Dreaming of Midnight Bell on a Passenger Ship, Protect Your Ears in Time

In dreams, if there is disturbing noise that disrupts your mental state, it may be a sign of tinnitus.

There was a professor who had a dream like this: on a moonlit night in the south of the Yangtze River, as elegant as an ink painting, at this moment, the distant ancient temple emitted a melodious bell sound. The sound grew lower and lingered around his ears, disturbing his peace of mind.

However, he didn't pay much attention to it.

But before long, he was troubled by a persistent and annoying tinnitus.

Tinnitus refers to a subjective perception of ringing in the ears without any external sound stimulation. It is a meaningless noise and can occur in one or both ears. Severe and chronic tinnitus can cause great distress to patients.

It goes far beyond hearing loss and can be a precursor to it.

There are many causes of tinnitus, including fatigue, insomnia, stress, anxiety, and neurasthenia, all of which can trigger or worsen tinnitus. Caffeine and alcohol often exacerbate tinnitus symptoms. Smoking can cause a decrease in blood oxygen levels, and the hair cells in the inner ear are highly sensitive to oxygen, so hypoxia can damage these cells. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to changing unhealthy habits.

Exposure to noise, sudden loud noises, and prolonged exposure to loud noises can all lead to hearing loss and tinnitus.

Be cautious and protect your ears.

Treatment should target the underlying diseases because relieving the underlying conditions can improve tinnitus. Eliminating concomitant hearing loss often leads to relief from tinnitus. Although there is no specific medication or surgical treatment for tinnitus, many patients find that tinnitus can be masked in a musical environment or even while falling asleep with the accompaniment of radio music.

Some patients benefit from using tinnitus maskers, which are devices similar to hearing aids but produce more soothing sounds than tinnitus. Electrical stimulation of the inner ear, such as using cochlear implants, can often alleviate tinnitus, but it is only suitable for individuals with profound hearing loss.