The Different Causes Of Tinnitus And Treatment Options

Tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying condition characterized by a persistent sound, such as ringing, buzzing or hissing, in the ears. It is a common problem affecting approximately 15% to 20% of the population, with varying degrees of severity. Tinnitus can arise from several underlying factors, such as ear injury or damage, age-related hearing loss or circulatory system issues.

You may have tinnitus for a short period of time, or it could be permanent. Moreover, while it can worsen with age, for many people, tinnitus improves with the correct treatment and support from an audiologist. If an underlying reason for tinnitus is discovered, addressing it can help alleviate it. Some therapies and treatments can help to cover or reduce the sounds, making them less perceptible.

What Are the Signs of Tinnitus?

Tinnitus can sound different to everyone. The most common description is a ringing or buzzing sound in the ears, but it can also be described as screeching, whooshing, hissing, roaring, sirens and clicking. Those experiencing tinnitus may also find that the noise changes at different times. Because tinnitus produces such a wide spectrum of noises and each person perceives it differently, audiologists must tailor their treatments to each person’s experience.

What Are the Causes of Tinnitus?

In many cases, tinnitus occurs as a result of damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve, which can be caused by exposure to loud noises, aging or certain medical conditions. A few causes of tinnitus are:

• Age-related hearing loss: Tinnitus is most commonly caused by the loss or damage of the small sensory hair cells in the cochlea of your inner ear. This is common as you get older.
• Stiffening of the middle ear bone: This is commonly known as otosclerosis and can induce vertigo, balance problems, dizziness and tinnitus.

• Loud noise exposure: According to some research, the sensory loss of certain types of sound can cause significant changes in how your brain perceives noise. Tinnitus can also be caused by prolonged exposure to excessively loud noise.

• Ear infections and blockages: Tinnitus can be caused by ear obstructions caused by wax buildup or ear infections. This type of tinnitus can be eliminated by removing the wax or the object from the ear.

• Medications: Some medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, antibiotics and diuretics, can be ototoxic, which means that they can cause damage to the inner ear, resulting in tinnitus.
• Neck and head injuries: Tinnitus may develop as a result of a head or neck injury. This can happen to as many as one in ten people who experience head or neck trauma. These types of injuries are frequently associated with a more severe kind of tinnitus.

What Are Some of the Treatments for Tinnitus?

Most audiologists will recommend a combination of the treatments listed below, depending on how severe the tinnitus is and how it affects your life. The following are some of the most common treatments.

Hearing aids benefit people who experience tinnitus and hearing loss. When you use a hearing aid and modify it to control sound levels outside, it can help you to hear better. The more you can hear, the less obvious the tinnitus will be. Additionally, hearing aids can be equipped with masking features, which will help you block out the distracting sounds. Talk with your audiologist about features for your hearing aids, that will help with your tinnitus.

Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is a unique form of therapy that aims to help individuals deal with and handle their tinnitus more effectively. It operates on the principle that tinnitus is the result of changes in the way the brain processes sound. The therapy is a combination of sound therapy and counseling that seeks to assist individuals in becoming accustomed to the sound of their tinnitus while also reducing the negative emotional reaction associated with it.

TRT sessions usually last several months, during which patients will learn how to desensitize themselves to their tinnitus by exposing themselves to a low-level noise similar to their tinnitus.Counseling could help you learn how to cope with living with your tinnitus. Many counseling programs provide an educational element to assist you in understanding what is going on in your brain that causes tinnitus. Certain counseling programs can also assist you in changing how you react or think about your tinnitus.

You may learn ways of making the sound less noticeable to help you fall asleep at night or relax during the day. For more information on the cause of tinnitus and the treatments available, contact Advanced Hearing of Brighton at 810-355-2245.