight relief by masking those noises. I have reviewed them on this site, check it out here.
On a more positive note, I think that there is hope for you. I think that after your the birth of your child, the tinnitus may lessen. I just hop that I am not wrong about that. Only time can tell.
By the way, Congratulations on the pregnancy and wish everything of the best to you, your family and the soon to be new arrival.
Take Care
Roopesh
Did your tinnitus go away??
Hi Roopesh
I’m currently expecting and I believe I develop tinnitus in my last trimester. I hear everything but the ringing. The sound in my right ear switch from whistling, to whooshing, to heartbeat and sometimes feels like drumming. They all happen back to back non-stop. I didn’t know what I had until I decided to do research on it because I never had that before. This is the most frustrating thing I have to deal with cause I have to go to bed every night with a headset in my right ear. Listening to music is the only way I can get some sleep through the night which is really annoying.
And now I went to a ENT specialist and was told to wait till I give birth caHi Roopesh
I’m currently expecting and I believe I develop tinnitus in my last trimester. I hear everything but the ringing. The sound in my right ear switch from whistling, to whooshing, to heartbeat and sometimes feels like drumming. They all happen back to back non-stop. I didn’t know what I had until I decided to do research on it because I never had that before. This is the most frustrating thing I have to deal with cause I have to go to bed every night with a headset in my right ear. Listening to music is the only way I can get some sleep through the night which is really annoying.
And now I went to a ENT specialist and was told to wait till I give birth cause nothing can really be done at this point. So now let’s wait
and see.use nothing can really be done at this point. So now let’s wait and see.
Hey Dina
Sorry to hear about your Tinnitus. I am sure that it is really frustrating for you, to say the least. I have heard of cases whereby the tinnitus subsides after having given birth.
Having said that, I think your chances of the tinnitus going away is pretty good. I hope and pray for you.
OH, by the way I would like to wish you and the family wonderful and happy memories with the new addition.
All the best
Regards
Roopesh
Hello Roopesh,
I pray that it does as well our else I don’t know what I would do.
Thank you for all the wishes.
Dina
I shall pray too. Take things easy.
Regards
Roopesh
Did it goes away after baby??
I am also suffering and depressed and i hope it would go away after pregnancy its on. My one ear what u think ???
Hi There
Thank you for sharing.
It is my wish that your tinnitus goes away after having given birth.Will pray for you.
All the best…
Regards
Roopesh
Second trimester and having buzzing sound on right ear. Been having nasal congestion since 2nd trimester and this was where it started. Been a really good GP and found out that the congestion is due to blocked sinuses causing build up of secretion inside pooling unto the eustachian tube (ears). This subsequently causing pressure in the tube and producing that buzzing sound. Recommendation is to treat the congestion. Water nebulization may help, or a safe decongestant. Will still try these and hopefully it works. This buzzing sound is defo irritating. Goodluck and if with other helpful advise, most welcome.
I think you are on the right path. All I would like to say is, good luck with the pregnancy. Hope all goes well, and that maybe the buzzing may go away after having giving birth.
Regards
Roopesh