What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus describes hearing sounds that come from within the body. It’s commonly referred to as “ringing in the ears,” but there are many different sounds that you may hear if you have tinnitus.
These sounds do not come from an external source and are most times subjective, or only heard by the person. You may hear these sounds in just one ear or both.
Mild tinnitus is quite common, as many people experience ringing in their ears at some point. If you’re in a noisy place, like a concert or sports event, you may notice the ringing afterward. However, there are those who experience frequent or constant tinnitus and find it impacts the quality of their everyday lives.
Tinnitus is considered chronic if it lasts for six months or more and doesn’t go away, even worsening over time. It can be stressful to deal with as tinnitus can affect your concentration or cause depression or insomnia. However, there are ways that you can manage it.
Symptoms of tinnitus
Sounds in the ear
The main sign of tinnitus is hearing internal sound in your ears. Some people with tinnitus hear ringing in one or both ears. However, there is a whole range of sounds that you may hear if you’re experiencing tinnitus. For example, common sounds that people hear are:
- Hissing
- Whistling
- Buzzing
- Humming
- Grinding
- Segments of music
- Whirring
- Pulsing
- Whooshing
Hearing loss
Along with sounds, another sign of tinnitus is overall hearing loss. This can happen to anyone, but studies show that hearing loss associated with tinnitus is more common in people over 40, and more men are affected than women.
Types of tinnitus
There are two types of tinnitus: pulsatile and nonpulsatile.
Pulsatile tinnitus (objective)
Pulsatile tinnitus is objective, meaning that your doctor may be able to hear the sound that you hear by using a stethoscope. People with this type often hear a whooshing or thumping sound that is in time with their heartbeat. This type is known to be associated with vascular issues, muscle movements in the ear, or other structural issues around the face and neck.
Nonpulsatile tinnitus (subjective)
This type of tinnitus is only heard by the person hearing it and can’t be detected by a doctor when using a stethoscope. It is usually associated with the nerves involved with hearing. When there is damage to the pathway from your ears to your brain, you may hear the illusion of sound. The sounds that people with non-pulsatile tinnitus hear seem to come from within the head.
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Causes of tinnitus
Tinnitus is a condition that isn’t a disease itself but is a symptom or sign of another underlying issue. There is no exact cause for either type of tinnitus, but there are many conditions that are associated with them. These conditions are related to either mental or physical changes in the body.
It should be noted that there are nearly 200 different conditions that can cause tinnitus. Some of the more common causes of tinnitus include:
Hearing loss
Most people who experience tinnitus have it as a symptom of hearing loss. This can be due to aging or prolonged exposure to loud noise. This happens when the hairs in the inner ear become damaged.
Blockage
If something blocks your ear canal, this can result in pressure building up in your inner ear. This pressure can change the way the eardrum works. Blockage can occur from earwax, inner ear hair, or foreign objects or substances. Ear infections can also cause blockage.
Trauma to the head or neck
Trauma or injury to the head or neck can cause a change in blood flow or issues with nerves and muscle tissues. These changes can cause either type of tinnitus, either objective or subjective. People with these injuries often say that the volume of their tinnitus is loud and frequent.
People with traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a concussion may experience tinnitus. This happens when damage is done to the brain’s auditory processing areas.
Medications
Acute tinnitus can be a side effect of some medications. There are currently more than 200 medications, both prescription and non-prescription, that list tinnitus as a side effect. This includes common drugs like antibiotics and aspirin.
Ménière’s disease
Ménière’s disease is a rare condition that causes hearing loss and vertigo. This inner ear disease can also cause tinnitus.
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Diagnosis and tests for tinnitus
If you’re constantly hearing sounds in your ears that don’t go away, you should contact your doctor. They can check your inner ear for damage or blockage, or see if you have an ear infection. Your doctor can also perform a hearing test or refer you to a specialist.
If you have pulsatile tinnitus, your doctor may run some imaging tests to get a better look. Tests like a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or computerized tomography (CT) scan can check for problems like tumors or blood vessel abnormalities.
Treatments for tinnitus
There is currently no cure for tinnitus or single treatment that works for everyone. If your tinnitus comes and goes and does not affect your daily life, you probably don’t need medical treatment.
If your doctor finds an underlying cause, like an ear infection or earwax, they can treat it. If your doctor can’t find a cause, they may recommend some different ways for you to cope, including:
- Sound therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Counseling
- Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT)