Tinnitus Facts | Tinnitus Treatment | Tinnitus Cure

What Is Tinnitus? What Are The Causes And Symptoms Of Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the medical term for the incessant ringing or swooshing sound in your ear that would not go away and persists for days on end. This sound that appears to be coming from one's head or ear is annoying and causes distress to many of its sufferers.

Generally tinnitus is not considered as a single disease. This is because the sound being heard already exists in the body as a normal result of bodily functions. As the body performs its normal task of moving blood from one valve to another the swooshing sound is present.

But in the case of tinnitus, this sound is made louder and hence noticeable. What makes the sound louder is another underlying cause or condition. For example, the presence of a tumor in the pathway would constrict the passage of blood and hence would add pressure on the heart to pump harder. The result is that the normal swooshing would intensify and become louder. Hence the patient will hear this sound every time his blood is pushed through the constricted passage. In this instance the patient and the doctor can hear the swooshing or ringing sound. This is the objective type of tinnitus.

Tinnitus Causes

What causes tinnitus? There are basically two types of tinnitus: the objective and subjective. In the former the ringing or swooshing sound can be heard by both the patient and the doctor using a stethoscope, while in the latter it is only the patient who can hear the sound.

Because of its association with vascular noises created by a variety of reasons, objective tinnitus is also called vascular or pulsatile tinnitus. Here are some of the major causes of pulsatile tinnitus:

• The first is when the blood flow in the jugular vein increases more than the normal capacity. This produces what is called the venous sound. This condition usually occurs in people who are anemic and those having a thyroid problem. Even pregnant women can temporarily experience pulsatile tinnitus during the entire period of pregnancy.

• The second cause of pulsatile tinnitus occurs in the cranial cavity. Any build up or accumulation of excess veins stimulates the auditory nerve enhancing the normal sound into what is called the arterial sound.

• The third is the presence of fluid in the middle ear. This in turn causes spasms that can be heard distinctly by the patient and the doctor.

• Another cause of pulsatile tinnitus is the growth of tumors which would either hinder or block the blood flow.

Subjective tinnitus is the more common form of tinnitus and is often associated with ear disorders. As a result of the ear disorder, the external sound or sounds in the person's environment no longer competes with his normal bodily sounds. Thus he is able to hear his normal body sound more distinctly. It gives the appearance that the sound has increased in level when in reality it has not. It is for this reason that the subjective tinnitus can only be heard by the patient and not the doctor.

The most common causes that are linked to ringing in ears include ear infections; age; exposure to loud noises; impacted ear wax; the hardening of the structures of the inner ear; head trauma; systemic diseases like hypertension, anemia, syphilis or hypothyroidism; and, even as a side effect of medications like aspirin.

Tinnitus Symptoms

The basic symptom of tinnitus is the sound that one hears originating either from the ear or head. Because of its intensity and continuity, this sound becomes more of a nuisance rather than the usual pain-giving condition of illnesses. And it is also because of this that many people do not feel the need to see a doctor.

Some people ignore these phantom noises as these ringing, clicking, roaring, whistling, buzzing or hissing sounds can easily be masked by external noises or some other remedy or treatment. This is not advisable because tinnitus is usually a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

For example if the underlying condition is a blockage in the arteries and the resultant swooshing sound is not given importance by the patient and he neglects to see his doctor, it can possibly lead to severe medical consequences like a stroke. Such a catastrophic illness could have been avoided had he just taken the time to have his tinnitus diagnosed by a doctor.

Tinnitus Cure And Treatment

In many cases tinnitus is actually an indication of an underlying medical condition. Hence it is only logical that if the underlying condition is addressed, the ringing or buzzing will decrease and eventually cease. In this respect the focus of the tinnitus cure should be on the underlying condition.

Fortunately, there are tinnitus treatment and cures available to help tinnitus afflicted patients cope with the annoying sound. Whatever treatment you may choose, you should do it under the advice and supervision of your doctor.

Some of the treatments that are available to tinnitus sufferers include:

• Counseling to help the patient accept his condition and prepare him for other treatments.

• Surgery is sometimes recommended for people suffering from tinnitus and severe hearing loss. The procedure entails a bypass of the damaged portion of the ear with the use of cochlear implants that would send electrical signals thus stimulating the auditory nerve.

• Using devices like hearing aids and sound generators to mask the ringing in ears. A new technique, the acoustic neural stimulation, uses these sound generators to deliver music injected with broadband acoustic signals for those afflicted with very loud tinnitus.

• Using medications like antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs.

If you are experiencing tinnitus symptoms, do not brush them aside lightly. You should arrange to see your doctor and get a proper diagnosis soon. It is important to determine the cause of your ringing in ears and seek the appropriate tinnitus cure promptly.