*Q’s issue was, did no warm-up before a klokov complex @ 135lbs, then proceeded to iso

holds (lengthening), without kb cardio as cool down. This resulted in vertigo the day after
(waking up), & ringing in the ears until the next week, but lessening as the week
progressed. After doing a warm-up for klokov & using the same weight, 135lbs with kb
cardio after as cool down, ringing started to to diminish.

Can exercise cause hearing loss or tinnitus?

Contributed by Joy Victory, managing editor, Healthy Hearing
May 22, 2019

There is no denying that exercise is beneficial to the body and mind. But if a bustling gym is your favorite place
to work out, be careful — heavy exertion paired with loud music can lead to hearing loss or tinnitus. While it's
an unusual cause of hearing loss, it's also not unheard of.

Weightlifting and hearing damage

Holding your breath and straining while

lifting weights can damage your inner ears.
Loud music and the sounds of slamming
weights increase your risk.

Why do my ears get clogged or plugged up when I exercise?

Heavy exertion, such as straining while lifting weights, causes intracranial pressure (pressure within the brain),
which in turn leads to pressure within the ears. If you also hold your breath while lifting, you add even more
pressure in the inner ear. This is not unlike the pressure change you experience on an airplane.

How to prevent it: Clear your ears beforehand (by yawning, etc). Don't lift too heavy and never hold your
breath. If you're working out with a cold, you may want to take a decongestant, as well.

Got ringing in the ears after exercise?

The increased pressure in the inner ear during or after intense exercise can lead to a perilymphatic fistula (PLF),
which occurs unexpectedly and most people aren’t aware of right away. Simply put, a PLF is a small tear or
defect in the thin membrane between the inner ear and the middle ear. The tear itself can be caused by the
pressure in the inner ear due to straining; Hearing changes occur when the strain of subsequent workouts causes
fluid from the inner ear to leak through the tear and into the middle ear.
Symptoms include tinnitus, ear fullness, dizziness and sometimes sensitivity to normal noises.

Smashing of weights akin to 'shotgun blast'

Weight rooms are noisy places, particularly if weightlifters aren't mindful about careful stacking of weights. “I
never actually took a sound level meter to the smashing of weights in a weight room, but it is likely that even
short durations of loud intense weights dropping, can have the same potential damage to hearing as a shotgun
blast or an airbag deploying,” said Rachel Raphael, M.A., CCC-A, an audiologist with Mercy Medical Center in
Baltimore and a certified group fitness instructor.

If you're lifting weights and someone suddenly drops heavy weights right by your ear, you risk permanent
hearing loss and the onset of tinnitus. Gyms can help by providing padded flooring, and asking members to
follow rules about proper ways to use weights.

Loud music is an added burden on ears

To get athletes motivated for intense workouts, gyms often crank up the tunes to an ear-splitting level,
sometimes well over 90-100 decibels (dB). When you combine loud music with noise coming from stationary
bikes, elliptical trainers and treadmills or the crashing of heavy weights, you have the perfect recipe
for irreversible noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus.

How do you know if the music is too loud? A good clue is if you leave your Zumba class or gym workout with
ringing ears and muffled hearing, which means you have likely damaged your the delicate hair cells in your
inner ear. While it may recover in the short-term, over time your ears are less likely to heal, predisposing you
to hearing loss. Although most trainers and gyms have little appetite for turning down the music, it doesn't hurt
to ask. Sometimes, just a polite request can spark awareness that will benefit everyone in the gym. If that fails,
bring along a set of earplugs. You'll still be able to hear your favorite tunes and the instructions of the trainer
but at a safer volume.

Dos and don'ts for healthy hearing during exercise

No matter what form of exercise you choose, here are some dos and don’ts to ensure you are taking care of your
hearing while working out.

 Do get a hearing check immediately if you experience any change in hearing during or after exercise.
 Do reduce the weight you're lifting to reduce strain. Reducing the strain could possibly prevent a PLF
from occurring.
 Do protect your hearing in the gym. Wear earplugs to safeguard against loud music or keep headphones
at a reasonable volume to avoid noise-induced hearing loss.
 Don’t hold your breath to get that extra boost of strength, as holding your breath increases the pressure
within the ears.
 Don’t strain during weight lifting.
 Don’t participate in sports which can result in blows to the head, such as boxing or wrestling, if you are
experiencing changes in your hearing.
 Don’t bang or drop the weights when lifting. That sudden noise can reach a level as high as 140
decibels, which is like being exposed to a gunshot or explosion.
 Don’t ignore symptoms of hearing loss.

When to seek help

Don't shy away from efforts to get fit and healthy, just be aware of the dangers to your hearing health at the
same time. If you experience feelings of fullness in the ears, muffled hearing, tinnitus or dizziness after intense
exercise, get help right away. Check out our directory of hearing healthcare professionals who can assess the
damage and recommend next steps to take.

Editor's note: In order to help us support our website and continue bringing our readers the latest information
about hearing loss and hearing aids, this article contains affiliate links to products on Amazon.com.

Ringing in the Ears After Exercise

Kay Ireland

When you step off of the elliptical or you've finished a round of weight lifting, you may notice that you
experience a ringing or high pitched sound in your ear. While you might be concerned, it's a common
occurrence and may be related to the condition known as tinnitus, which causes you to hear ringing after certain
activities. The ringing is usually harmless, except when it is the symptom of a more serious cause. Know when
to take a break and when to be worried when you hear the ringing after your workout.

(Image: Jonathan Daniels/iStock/Getty Images)

Video of the Day

Symptoms
When you hear ringing in your ears after exercise, you may notice a few other symptoms. You may also feel
dizzy and nauseous. The ringing can sound different to different people, with some explaining the sound as a
high-pitched squeal and others describing a pulsing, hissing or roaring sign. You may notice that the ringing is
worse when you participate in especially strenuous workouts or push your body harder than usual.

Cause
The most typical form of tinnitus after exercise is caused by the increased blood flow in your body. When you
exercise, your heart pumps more blood to help support your muscles with oxygen. This can result in extra blood
pumped to areas that may not need it, like your ears. Ringing in the ears can also be the result of ear infections
and colds, which could increase as you put pressure on your ears through increased blood flow during exercise.
You might also experience tinnitus from keeping your workout music too loud in your ear.

Prevention
By keeping your workout music to a quieter volume level than normal, you can reduce sound-caused tinnitus.
Turn your music down to 50 percent of your music player's full capacity in order to preserve your hearing and
prevent the ringing in your ears after exercise. Take time to cool down after your workout, so you aren't
going from a period of high intensity exercise to immediate rest. The gradual slowing of your heart rate
could help prevent temporary tinnitus. Manage both your stress level and alcohol intake, which can
contribute to the severity of the tinnitus.
Treatment
When lifestyle remedies and prevention methods don't work to stop the ringing in your ears after exercise, it's a
good time to make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor can examine your ear to look for problems
like ear wax blockages or an ear infection. Once she's ruled out easily remedied causes of the ringing, she may
prescribe tools like white noise, a quieter headset or even a hearing aid, if necessary. While some antidepressant
medications can help reduce tinnitus, they usually aren't prescribed for simple, exercise-induced cases

How to Fix and Prevent Ears Feeling Plugged

During Exercise
Lisa M. Wolfe Reviewed By: Aubrey Bailey on April 12, 2019

When you're working out, chances are you aren't paying much attention to your ears — unless they are suddenly
plugged. The delicate structures of your inner ears are sensitive to changes in air pressure resulting from
weather, altitude and breathing difficulties.

(Image: gilaxia/E+/GettyImages)

Video of the Day

If your ears are plugged when you exercise, you'll probably be able to work through it even though it may be
uncomfortable. You may also be able to remedy the problem with a simple change in your breathing pattern.
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Your Eustachian tube runs between your throat and middle ear to keep out excess fluid and air pressure buildup.
These tubes automatically open with swallowing, sneezing and yawning, according to the American Academy
of Family Physicians.

Eustachian tubes can become plugged from allergies, a cold or significant changes in air pressure. Symptoms
include a full feeling in your ears, popping or clicking sensations, muffled hearing, and might cause pain. It can
also cause ringing in the ears or balance issues.

Ear Pressure and Exercise

Ear plugging occurs most often during resistance-training exercises. This condition is sometimes informally
referred to as exercise-induced Eustachian tube dysfunction. Compared with aerobic activities, resistance
training requires periods of deep breaths or straining during which you may hold your breath.

The breath is the key to understanding why your ears get plugged. The ears are connected to your breath
through the Eustachian tube behind the nose. If an air bubble sneaks into this tube and creates an imbalance in
ear pressure, your ears feel plugged.

Read more: My Ears Pop When I Exercise Hard

The Valsalva Maneuver

During strength training, you may inadvertently hold your breath as you strain to lift the weights. The name for
this breathing style is the Valsalva maneuver. Your inhale is typical, but your exhale occurs against closed lips
and a closed throat.

The air has to go somewhere, and since it cannot escape from your lips it may travel into the ears. The
Eustachian tube absorbs what it can, but the rest presses on your ear drum and your ears feel plugged, blocked
or full.

Take a Drink
The easiest way to release the buildup of ear pressure is to swallow. You can try dry swallowing, but you may
have more success if you take a drink of water. If swallowing does not help, try yawning to open up the tubes
and release the pressure.

A third way to eliminate ear pressure is to gently pinch your nose and force the air through your nostrils
as if trying to blow your nose. Repeated attempts may be necessary to release the pressure.

Keep It Clean
The way to avoid ear plugging during exercise is to be aware of your breathing. Even if you do not lift weights
but use your body as resistance — during pushups, for example — you must still ensure a proper breathing
pattern.

Avoid holding your breath throughout the movement. Exhale as you move against gravity, which is the hardest
part of the exercise. Inhale as you move with gravity, which is the easier portion of the exercise.
The most common cause for ears to feel clogged or plugged is Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (Eustachian is pronounced
“You-Station”). The Eustachian tube connects the back of the nose to the middle ear and serves to protect, ventilate and
drain the middle ear when necessary to keep the air pressure equal on both sides of the eardrum. It is normally closed, but
opens when we chew, swallow or yawn.

Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD) occurs when something prohibits the Eustachian Tube from opening and closing.
Symptoms of ETD can include a sensation of fullness in the ear, muffled hearing and/or discomfort created by a
difference in air pressure between the ear canal and the middle ear space.

Causes of plugged ears

There are multiple causes for Eustachian Tube Dysfunction: earwax, congestion from a cold, allergies or sinusitis, an ear
infection, large adenoids, changes in altitude like when driving in the mountains or flying, or even Temporal Mandibular
Joint (TMJ) Syndrome.

Symptoms and remedies for plugged ears

Symptoms of ETD include aural fullness, muffled hearing and/or discomfort. Yawning, chewing gum, the Toynbee
Maneuver (swallowing with the nose pinched shut), and the Valsalva Maneuver (gently blowing the nose with it pinched
shut and the mouth closed) are all methods for opening the Eustachian Tube. The goal is to allow the air pressure on both
sides of the eardrum to equalize. If you hear a popping noise or experience a popping sensation, you have been successful
in getting the Eustachian Tubes to open.

If ETD persists for a few days or is accompanied by other symptoms such as sudden changes in hearing, tinnitus,
dizziness, vertigo, pain, fever, or drainage from the ear, you should see a physician as soon as possible for evaluation and
treatment.