Can Sunburn Make Tinnitus Worse?

As someone dealing with tinnitus, you’re acutely aware of those persistent phantom sounds—be it ringing, buzzing, or hissing—that accompany you through your daily life.

As we head further into the summer months, many of us will be headed out to enjoy the sunshine (not that we don’t get a lot of it already). After a day at the beach or out in the sun, you might find that your tinnitus is worse if you caught a little too much sun.

What Is Tinnitus?

To start, let’s break down what tinnitus actually involves.

Tinnitus is often described as a constant or intermittent ringing in the ears, but it can manifest as buzzing, hissing, clicking, or even roaring.

The critical point to understand is that tinnitus itself is not a disease; it’s a symptom that suggests there’s an underlying condition affecting the ears or elsewhere in the body.

Common causes range from age-related hearing loss and prolonged exposure to loud noises to earwax blockages and certain medications that might aggravate these auditory perceptions.

While tinnitus does not physically harm your hearing, the stress it causes can be significant. It can disturb your sleep patterns, complicate your ability to focus, and degrade overall life satisfaction, potentially affecting mental health by fostering stress or anxiety.

Understanding the root of your tinnitus can be your first step in learning to manage these challenges.

How Sunburn and Sun Exposure May Affect Tinnitus

Although sunburn itself doesn’t directly cause tinnitus, it might heighten its symptoms for those already experiencing it.

Here’s how intense sun exposure and subsequent sunburn could influence your tinnitus:

• Inflammation: Sunburn often leads to widespread inflammation within the body as it tries to heal the damaged skin. This inflammatory response can extend to critical structures in the inner ear, where it might amplify your perception of the phantom sounds associated with tinnitus.
• Physical Stress: The pain and discomfort induced by sunburn, coupled with the resulting physical stress, can make tinnitus feel more pronounced or harder to ignore.
• Dehydration: When basking in the sun, it’s easy to become dehydrated, which can affect blood flow to the inner ear, potentially aggravating tinnitus symptoms you might already have.
• Heat Exhaustion or Fatigue: Excessive heat exposure can be taxing on the body, leading to conditions such as heat exhaustion. This physical toll might make any auditory symptoms, including tinnitus, appear more severe.

Understanding these factors can help you be more mindful of your environment and take steps to mitigate the impact of sun exposure on your auditory health.

When to Seek Help for Tinnitus

Recognizing when to seek professional advice is crucial for managing tinnitus effectively.

You should consider consulting a healthcare provider if your tinnitus is persistent, lasting longer than a few weeks, or worsens following sun exposure. Tinnitus that disrupts your daily activities or hearing capability should also raise concerns.

Fortunately, help is readily available, and various options such as hearing evaluations, tinnitus assessments, and personalized treatment strategies can provide targeted relief.

Take Control of Your Tinnitus (and Wear Sunscreen!)

While enjoying the festivities of summer under the sun holds its charm, remember to be cautious.

Unprotected sun exposure can have repercussions that stretch beyond the superficial – agitating your tinnitus symptoms, potentially affecting your hearing health. Shield yourself with sun protection strategies and stay hydrated.