Tinnitus is a condition that affects millions of people, and it can have a profound impact on your life. It’s not just an annoyance; it can make you feel stressed or anxious, and the noise can keep you up at night.
This condition is especially common among older adults, and it can be caused by age-related hearing loss, an ear injury or circulatory problems such as atherosclerosis. Tinnitus evaluations are important to identify and address the cause accordingly.
There are treatments for tinnitus available today that give many people relief from this condition. The best solution for one person may not work for another, so finding a treatment plan that works well requires some trial and error.
Tinnitus Symptoms
Tinnitus brings about different symptoms depending on what may be causing them; however there are still many possible treatment options available to those who have been diagnosed with this atypical hearing disability, such as sound therapies (such as masking devices), counseling sessions, etc.
Many people with ear and head noises live in fear of the next noise coming. It can seem like a roaring, ringing or buzzing sound in your ear, and it may be intermittent or persistent. Tinnitus can affect one ear or both ears. Tinnitus may sound like a high-pitched ringing, a low pitched humming, fan noise, a heart beat, etc.
Common Causes of Tinnitus
Tinnitus often occurs with other health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus. In some cases, tinnitus may start after traumatic head injuries or exposure to either sudden loud noise or noise over time.
Hearing Loss
If the hairs inside of your inner ear are bent or broken (this happens as you age) or when you are regularly exposed to loud sounds – they can send electrical impulses randomly to your brain. This causes tinnitus.
Ear infection or ear canal blockage
An ear infection (or blockage) can occur in one or both ears, with pain, tinnitus and hearing loss being the main symptoms. Treatment for ear canal blockage starts by clearing any obstruction from your ear canal to relieve pressure that may cause you discomfort.
Head or neck injuries
When a person suffers head or neck trauma, it can affect their ability to hear. Such injuries usually cause tinnitus in only one ear.
Medications
Tinnitus can be caused or worsened by certain medications. Some people find relief from the bothersome noise when they stop taking these drugs or change to a different version of their prescription.
Medications are notorious for causing tinnitus, including some of the most popular being NSAIDs and certain antibiotics. Other drugs that have been known to produce this effect include cancer medications, water pills (diuretics), antimalarial medication, and antidepressants.
Meniere’s disease
Tinnitus is an early sign that you may have Meniere’s disease, a disorder where your inner ear fluid pressure becomes abnormal.
Eustachian tube dysfunction
The Eustachian tube connects your ear to the throat. When this gets enlarged, you’ll get a feeling of fullness and discomfort from pressure inside the canal, which may trigger tinnitus.
Ear bone changes
Hearing loss can be caused by a number of different factors, and one such cause is otosclerosis. This condition affects your middle ear bones, causing them to grow abnormally which in turn can cause hearing problems and tinnitus.
Muscle spasms in the inner ear
One of the first signs of multiple sclerosis is tinnitus. Ringing in the ears can be caused by muscles tensing up and causing a spasm inside the inner ear. This can also lead to hearing loss and a feeling of fullness in the ear canal.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
When there is a problem in the joint on each side of your head in front of your ears where your lower jawbone meets, you might experience ear popping, pain, or tinnitus.
Acoustic neuroma or other head and neck tumors
Acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor that develops on one of your cranial nerves which controls balance and hearing, can cause tinnitus. Other tumors near or inside the head may also be to blame for this ailment including brainstem gliomas.
Blood vessel disorders
Scientists are still trying to figure out what causes tinnitus, but they think it might be due to blood flow changes in the ear. The condition of your blood vessels can affect the way that tinnitus affects you. For one, if they are malformed, this will cause more forceful circulation through veins and arteries, which could make tinnitus worse due to increased sound waves from stronger pulsating flow in vascular channels.
Tinnitus Evaluations
If you suspect you have tinnitus, it’s important to consult an audiologist for a proper evaluation and diagnosis.
Below are some general steps and considerations in evaluating tinnitus:
- Medical History: Information about your medical history, including any pre-existing conditions, medications you’re taking, exposure to loud noises, recent illnesses or injuries, and any other relevant factors, will be the foundation for tinnitus evaluations.
- Physical Examination: A physical examination may be conducted to check for any conditions that may be contributing to your tinnitus. This examination might involve examining your head, ears, and neck.
- Hearing Tests: Tinnitus can be associated with hearing loss or damage. An audiologist may perform various hearing tests, such as pure-tone audiometry, to assess your hearing ability and identify any hearing loss that may be related to your tinnitus.
Tinnitus can have various causes, ranging from exposure to loud noise to underlying medical conditions, so it’s important to consult with an audiologist or healthcare professional for a comprehensive evaluation so you can receive appropriate treatment and guidance.
Can tinnitus be prevented?
Tinnitus can not always be prevented, but some things that could possibly prevent or significantly reduce your risk of developing tinnitus.
If you’re exposed to loud sounds for extended periods of time, try using earplugs which prevent sound from damaging your eardrums and the hair cells of your ears. Custom hearing protection is recommended if you are exposed to loud sounds consistently; this is because they are custom fitted to your ears making them more comfortable and more effective.
Limit alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. These substances can affect blood flow, which in turn contributes to tinnitus symptoms such as ringing in the ears or hearing loss.
When to see a doctor for tinnitus
Some people may experience temporary discomfort or symptoms similar to tinnitus after getting an upper respiratory infection. If the symptoms do not improve within one week, it’s time to seek medical attention.
If you start noticing hearing loss with tinnitus-related symptoms such as dizziness or vertigo, you need to see a doctor because these could be signs of another underlying condition.
Living with Tinnitus
Managing tinnitus symptoms is an art, and one that takes commitment. One way you can do this is by looking after your physical health. Start listening to the body rather than just being reactive when signs of stress manifest themselves in repeated headaches or difficulty sleeping for example.
Stress management strategies utilizing a combination of relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation or exercise can be invaluable in reducing the fatigue felt by chronic sufferers of tinnitus. Experts have documented how regular targeted exercise combined with coping mechanisms help to significantly lower symptoms or frequency of tinnitus over time.
If you’re having other symptoms caused by an underlying medical condition, treating the condition may help improve your tinnitus symptoms, too.
Tinnitus Evaluations in Massachusetts
If you’re in Massachusetts and need the expertise of audiologists to help you deal with tinnitus, Atlantic Hearing Care offers tinnitus evaluations and other hearing diagnostics.
Call us today to book an appointment.
