Ask the Doctors – What causes the hissing sound in my ear?

Dear Doctors: Sometimes I get a sudden hissing sound in my right ear that lasts for a few minutes and then slowly goes away. What is it and is there anything I can do to make it stop?

Exposure to noise is a major cause of tinnitus, as is hearing loss. Both can result in damage to the sensitive hair cells that line the cochlea. This is the portion of the inner ear that translates vibrations into nerve impulses, which are then sent to the brain to be interpreted as sound.

Blockage due to earwax buildup, as well as changes to the ear bones as we age can contribute to tinnitus. Some medications, including certain antibiotics, cancer drugs, antidepressants and high doses of aspirin are known to play a role in tinnitus.

Although the most common form of tinnitus involves a ringing in the ears, people with this condition may also hear the hissing you describe, as well as buzzing, clicking, humming, whistling or a roaring sound, like wind. In rare cases, patients with tinnitus have even reported hearing music.

Tinnitus can affect one or both ears. It ranges in volume from a low, background noise that is bearable and even forgettable, to sounds that are so loud and persistent, they interfere with daily life. In many cases, tinnitus is temporary. In severe cases, the phantom sounds never go away.

It is estimated that up to 45 million Americans – that’s 15 percent of the population – report having some form of tinnitus on a regular basis. Like you, the vast majority of them have subjective tinnitus, which is sound that only the patient can hear. In objective tinnitus, which affects just one percent of the population, the sounds a patient hears are audible to others as well. The causes of objective tinnitus are most often internal conditions related to blood flow in vessels near the ear.

Men are more prone to tinnitus than women, and it becomes increasingly common as we age. Individuals who work in loud environments such as factories and construction sites are at increased risk. Recent studies suggest that earbuds, which sit so close to the delicate structures of the inner ear, may also put users at higher risk.

At this time, there is no single treatment for tinnitus. An examination by an ear specialist, known as an otolaryngologist, can pinpoint whether tinnitus is due to earwax buildup, medication, or, more rarely, a blood vessel condition. These are often treatable. If not, your doctor can help you explore noise suppression techniques such as using a white noise machine, or masking devices that are worn in the ears.

Meanwhile, you can take steps to lessen the impact of tinnitus. Make sure your blood pressure is under control, avoid loud noises, which can set off a tinnitus episode, and – this will improve your overall quality of life – be sure to get enough rest.

Eve Glazier, MD., MBA, and Elizabeth Ko, MD., are internists at UCLA Health. Dr. Glazier is an associate professor of medicine; Dr. Ko is an assistant professor of medicine.

Ask the Doctors is a syndicated column first published by UExpress syndicate.

That annoying ringing, buzzing and hissing in the ear – a hearing specialist offers tips to turn down the tinnitus

Not a week goes by when I don’t see someone in my clinic complaining of a strange and constant phantom sound in one of their ears, or in both ears. The noise is loud, distracting and scary – and it doesn’t go away.

The kind of sound varies from patient to patient: buzzing, blowing, hissing, ringing, roaring, rumbling, whooshing or a combination thereof. But whatever the sound, the condition is called tinnitus. And one thing tinnitus patients have in common is that the sound is not an external one. Instead, the noise is literally inside their head.

As a neurotologist – that’s an ear specialist – I have seen approximately 2,500 tinnitus patients during my 20-year career. That might sound like a lot, but it shouldn’t be a surprise – up to 15% of the U.S. population experiences tinnitus. That’s more than 50 million Americans.

Roughly 20 million of those have burdensome, chronic tinnitus, and another 2 million struggle with extreme and debilitating tinnitus. The condition seems to strike middle-aged people the most, but I have seen younger patients and even teenagers with tinnitus.

One way to stop tinnitus before it starts: Wear hearing protection when in noisy places.

Frustration with doctors

What causes the noise? Some researchers say tinnitus is generated in the ear. Others hypothesize that it happens in the brain. But no one is certain. At the moment, there is no cure.

Unfortunately, as many patients have told me over the years, a lot of doctors are dismissive about tinnitus. They say little to nothing can be done, tell patients to go live with it and bid them goodbye. This unsympathetic attitude leaves patients disappointed and angry.

True, tinnitus has no cure. But it’s also true that hearing specialists have many strategies to help patients cope. For most people, a lot can be done to lessen the discomfort.

Much about this condition remains a mystery, but clinicians and researchers do know that loud noise can trigger tinnitus. Firearms, power tools, heavy machinery, MRI scans and blaring music from even a single rock concert are often the culprits. Just one loud noise exposure – what doctors call acoustic trauma – can kick-start tinnitus, although in most of those cases it’s temporary.

This is why many people in the military have tinnitus, perhaps acquired after exposure to loud gunfire or vehicular and aircraft noise. Indeed, more than 2.5 million veterans receive disability benefits for tinnitus.

Other factors that can cause or contribute to tinnitus include sinus infections, fevers, flu, emotional stress, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and some medications, like aspirin, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. When people stop drinking these beverages or taking the medications, the tinnitus typically resolves itself or, at least, is reduced.

Among the strategies that may quiet the tinnitus: sound-generating videos.

Keys to recovery

People who are experiencing tinnitus should have an ear exam to rule out simple causes such as earwax buildup, an infection or a hole in the eardrum. They should also undergo a comprehensive hearing test to evaluate their tinnitus.

By the time they see a doctor, many patients are already caught in a cycle of stress: The tinnitus increases stress, the stress then increases the tinnitus, which increases the stress, and so on.

That’s why it’s critical for the doctor to reassure them that the tinnitus is not dangerous or life threatening, nor a sign or symptom of something more serious. This simple reassurance is often enough for most people to successfully manage their tinnitus. The goal is to get patients to a place where the condition doesn’t distract them as they go about their day, or keep them awake at night.

Treatments that can help

Background noise often drowns out tinnitus, and many external sources will work. YouTube has many sound-generating videos that can help cancel out the uncomfortable sound, and some of these have black screens that will run all night. Free smartphone apps are available; for some people, air conditioners, fans, sound machines, television and radio can be effective at masking the tinnitus.

There are also sound-producing devices that fit in the ear to help counteract tinnitus. Programmed by an audiologist, these sound maskers emit a tone at the same pitch as the user’s tinnitus, helping to neutralize the internal sound. These devices are typically not covered by insurance carriers or Medicare.

For those with hearing loss, regular hearing aids may camouflage the tinnitus by bringing in background noise while at the same time helping patients hear.

Some types of antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications work.

Another approach is cognitive behavioral therapy – that is, talk therapy. This particularly helps those with other conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, a history of concussion or other traumatic brain injury. By reducing this underlying stress, people can learn to live with it rather than fight against it.

For some patients, tinnitus retraining therapy works. It combines cognitive behavioral therapy with a programmed, noise-canceling device that plays pleasant music – with the tone of the patient’s tinnitus embedded in the music.

The theory is that because the patient associates the tinnitus with pleasant music, the tinnitus no longer triggers anxiety or stress. Research shows 80% of patients derive at least some benefit from the therapy.

But be careful about the many supplements on the market claiming to cure or decrease tinnitus. No scientific study has ever shown these supplements cure this condition.

Other types of tinnitus

People who hear their pulse in one or both ears – this is called pulsatile or pulse-synchronous tinnitus – should seek medical attention. The cause of pulsatile tinnitus, often described as a whooshing sound coinciding with the pulse, may be due to an abnormality in one of the blood vessels near the ear. Often, these abnormalities are treatable and the pulsatile tinnitus can be reduced or even eliminated.

Likewise, those complaining of a clicking or thumping-type tinnitus should also have a more thorough evaluation, along with those awakened by the noise; that can be a sign of a rare form of tinnitus.

There is some additional good news here. For many tinnitus patients, the passage of time can make a huge difference. It may take several months, or even a few years, but at some point, the condition often largely resolves itself – and its impact is greatly diminished.

Pulsating noise in the ear – where to go and how to cure?

13
Jan
2018

13 Jan 2018 Types of Tinnitus, Symptoms Diseases, Throbbing noise, Noise in the head, Noise in the ears

Tinnitus that occurs after a lot of noise exposure, overwork or stress usually resolves on its own – it does not require medical intervention. Discomfort, accompanied by additional symptoms, should alert – such a manifestation may indicate a serious illness.

Why is there a pulsating noise in my ear? This question can be answered by looking at possible causes. An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a specialist.

Contents of the article:

• 1 Causes
• 2 Symptoms and diseases
  • 2. 1 Glomus tumor
  • 2.2 Aneurysm
  • 2.3 Sensorineural tightness Host
  • 2.4 Diagnosis
  • 2.5 Treatment
    • 2.5.1 Where to go if your ear starts to pulsate ?

Causes

If the noise begins to pulsate and does not go away for several days, you should consult a doctor. Pathology can develop not only in the auditory organ, but also in other vital systems, for example, the brain, cervical spine.

Over time, the symptom may worsen and be accompanied by a gradual deterioration in hearing function. Pathology interferes with a normal life and work, does not allow you to fall asleep and concentrate.

You should not endure and wait for discomfort to pass on its own – you need to contact medical specialists. Especially if the ear feels not only throbbing, but also pain: the more neglected the disease is, the more difficult it is to cope with it.

Why it can pulsate in the head – possible diseases:

1. Glomus tumor.
2. Arterial aneurysm.
3. Hypertension.
4. Vascular stenoses.
5. Sensorineural hearing loss.

Noise audible to the patient accompanies all these pathologies. Each of them can lead to dangerous consequences, so they require immediate treatment.

Symptoms and diseases

If the ear begins to pulsate, the head hurts, the noise bothers you all the time – the symptoms indicate a pathological change in the circulatory system.

Glomus tumor

Glomanginoma is a benign neoplasm that forms in the region of the internal auditory organ. The tumor consists of cells:

• Hormonal.
• Receptor.

The disease is a danger to organs in the neighborhood, because. at a significant increase exerts strong pressure. Toxins are released on its surface, which also negatively affect the body.

Three forms of glomanginoma:

1. Otiatric – the ear is affected.
2. Cranial – distribution over the region of the skull, right or left area.
3. Cervical – affects the neck.

Accompanying symptoms:

• Well audible tinnitus of a throbbing nature that affects only one ear.
• The pulsation coincides with the patient’s heart rate – it disappears if the carotid artery is clamped.
• Hearing loss extending to the right or left ear.
• The neglect of the disease leads to bleeding.

Aneurysm

When the disease begins to pulsate from the side of its location on the cervical section of the carotid artery or directly inside the skull.

Anomaly is a violation of the density and elasticity of the arterial walls. Under the pressure of constantly circulating blood, they expand – a sac is formed that fills with liquid blood and thrombus masses.

At this stage there is a noise that is audible to an outsider. Additional symptoms:

1. Constant fatigue.
2. Head spinning.
3. Audible in silence bilateral tinnitus.
4. Headache without cause.
5. Pain in the region of the eyes, neck, shoulders.
6. Bleeding from the nose.

In the future, the walls of the artery become fragile, brittle, thinner. Diagnosis can be difficult, which very often leads to rupture of the aneurysm and hemorrhage – hemorrhagic stroke.

Sensorineural hearing loss

It is a hearing loss that gets progressively worse. Why this happens – any damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve leads to their dysfunction, the person stops hearing normally. The degree can be different – a slight deterioration or complete deafness. Tinnitus can be subtle or pulsate strongly, depending on the severity of the disease. The noise can be slight or make it hard to work.

Symptoms:

• Sound distortion.
• Gradual decline in hearing function.

The disease comes in combination with other disorders – chlamydia, syphilis, rubella, alcoholism, etc.

Diagnosis

If the ears begin to pulsate and this continues for more than one day, an accurate diagnosis from a specialist is required.

Examination algorithm:

• Primary examination. Some deviations can be determined by examining the ear cavity with an otoscope.
• Audiogram recording, measurement of pressure in the auditory cavity.
• Blood test.
• Doppler ultrasound.
• Hardware research – X-ray, computed and magnetic resonance imaging.

The hardware method is effective enough to understand exactly why the head began to pulsate. With the help of the picture displayed on the screen of the device, you can see the state of the vessels and the skull.

Treatment

Therapeutic measures are prescribed by a specialist depending on the disease. Vascular disorders are treated by taking drugs that improve blood circulation and strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

Where should I go if my ear starts to pulsate?

Effective treatment of all types of tinnitus is carried out by the Tinnitus Neuro Restorative Neurology Clinic. We present a unique technique, which has no analogues – it was developed by our specialists.

The goal of our work with the patient is to completely cure ear noise discomfort. The task is achievable thanks to the use of modern equipment and innovative methods.

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Noise in the ears. Noise in the head.

Tinnitus is the medical name for tinnitus. It is not associated with any external sources and occurs in the head of each patient individually. Many people know firsthand what noise in the ears and head is. Sometimes the sound can be short-lived, but quite often a person is faced with this unpleasant phenomenon for a long period.

Usually this is not an independent disease, but a manifestation of another disease. This unpleasant condition gives a person a lot of problems – mental, emotional and social. As a result of constant tinnitus, patients may experience depression, insomnia, inexplicable fear, irritability, absent-mindedness. A person may have hearing loss, imperceptibly to himself, sometimes leading to deafness.

Causes of tinnitus

All that one way or another we call “tinnitus” can occur for various reasons.

Main diseases manifested by noise, ringing in the ears:

• Metabolic diseases – diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, thyroid disease.

• Inflammatory diseases – acute, purulent, chronic otitis of the middle and external ear, exudative otitis media, SARS, influenza, cochlear neuritis, hepatitis, labyrinthitis, neuritis of the auditory nerve.

• Vascular pathologies – cerebral atherosclerosis, carotid aneurysms, high cardiac output, aortic valve insufficiency, venous murmur, fever, anemia, arteriovenous malformations.

• Neoplastic diseases – meningioma, tumor of the temporal lobe or brainstem, tumor of the cerebellopontine angle, epidermoid tumor, tumors of the tympanic membrane.

• Degenerative pathologies – atherosclerosis, hearing loss due to poisoning with industrial poisons, arterial hypertension, Meniere’s disease, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

• Traumatic causes – injuries of the ear or head, perilymph fistula, acoustic trauma.

• Mechanical Causes – foreign body, sulfur plug, stenosis of the external auditory canal, osteomas and exostoses, blockage of the auditory tube.

It’s not always so scary: the noise can go away on its own if it was caused by loud music, harsh sounds, stress, earwax deposits.

Types of noise in the ears

Noises in the ears can manifest themselves in different ways: in the form of a hum, squeak or ringing, whistle, buzz, roar or hiss, and sometimes patients complain of periodic clicks.

When contacting a doctor, the patient should clearly explain what kind of noise bothers him:

• monotonous sound — whistling, hissing, wheezing, buzzing, ringing in the ears;

• complex sound — bell ringing, voices, music — this can already be attributed to drug intoxication, psychopathology, auditory hallucinations.

Subjective noise – sounds that are heard only by the person himself, since there is no external source of noise.

Objective noise – sound audible to both the patient and the people around him.

Vascular murmur – is manifested by pulsation, as a result of a possible arterial aneurysm, tumor, arteriovenous malformation and other diseases requiring surgical intervention.

Muscle murmur – click generated by contractions of the soft palate and middle ear.

There are 4 degrees of noise depending on the strength of the noise and its tolerance to patients (according to Soldatov):

I degree – the noise does not cause much discomfort and does not affect the general condition of the patient;

II degree – noise causes irritation in silence and interferes with sleep;

III degree – noises constantly disturb, do not allow you to get enough sleep, which leads to a deterioration in mood;

IV degree – constant unbearable discomfort makes it impossible to live and sleep normally, which in turn significantly reduces the ability to work.

Symptoms associated with tinnitus may include:

• headache;

• pain inside the ear or feeling of pressure;

• dizziness;

• nausea, vomiting;

• redness and swelling of the ears or the skin around them;

• discharge from one or both ears;

• fever;

• malaise.

Diagnosis of tinnitus

1) Otorhinolaryngological examination.

2) Hearing test with audiometry.

3) Consultation and examination by other specialists (neurologist, surgeon, psychotherapist).

4) MRI, computed tomography, radiography.

How to get rid of tinnitus?

The ENT doctor will deal with the whole complex of symptoms that indicate the disease, in order to eliminate both the main and secondary, accompanying signs.

First of all, it is necessary to conduct research, the results of which will help to find the cause. If the cause has been found, then the treatment of tinnitus is reduced to the treatment of the underlying disease. Unfortunately, in some cases the cause cannot be found.

In such cases, the doctor resorts to the following methods of treatment:

1. Drug treatment (group B vitamins, ginkgo biloba, zinc preparations, drugs to improve cerebral circulation).

2. The use of special implants that create white noise that covers the ringing in the ears. You can also use sound therapy. To do this, the patient turns on a music disc with the sounds of nature or the environment. Such sounds allow a person to switch their attention to an external source of noise. This promotes relaxation and quick sleep.

3. Psychotherapy. In the treatment of tinnitus, cognitive behavioral therapy is more often used. In working with a psychotherapist, the patient learns meditative techniques. It will also help to change the perception of tinnitus, stop fixing attention on the sound.

Possible complications of tinnitus

If tinnitus occurs frequently, the patient’s quality of life can be significantly impaired if left untreated.