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Morning Tinnitus

When ears are ringing in the morning

Things to know about morning tinnitus

Tinnitus, i.e. the auditory perception of a ringing or buzzing sound in the ear, can occur during the day, at night, and also in the morning. Learn more about tinnitus in the morning, the possible causes, why you might perceive the noise as worse on waking up and how you can treat it.

What exactly is tinnitus in the morning?

Whistling, buzzing and ringing in the ears are all symptoms of tinnitus. Although it can manifest at any time of the day, many sufferers report that their tinnitus is worse in the morning when they wake up.  In such cases, we speak of tinnitus in the morning.

Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is the acoustic perception of sound without an external source. A distinction is made between objective tinnitus and subjective tinnitus. In objective tinnitus, the sound source (e.g. blood flow in the case of vascular anomaly) occurs within the body and can also be heard by an ENT specialist during an examination. Subjective tinnitus, as its name implies, means that the noise can only be perceived by the affected person.

If you want to know more about tinnitus in general, we recommend you read our article: Things to know about tinnitus.

Symptoms of morning tinnitus

Sooner or later, everybody reports they woke up with ringing in one ear, or indeed both ears, without the presence of any external auditory trigger. Tinnitus in the morning manifests itself in a broad range of sounds, often described as a ringing or buzzing inside the ear. Some people also describe their tinnitus as pulsatile, i.e. pulsing in one or both ears, in time with their heartbeat. These ear noises can vary in their intensity, duration and, if neglected, also become chronic. 

If you want more learn about tinnitus symptoms in general, we recommend reading our article: overview on tinnitus symptoms.

When to be concerned

If you woke up with ringing in one ear, you may want to consult a doctor. In general, it is recommended you seek a specialist opinion if your tinnitus appears to be pulsating (i.e. you can hear your heartbeat inside your ear) or if you experience hearing loss, vertigo or dizziness. If you are unsure how to interpret your tinnitus symptoms, you can book a free consultation with a tinnitus specialist at Amplifon. 
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Why do my ears ring when I wake up?

Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) can have several different causes. However, very rarely are these signs of a serious illness. Sometimes, tinnitus occurs for no apparent reason at all, in which case it usually lasts for no longer than a minute or so. However, some people, report that the ringing in their ears lasts for a long time. If these symptoms persist for more than three months, it is called chronic tinnitus.

Morning tinnitus may be attributable to the fact that the brain, even during sleep, remains active thanks to synapses that enter into play while we are at rest.

Why is my tinnitus worse when I wake up?

A possible cause of why the tinnitus appears to be worse in the morning may be due to the position of the body. Indeed, there is a specific type of tinnitus, which occurs only in a laying position or at night. To learn more about this, you can book a consultation with an Amplifon tinnitus specialist. 

How to treat morning tinnitus

There are various possible methods to reduce your tinnitus. We recommend booking a free consultation with a tinnitus specialist at Amplifon to find the best therapy for your individual case. In the following articles, we discuss three methods which provide relief to your tinnitus on waking. 

If you want to discover further ways to treat tinnitus, you can read our article: Overview on tinnitus treatments.

Sound enrichment and TRT

The aim of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) is to desensitize the perception of tinnitus by listening to an array of sounds, preferably from world of nature or white noise (noises composed of the sum of several tones). Also effective in treating tinnitus in the morning, TRT uses devices that promote relaxation through the emission of sounds chosen by the user, thereby enabling you to mask the perception of tinnitus.

A good night's sleep can reduce tinnitus

A good night’s sleep, is key to waking up relaxed, in a good mood and significantly reduces the incidence of tinnitus in the morning. Before you go to bed, drinking a relaxing herbal tea, based on lemon balm, passion flower, chamomile or valerian, may help you sleep more easily. Performing relaxation exercises, taking a hot bath before bedtime, or drinking a glass of warm milk are all simple measures that can help guarantee a peaceful night’s sleep.

Be careful what you eat for dinner

Care with your diet, particularly food and drink consumed in the hours preceding sleep, can provide great help in relieving the perception of tinnitus in the morning. 

It is preferable to avoid tea, coffee, alcoholic and cola-based drinks in the evening, whilst foods that do not weigh heavy on evening digestion, such as vegetables, legumes and lean proteins, should be favoured.

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