What are the common causes of tinnitus. How is tinnitus diagnosed. What treatment options are available for tinnitus. Can tinnitus be cured completely. How does cognitive behavioral therapy help with tinnitus. What lifestyle changes can alleviate tinnitus symptoms. Are there any natural remedies for tinnitus relief.

Understanding Tinnitus: The Phantom Sounds in Your Ears

Tinnitus, often described as a persistent ringing, buzzing, or whistling sound in the ears, affects millions of people worldwide. This condition can be both frustrating and debilitating, impacting daily life and overall well-being. To effectively manage tinnitus, it’s crucial to understand its causes, symptoms, and available treatment options.

What Exactly is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is not a disease itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying condition. It’s characterized by the perception of sound when no external sound source is present. These phantom sounds can vary in pitch, volume, and consistency, ranging from a mild annoyance to a severe disruption of daily activities.

Common Causes of Tinnitus: Uncovering the Root of the Problem

Tinnitus can stem from various factors, and identifying the underlying cause is crucial for effective treatment. Here are some of the most common causes:

• Noise-induced hearing loss
• Age-related hearing loss
• Ear infections or blockages
• Cardiovascular problems
• Medications (ototoxic drugs)
• Head or neck injuries
• Meniere’s disease
• Acoustic neuroma

Can stress cause tinnitus? While stress itself may not directly cause tinnitus, it can exacerbate existing symptoms or make them more noticeable. Managing stress through relaxation techniques and lifestyle changes can often help alleviate tinnitus symptoms.

Diagnosing Tinnitus: A Comprehensive Approach

Accurate diagnosis is essential for developing an effective treatment plan. Healthcare professionals typically use a combination of methods to diagnose tinnitus and identify its underlying cause:

Medical History and Physical Examination

Your doctor will begin by asking detailed questions about your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle factors. This information helps pinpoint potential causes and guides further testing.

Audiological Evaluation

A hearing test is a crucial component of tinnitus diagnosis. It helps determine if hearing loss is present and to what extent it may be contributing to your tinnitus symptoms.

Imaging Studies

In some cases, imaging tests such as CT or MRI scans may be necessary to rule out structural abnormalities or tumors that could be causing tinnitus.

Blood Tests

Laboratory tests can help identify underlying health conditions that may be contributing to tinnitus, such as thyroid disorders or anemia.

How is tinnitus classified? Tinnitus is typically categorized as either subjective (heard only by the patient) or objective (can be heard by an examiner). Subjective tinnitus is far more common, accounting for over 95% of cases.

Treatment Options for Tinnitus: Finding Relief and Improving Quality of Life

While there is no universal cure for tinnitus, various treatment options can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. The most appropriate treatment depends on the underlying cause and severity of symptoms.

Addressing Underlying Conditions

If an identifiable cause is found, treating it may alleviate tinnitus symptoms. This could involve:

• Removing earwax blockages
• Treating blood vessel conditions
• Changing or stopping medications that may be causing tinnitus
• Managing stress and anxiety

Sound Therapy and Masking Devices

Sound therapy involves using external noise to alter the perception of or reaction to tinnitus. This can be achieved through:

• White noise machines
• Hearing aids with built-in sound generators
• Smartphone apps that produce soothing sounds
• Tabletop sound machines

Do sound machines really help with tinnitus? Many individuals find relief through sound therapy, as it can help mask the tinnitus sound and make it less noticeable. The effectiveness varies from person to person, and it may take some experimentation to find the most beneficial sounds and volumes.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)

TRT is a specialized treatment that combines sound therapy with educational counseling. The goal is to habituate the brain to tinnitus sounds, making them less bothersome over time.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that can help individuals cope with the emotional and psychological impacts of tinnitus. It focuses on changing negative thought patterns and developing coping strategies.

Lifestyle Changes and Natural Remedies for Tinnitus Relief

In addition to medical treatments, certain lifestyle modifications and natural remedies may help alleviate tinnitus symptoms:

1. Stress reduction techniques (meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises)
2. Regular exercise
3. Limiting caffeine and alcohol intake
4. Avoiding exposure to loud noises
5. Maintaining a healthy sleep schedule
6. Practicing good ear hygiene

Are there any vitamins that help with tinnitus? While research is ongoing, some studies suggest that certain vitamins and minerals may help reduce tinnitus symptoms. These include vitamin B12, zinc, and magnesium. However, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.

The Role of Hearing Aids in Tinnitus Management

For individuals with tinnitus related to hearing loss, hearing aids can be an effective treatment option. These devices can:

• Amplify external sounds, making tinnitus less noticeable
• Provide sound therapy through built-in tinnitus masking features
• Improve overall communication and reduce stress associated with hearing difficulties

How do hearing aids help with tinnitus? By amplifying external sounds, hearing aids can help “mask” the internal tinnitus noise. Additionally, many modern hearing aids come with built-in sound generators that can be programmed to produce soothing sounds specifically designed to alleviate tinnitus symptoms.

Emerging Therapies and Future Directions in Tinnitus Treatment

Research into tinnitus treatment is ongoing, with several promising avenues being explored:

Neuromodulation Techniques

These therapies aim to alter neural activity in the brain regions associated with tinnitus. Examples include:

• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
• Vagus nerve stimulation

Gene Therapy

Researchers are investigating the potential of gene therapy to regenerate damaged hair cells in the inner ear, which could potentially restore hearing and alleviate tinnitus.

Pharmacological Treatments

While no drugs are currently FDA-approved specifically for tinnitus, research is ongoing to develop medications that target the neurological mechanisms underlying the condition.

What is the latest research on tinnitus treatment? Recent studies have shown promising results with neuromodulation techniques, particularly repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). This non-invasive treatment has demonstrated the ability to reduce tinnitus severity in some patients, though more research is needed to establish its long-term efficacy.

Living with Tinnitus: Coping Strategies and Support

While managing tinnitus can be challenging, there are numerous strategies to help individuals cope with the condition and improve their quality of life:

Education and Awareness

Understanding tinnitus and its underlying mechanisms can help reduce anxiety and fear associated with the condition. Many patients find relief in knowing that tinnitus is not typically a sign of a serious health problem.

Support Groups

Connecting with others who experience tinnitus can provide emotional support, practical tips, and a sense of community. Many organizations offer both in-person and online support groups.

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Practices such as mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery can help reduce stress and shift focus away from tinnitus sounds.

Tinnitus Apps and Digital Tools

Numerous smartphone apps and digital tools are available to help manage tinnitus symptoms. These may include sound therapy apps, relaxation guides, and tinnitus tracking tools.

How can I explain tinnitus to my friends and family? Describing tinnitus to those who don’t experience it can be challenging. Consider using analogies, such as comparing it to a constant background noise like a fan or the hum of a refrigerator that you can’t turn off. Explain how it affects your daily life and what helps you manage it. This can foster understanding and support from your loved ones.

Living with tinnitus requires patience, persistence, and a multifaceted approach to management. By working closely with healthcare professionals, exploring various treatment options, and implementing coping strategies, many individuals with tinnitus can significantly improve their quality of life and find relief from this challenging condition.

Tinnitus – Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis

Your doctor will typically diagnose you with tinnitus based on your symptoms alone. But in order to treat your symptoms, your doctor will also try to identify whether your tinnitus is caused by another, underlying condition. Sometimes a cause can’t be found.

To help identify the cause of your tinnitus, your doctor will likely ask you about your medical history and examine your ears, head and neck. Common tests include:

• Hearing (audiological) exam. During the test, you’ll sit in a soundproof room wearing earphones that transmit specific sounds into one ear at a time. You’ll indicate when you can hear the sound, and your results will be compared with results considered normal for your age. This can help rule out or identify possible causes of tinnitus.
• Movement. Your doctor may ask you to move your eyes, clench your jaw, or move your neck, arms and legs. If your tinnitus changes or worsens, it may help identify an underlying disorder that needs treatment.
• Imaging tests. Depending on the suspected cause of your tinnitus, you may need imaging tests such as CT or MRI scans.
• Lab tests. Your doctor may draw blood to check for anemia, thyroid problems, heart disease or vitamin deficiencies.

Do your best to describe for your doctor what kind of tinnitus noises you hear. The sounds you hear can help your doctor identify a possible underlying cause.

• Clicking. This type of sound suggests that muscle contractions in and around your ear might be the cause of your tinnitus.
• Pulsing, rushing or humming. These sounds usually stem from blood vessel (vascular) causes, such as high blood pressure, and you may notice them when you exercise or change positions, such as when you lie down or stand up.
• Low-pitched ringing. This type of sound may point to ear canal blockages, Meniere’s disease or stiff inner ear bones (otosclerosis).
• High-pitched ringing. This is the most commonly heard tinnitus sound. Likely causes include loud noise exposure, hearing loss or medications. Acoustic neuroma can cause continuous, high-pitched ringing in one ear.

Treatment

Treatment for tinnitus depends on whether your tinnitus is caused by an underlying health condition. If so, your doctor may be able to reduce your symptoms by treating the underlying cause. Examples include:

• Earwax removal. Removing an earwax blockage can decrease tinnitus symptoms.
• Treating a blood vessel condition. Underlying blood vessel conditions may require medication, surgery or another treatment to address the problem.
• Hearing aids. If your tinnitus is caused by noise-induced or age-related hearing loss, using hearing aids may help improve your symptoms.
• Changing your medication. If a medication you’re taking appears to be the cause of tinnitus, your doctor may recommend stopping or reducing the drug, or switching to a different medication.

Noise suppression

Many times, tinnitus can’t be cured. But there are treatments that can help make your symptoms less noticeable. Your doctor may suggest using an electronic device to suppress the noise. Devices include:

• White noise machines. These devices, which produce a sound similar to static, or environmental sounds such as falling rain or ocean waves, are often an effective treatment for tinnitus. You may want to try a white noise machine with pillow speakers to help you sleep. Fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners in the bedroom also produce white noise and may help make tinnitus less noticeable at night.
• Masking devices. Worn in the ear and similar to hearing aids, these devices produce a continuous, low-level white noise that suppresses tinnitus symptoms.

Counseling

Behavioral treatment options aim to help you live with tinnitus by helping you change the way you think and feel about your symptoms. Over time, your tinnitus may bother you less. Counseling options include:

• Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT). TRT is an individualized program that is usually administered by an audiologist or at a tinnitus treatment center. TRT combines sound masking and counseling from a trained professional. Typically, you wear a device in your ear that helps mask your tinnitus symptoms while you also receive directive counseling. Over time, TRT may help you notice tinnitus less and feel less distressed by your symptoms.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or other forms of counseling. A licensed mental health professional or psychologist can help you learn coping techniques to make tinnitus symptoms less bothersome. Counseling can also help with other problems often linked to tinnitus, including anxiety and depression. Many mental health professionals offer CBT for tinnitus in individual or group sessions, and CBT programs are also available online.

Medications

Drugs can’t cure tinnitus, but in some cases they may help reduce the severity of symptoms or complications. To help relieve your symptoms, your doctor may prescribe medication to treat an underlying condition or to help treat the anxiety and depression that often accompany tinnitus.

Potential future treatments

Researchers are investigating whether magnetic or electrical stimulation of the brain can help relieve symptoms of tinnitus. Examples include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and deep brain stimulation.

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Often, tinnitus can’t be treated. Some people, however, get used to it and notice it less than they did at first. For many people, certain adjustments make the symptoms less bothersome. These tips may help:

• Use hearing protection. Over time, exposure to loud sounds can damage the nerves in the ears, causing hearing loss and tinnitus. To keep your tinnitus from getting worse, take steps to protect your hearing. If you use chain saws, are a musician, work in an industry that uses loud machinery or use firearms (especially pistols or shotguns), always wear over-the-ear hearing protection.
• Turn down the volume. Listening to music at very high volume through headphones can contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus.
• Use white noise. If tinnitus is especially noticeable in quiet settings, try using a white noise machine to mask the noise from tinnitus. If you don’t have a white noise machine, a fan, soft music or low-volume radio static also may help.
• Limit alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. These substances, especially when used in excess, can affect blood flow and contribute to tinnitus.

Alternative medicine

There’s little evidence that alternative medicine treatments work for tinnitus. However, some alternative therapies that have been tried for tinnitus include:

• Acupuncture
• Ginkgo biloba
• Melatonin
• Zinc supplements

Coping and support

In addition to any treatment options offered by your doctor, here are some suggestions to help you cope with tinnitus:

• Support groups. Sharing your experience with others who have tinnitus may be helpful. There are tinnitus groups that meet in person, as well as internet forums. To ensure that the information you get in the group is accurate, it’s best to choose a group facilitated by a physician, audiologist or other qualified health professional.
• Education. Learning as much as you can about tinnitus and ways to alleviate symptoms can help. And just understanding tinnitus better makes it less bothersome for some people.
• Stress management. Stress can make tinnitus worse. Stress management, whether through relaxation therapy, biofeedback or exercise, may provide some relief.

Preparing for your appointment

Be prepared to tell your doctor about:

• Your signs and symptoms
• Your medical history, including any other health conditions you have, such as hearing loss, high blood pressure or clogged arteries (atherosclerosis)
• All medications you take, including herbal remedies

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, including:

• When did you begin experiencing symptoms?
• What does the noise you hear sound like?
• Do you hear it in one or both ears?
• Has the sound you hear been continuous, or does it come and go?
• How loud is the noise?
• How much does the noise bother you?
• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
• Have you been exposed to loud noises?
• Have you had an ear disease or head injury?

After you’ve been diagnosed with tinnitus, you may need to see an ear, nose and throat doctor (otolaryngologist). You may also need to work with a hearing expert (audiologist).

Feb. 04, 2021

Tinnitus: Causes, Treatment & Prevention

Overview

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a condition in which you hear sounds when there is no outside source of the sounds. The sounds can have many different qualities (ringing, clicking, buzzing, roaring, whistling or hissing) and can be perceived as soft or loud.

Usually, the person experiencing the tinnitus is the only one who can hear the sounds. Tinnitus can occur either with or without hearing loss, and can be perceived in one or both ears or in the head.

Approximately 50 million Americans have some form of tinnitus. For most people, the sensation usually lasts only a few seconds or up to a few minutes at a time. For others about 12 million people, the tinnitus is constant or recurs and interferes with their daily life so much that they seek professional treatment. For these individuals, tinnitus may result in a loss of sleep, difficulty with concentration or reading, and can create negative emotional reactions such as despair, frustration and depression.

People of any age can suffer from tinnitus, although it not as common in children. Everyone who has bothersome tinnitus should have it evaluated by a healthcare provider such as an otolaryngologist and audiologist.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes tinnitus?

Although the exact cause of tinnitus is unknown, the most common identifiable causes of tinnitus include:

• Hearing loss
• Exposure to loud noises
• Head injury
• Medication side effects
• High or low blood pressure
• Wax buildup in the ear canal
• Fluid buildup behind the eardrum
• Problems of the heart, blood vessels, neck, jaw or teeth

It is important to have your tinnitus evaluated by a medical professional to rule out a medical cause for it. It is especially important to see an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor) if you experience:

• Tinnitus in only one ear
• Tinnitus that sounds like your heartbeat or is pulsating (pulsatile tinnitus)
• Tinnitus with sudden or fluctuating hearing loss
• Pressure or fullness in one or both ears
• Dizziness or balance problems accompanying tinnitus

Otherwise, see an audiologist for a hearing test and to begin a discussion about your tinnitus.

Management and Treatment

What is the treatment for tinnitus?

Ruling out any medical reasons for the tinnitus is important so that appropriate medical treatment can be taken. The majority of tinnitus, however, has no known cause, so the next step is determining the best option for relief of the condition. Treatment options for tinnitus include:

• Hearing aids. Many people who have tinnitus also have hearing loss. Hearing aids may help provide relief from tinnitus by making sounds louder and the tinnitus less noticeable. This is done by increasing the volume of the soft environment sounds (such as refrigerator noise, washing machine sounds, lawn mowers outside) while increasing soft speech. Hearing aids not only help with tinnitus, they also improve communication.
• Sound generators. These adjustable ear-level devices produce a broadband sound (pleasant shower-like sound) that is delivered directly to the ear. These devices help people pay less attention to their tinnitus by masking it with another sound from the device.
• Combination instruments. A hearing aid and sound generator can be housed in a single unit. These units are best for people who need hearing aids and may benefit from the use of additional sounds from the sound generators.
• Environmental enrichment devices. A variety of simple-to-use devices can be used to generate background sound in order to decrease the perception of tinnitus. These include tabletop sound machines that can generate different types of sounds (for example, rain, wind and waterfalls), CD/mp3 recordings of music and/or nature/environmental sounds. There are a variety of apps specifically created for tinnitus relief that can be used with smartphones or tablets.
• Relaxation techniques. Many people who have tinnitus find that it becomes more bothersome when they are under stress. Learning techniques to increase relaxation and ease stress can help people better deal with the frustrations of tinnitus. This can be achieved through meditation or mindfulness therapy.
• Counseling options. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with a psychologist can help people learn ways to limit the attention given to tinnitus and also help them better manage the stress and anxiety caused by the condition.
• Other options. Some tinnitus is produced by stress on the jaw and neck muscle or temporomandibular disorder (TMD). A dentist may be of value in helping to control dental issues, such teeth clenching and grinding, which are associated with tinnitus. An examination by a physical therapist may identify problems with the movement of the head, neck and jaw that can contribute to tinnitus. Follow-up physical therapy can help restore the proper movement of the neck and jaw and improve posture, which may reduce the severity of tinnitus.

Prevention

Can tinnitus be prevented?

Certain behaviors can make tinnitus worse and should be avoided whenever possible. These include:

• Smoking or using other tobacco products
• Drinking alcohol
• Exposure to loud noises and sounds

The use of hearing protection devices (earmuffs or earplugs) is advisable in all situations where the exposure to sound is too loud for too long).

Tinnitus: One Possible Reason Your Ears Won’t Stop Ringing

Some people have a ringing in their ears. Others might hear a roaring, buzzing, hissing or clicking inside their heads. The sounds may be intermittent, or they may be constant. They may be a minor annoyance or a major distraction. But if you’re one of the nearly 10 percent of adults who experience some form of tinnitus, there may be help.

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the human ear in the absence of any external sound. It can be perceived in one or both ears, or in the head.

Tinnitus can be described in many different ways. Patients report hearing sounds such as a high-pitched ringing, buzzing, hissing, humming, whistling, ticking, roaring, clicking, crickets, tunes, songs, whooshing or the sound of wind or waves.

The American Tinnitus Association estimates the more than 50 million American experience tinnitus to some degree. Of these, about 12 million have severe enough tinnitus to seek medical attention. And about two million patients are so seriously debilitated that their daily living is affected.

Causes of Tinnitus

The exact physiological cause of tinnitus is unknown, says UH otolaryngologist Sarah Mowry, MD. “Several sources are known, however, to trigger or worsen tinnitus,” she says, such as:

Noise-induced hearing loss – This is the most common cause of tinnitus. Either a single intense event or long-term noise exposure such as factory or construction work, can damage hearing. With exposure to loud noise, hair cells in the inner ear become damaged or destroyed. Once damaged, these hair cells cannot be renewed or replaced. Up to 90 percent of all tinnitus patients have some level of hearing loss.

Wax build up – Everyone produces different amount of earwax. When a significant amount of earwax becomes built up in the ear canal, hearing can be compromised and tinnitus may seem louder. Earwax should not be removed with a cotton swab. You should speak to your physician or ear, nose and throat doctor.

Certain medications – Some medicines are toxic to the ears and can produce tinnitus as a side effect. Effects depend on the medicine’s dose and can be temporary or permanent.

Ear or sinus infections – Many people, including children, experience tinnitus along with an ear or sinus infection. This will generally lessen and gradually go away once the infection is healed.

Jaw misalignment – Temporomandibular jaw misalignment, or TMJ, can induce tinnitus.

Cardiovascular disease – About 3 percent of tinnitus patients experience pulsatile tinnitus, often in time with their heartbeat. This can indicate the presence of a vascular condition where the blood flow through the veins and arteries is compromised – like a heart murmur, hypertension or hardening of the arteries.

Certain types of tumors – Very rarely, a person will have a benign, slow-growing tumor on their auditory, vestibular or facial nerves. These tumors can cause tinnitus, deafness, facial paralysis and loss of balance.

Head and neck trauma – Physical injury to the head and neck can induce tinnitus.

Certain disorders – Hypo or hyperthyroidism, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia and thoracic outlet syndrome can have tinnitus as a symptom.

What To Do If You Think You Have Tinnitus

The first steps to take if you think you have tinnitus is to note the details surrounding your symptoms. Did you begin a new medicine or were injured or exposed to excessive noise right before it started? Is the tinnitus in one or both ears? Does it fluctuate or is constant? Do you have a hearing loss?

Next, visit your physician or make an appointment with an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist). Also, have your hearing checked by an audiologist.

Living with Tinnitus

Most people who seek medical help for their tinnitus learn that no serious medical problem is causing their condition. This knowledge alone is often enough to allow some to adapt to the sounds they hear.

“Other people experience tinnitus as disruptive and stress-inducing and need help learning how to cope with the sounds,” Dr. Mowry says. She has these tips on coping with tinnitus:

Avoid silence – Tinnitus can sound louder when you are in total silence. Listening to soothing music or nature sounds can promote a comfortable state of relaxation. Other soothing sound suggestions are an aquarium, dehumidifier or electric fan.

Amplification – If you have hearing loss and tinnitus, a hearing aid will help you hear ambient sounds that can take the focus away from the tinnitus.

Maskers – This is a device that resembles a hearing aid and produces a “shhh” sound to cover the tinnitus. “These help your brain suppress the phantom noise so it’s less bothersome,” Dr. Mowry says.

Retraining therapy – You can try to retrain your brain to ignore the tinnitus sounds. This treatment can take more than one year.

Cognitive behavior therapy – This helps you identify and alter maladaptive thoughts and behaviors to achieve relief.

Biofeedback – This therapy teaches stress management and how to control your blood pressure, heart rate and skin temperature.

Drug therapy – Some medicines have been investigated for use in relieving tinnitus; however, medicines are primarily used to help with anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties that can be associated with tinnitus. Treating these problems can indirectly help.

RELATED LINKS

Our nationally recognized team of hearing and balance experts at University Hospitals, many of whom have advanced fellowship training in the ear, nose and throat subspecialties of otology and neurotology, provide specialized care for ear, hearing and balance disorders. Learn more about the Ear, Hearing and Balance Center at University Hospitals.

How to Know If You Have Tinnitus

Do you ever hear ringing in your ears? What about roaring, buzzing, or hissing? Do these noises interfere with your daily life, making it difficult for you to relax or sleep? If so, you may have tinnitus, a condition characterized by the hearing of sound when no external sound is present. Tinnitus is a very common problem, affecting about 1 in 5 people, and if the condition is tampering with your enjoyment of life, do yourself a favor and seek out treatment. To learn more about how tinnitus is affecting your life, take our tinnitus impact survey. 

How to Know If You Have Tinnitus

Symptoms

If you’re wondering how to know if you have tinnitus, start by evaluating your symptoms. First, do you often hear a sound that you know is not externally present? If so, what is this sound like? Would you describe it as ringing, roaring, clicking, chirping, rushing, whistling, buzzing, hissing, or humming? Or perhaps it sounds like a heartbeat in your ear? The noise may seem to come from one ear, both ears, your head, or a distance. In addition, it can be steady, intermittent, or pulsating.

If you would like to learn more about the various sounds of tinnitus, check out our tinnitus sound samples. These sounds are often more noticeable when background noise is low, so you may find that your tinnitus is more prominent at night as you’re trying to fall asleep or while working in a quiet room. To better assess your condition, consider potential causes and related health conditions:

• Potential Causes: Tinnitus symptoms can be caused by a variety of conditions. For example, certain ototoxic drugs, ear infections, Ménière’s disease, a buildup of earwax, high blood pressure, diabetes, and head and neck injuries are all known to lead to tinnitus.
• Related Health Conditions: Many people suffering from tinnitus also suffer from hearing loss. Other health conditions associated with tinnitus include sleeping problems, depression, anxiety, hypertension, and hyperacusis (increased sensitivity to certain frequencies of sound and volume ranges). To evaluate your level of hyperacusis, click here.

If you experience these symptoms, no matter what the particular sound, you probably have tinnitus. After all, tinnitus is defined simply as “the hearing of sound when no external sound is present.” However, the presence of tinnitus is not in itself a cause for alarm. You also need to take the symptoms’ frequency and influence into account.

Frequency

How often do you hear a noise in your head? Is it frequent and frustrating? Does it only occur during (or following) certain situations, like listening to loud music? Most people experience occasional ringing in their ears, but if the condition is temporary and caused by something specific like loud noise, atmospheric pressure, or an illness, treatment is usually unnecessary.

If, on the other hand, you frequently experience the symptoms described above and you have for six months or more, you may have chronic tinnitus. Although not a serious health problem, the condition can be irritating and debilitating.

To find out more about your tinnitus, take our tinnitus impact survey.

Influence

If you have chronic tinnitus, consider how your hearing condition affects your life. It may have a significant impact on your well-being, influencing your mood, your anxiety, your sleeping habits, your ability to concentrate, and more. To better assess your particular situation, ask yourself some simple questions:

• Does your tinnitus interfere with your enjoyment of life? 
• Does your tinnitus interfere with your sleep?
• Does your tinnitus make it hard for you to relax? 
• Does your tinnitus make you feel irritated?
• Over the past week, have you been bothered by your tinnitus for more than 50% of your waking hours?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you would most likely benefit from a tinnitus consultation. You will undergo an audiological (hearing) exam, and your audiologist may recommend further testing depending on the suspected cause of your tinnitus.  Every case features different symptoms, causes, and frustrations, so it is important that you work with your audiologist to create a treatment plan that fits your needs and concerns.

Even if you answered no to the questions above, a hearing test would be worthwhile. By discussing your tinnitus symptoms with an audiologist and having your hearing checked, you can learn more about what is causing the issue and review potential treatment options.

Finally, if you’re wondering how to know if you have tinnitus or another hearing-related issue, please contact the Sound Relief Hearing Center if you live in or around Denver, Colorado. We provide tinnitus treatment, hearing tests, invisible hearing aids, and more. To learn more about us, please browse our website, visit our Youtube channel, or give us a call at 720-344-7600. You can also schedule an appointment online to meet with one of our tinnitus specialists or audiologists. We look forward to hearing from you!

At Sound Relief Hearing Center, we provide hope and help to those living with tinnitus and other hearing health issues. Our patients are at the center of everything we do, and we strive to guide them to overcome their challenges by delivering innovative and compassionate healthcare.

Dr. Julie Prutsman, owner of this family-owned practice, has expanded to 8 locations across Colorado and Arizona. In 2012, she founded Sound Relief in her hometown of Highlands Ranch, Colorado and continues to foster their mission through mentorship of the brightest minds in the field of Audiology.

What Is Tinnitus? – Symptoms – Diagnosis & Tests

Treatment

Treatment will depend on what is causing your tinnitus. If earwax is causing your tinnitus, your doctor will remove it. If a medicine you’re taking is causing the issue, your doctor may recommend you stop taking that medicine. But never stop taking a prescription medicine without talking to your doctor first.

If an underlying condition, such as high blood pressure, is causing your tinnitus, your doctor can create a treatment plan for you to follow. Usually, tinnitus goes away once the condition that is causing it is treated.

When no specific cause can be identified, your doctor will probably focus on making your tinnitus easier to tolerate. Some possible methods include:

• Hearing aids: For people who have tinnitus and hearing loss, using a hearing aid may be helpful. When you wear a hearing aid, things you need to hear will be louder than the ringing, buzzing, or clicking sound.
• Sound generators (maskers): Wearable sound generators can be placed behind your ear and create white noise (constant background noise) or other sounds. This “masks” the tinnitus and makes it less noticeable. Some people also use bedside sound generators to help them sleep.
• Counseling: Some people who have tinnitus become anxious or depressed. If you have tinnitus and are struggling, seek help through a counselor and/or a support group to help you cope. Counseling can also be used to help you take the focus off your tinnitus.
• Tinnitus retraining therapy: This method uses a mix of counseling with maskers or other approaches. The goal is to teach your brain to ignore the sounds you hear. This isn’t a quick fix, but many people find it useful with time and practice.
• Relaxing: Stress can make tinnitus worse. Your doctor can suggest relaxation techniques that might help you deal with your stress.
• Medicines: Currently, there are no medicines specifically designed for treating tinnitus. Some medicines, such as certain ones used to treat anxiety, have been shown to relieve tinnitus for some people. Talk to your doctor about whether medicine might relieve your symptoms.

Why are my ears ringing?

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Why are my ears ringing?

It’s the middle of the night, all is silent in the house except for what’s going on in your ear(s). It’s constant. It’s irritating. It’s that ringing that no matter what you try to do is always there when everything is so quiet, leaving you with so many questions. Why is it there? What could you have done to prevent it? Is there any way to cure it?

Although our technology is focused on imaging the middle ear, we often meet patients that struggle with issues affecting the inner ear. One such issue is when a patient is experiencing the ringing in his or her ears. In this blog post, we discuss what causes the annoying, and sometimes painful, reasons why you might have ringing in your ears.

What is ringing in the ear?

The sensation of hearing ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling or any other sounds is called Tinnitus. Interesting to note, the word Tinnitus is pronounced two different ways. One pronunciation tends to sound like “TIN-ni-tus”. While the general American pronunciation often sounds like “ti-night-tus” or “tin-NYE-tus.” 

Tinnitus can be intermittently heard or a continuous noise and varies in volume. While the noise is constantly occurring, many times a person who has Tinnitus will be more aware of it when the background noise is lower, hence why most people are bothered by it when trying to fall asleep. Tinnitus is incredibly common and has affected around 50 million adults in the US. For most individuals, Tinnitus is simply an annoying sound heard in the quiet, and causes little to no ear pain; however, there are severe cases that can cause individuals to experience difficulty sleeping or even concentrating and, in the more extreme cases, cause psychological distress. So, now that you have some background into what Tinnitus is, let’s look into some of the causes of that ringing in your ears.

What Causes Tinnitus

The most common cause of Tinnitus is prolonged exposure to loud noises. When a person is exposed to loud noises over a long period of time (think construction workers, pilots, musicians etc.), it causes permanent damage to the sound-sensitive cells within the cochlea. Along with prolonged exposure, a single exposure to an extremely loud and jarring noise can also cause Tinnitus. 

While noise plays a key role, other factors can also cause Tinnitus, including the following:

• Blockages due to wax buildup or ear infections
• A potential side effect of multiple drugs including aspirin, sedatives and others
• The natural aging process, which causes the cochlea to deteriorate
• High blood pressure and/or cardiovascular disease
• Neck or jaw problems
• Injuries to the head or neck

Tinnitus symptoms can often worsen from use of alcohol, smoking cigarettes, eating certain foods, and even experiencing stress and fatigue. 

Tinnitus Treatment

Now that you know what it is and what causes it, let’s talk about some ways to treat Tinnitus. The first step in treatment – and most important – is figuring out what is causing the ringing sound. If you find that the cause of your Tinnitus is an underlying health or medical condition, your first step should be to address that condition. If, instead of an underlying health issue, the problem is simply excessive earwax, you will need your healthcare provider to clean out your ears. Once that is completed, the noise may go away completely, or at least be considerably toned down.

There are certain medications that can also treat Tinnitus. Anti-anxiety drugs – Valium or antidepressants like Elavil – have been known to help reduce the effects of Tinnitus. Also, the use of steroids placed in the middle ear can also help reduce the effects of Tinnitus.

For most people, Tinnitus is caused by noise exposure, so a natural remedy is to use masking devices. The use of hearing aids or Tinnitus Maskers – devices that play a sound more soothing and pleasant than the internal ringing – help deaden the noise made by Tinnitus and can help the affected person cope easier.

Tinnitus is a common condition that most people live with every day. You can try to avoid this condition by avoiding loud noise exposure altogether; however, your ear health may not be horribly altered by Tinnitus. By making changes to your daily life, you can learn to live and cope with Tinnitus without experiencing any detrimental side effects or further ear pain. Some of these changes may be minor, like adding soothing sounds to silence to avoid hearing the ringing, while other changes may be more drastic, like quitting smoking or drinking alcohol; however, when it comes to maintaining ear health, any measure is worth it.

Tinnitus symptoms and signs

Illustration explaining the sounds of tinnitus.

Do you have persistent ringing in the ears? Doctors call this sound tinnitus, and it isn’t always ringing. Tinnitus can sound like any number of annoying tones, including ringing, buzzing, hissing or whizzing. It can be loud, soft, or any volume in between, and the sound can range from a low-pitched roar to a high-pitched squeal. It may occur nearly constantly or come and go. 

When tinnitus flares up, it can be difficult

to ignore.

Symptoms of tinnitus

What does tinnitus sound like?

Common descriptions of tinnitus symptoms include hearing cicadas, wind, crickets, fluorescent lights, squeals, running engines, grinding steel or dripping tap water. Some people even say it sounds like a motorboat or car engine in their ears. 

It’s important to know that tinnitus can be a symptom itself—it’s linked to many different medical conditions, and even some medications can trigger it. It’s also strongly linked to hearing loss and loud noise exposure.

However, whenever a medical cause can’t be uncovered, tinnitus can be considered a disease in and of itself. In most cases, there is no known cure, though treatments and related alternative relief strategies can help. 

Chronic tinnitus: When it won’t go away

Occasional bouts of brief noise that lasts a few seconds is considered “transient” and something most people experience from time to time. A diagnosis of chronic tinnitus usually means a person reports episodes of tinnitus that last for at least five minutes and occur at least twice a week. You may also experience tinnitus spikes.

It’s possible to have tinnitus in just one or both ears, and it can come and go. Tinnitus can get loud enough to interfere with concentration, and sometimes, it can mask natural sounds. Tinnitus is most commonly experienced by adults, especially those who have hearing loss.

Tinnitus is most commonly experienced by adults who have hearing loss.

In a very large survey of American adults with tinnitus, nearly a third reported having symptoms nearly constantly. About the same number of people noticed tinnitus at bedtime.

Note: If you experience tinnitus and sudden hearing loss, seek prompt treatment. 

The emotional symptoms of tinnitus

Having a constant ringing in your ears is not pleasant, and you may have trouble falling asleep or concentrating at work. The constant annoyance, lack of sleep and inability to live your life as you used to may even cause increased anxiety. Anxiety is especially common if tinnitus is getting in the way of work or causing other stressful situations. Many people who have tinnitus often describe a connection between tinnitus perception and stress. You may even suffer from depression or thoughts of suicide in response to the persistent buzzing or ringing that feels inescapable. Along with treatments, behavioral strategies can make tinnitus more manageable.

Track your tinnitus symptoms

Having a good grasp of the tinnitus sounds you hear, when you hear them and how often you hear them may be able to help your hearing care professional or physician determine the best way to treat your tinnitus. Keeping a symptom diary for a few weeks is a good idea.

A tinnitus evaluation from a hearing healthcare practitioner will begin with a series of questions designed to get a clear description of your symptoms such as:

• How long has this been going on? 
• Is it regular or constant?
• Are the symptoms worse at certain points of the day?
• Which ear is causing the issue? Both?
• How loud is the noise?
• Is the pitch high or low?
• Is the issue extremely bothersome or just a little irritating?
• Are there certain conditions that make the symptoms worse, such as exposure to noise or caffeine intake?
• Does the sound ever change?
• Do you also suspect you might have hearing loss? Tinnitus can be a symptom of hearing loss.

Can tinnitus sound like clicking?

In most cases, no. Most tinnitus sounds like a ringing, hissing or buzzing sound. If you do hear a persistent clicking sound, it’s worth investigating, though. 

For some people, the jarring motion of brisk walking can produce what is called a seismic effect, which causes movement in the small bones and/or contractions in the muscles of the middle ear space. You can experiment to find out if this is the cause by walking slowly and smoothly to see if the clicking is present. Then, try walking quickly and with a lot of motion to see if you hear the clicking. You can also test for the seismic effect by moving your head up and down quickly. 

If you do detect the seismic effect, it is likely nothing that indicates a serious medical condition. However, if it is a constant annoyance, by all means discuss it with your hearing care professional.

Get help from an expert

Find a tinnitus doctor near you by going to our directory of hearing care providers.  Please note that not all hearing clinics treat tinnitus, so you may need to browse several clinic pages to find the right provider.

Before your first appointment, take note of your specific symptoms, when they occur and what environments make them better or worse. This work ahead of time will prepare you for the first questions asked by the practitioner and ensure you get the most out of your evaluation. 

Joy Victory, managing editor, Healthy Hearing

Joy Victory has extensive experience editing consumer health information. Her training in particular has focused on how to best communicate evidence-based medical guidelines and clinical trial results to the public. She strives to make health content accurate, accessible and engaging to the public.
Read more about Joy. 90,000 This multifaceted tinnitus

1 February 2021

This multifaceted tinnitus

Many of us at least once in our life have heard a noise in our ears, which suddenly appeared, then disappeared for no apparent reason. As a rule, its volume does not change and, after a while, we stop perceiving it. In medicine, this phenomenon is called “tinnitus”, from the Latin tinnīre – “tinkle” or “ring like a bell”. Tinnitus is the perception of sound signals in the absence of external acoustic stimuli.Noise can occur simultaneously in two or one ear, or sound “inside the head”, it can be buzzing, hissing, ringing.

Methods of neuroimaging (visualization of the structure, functions and biochemical characteristics of the brain) and the development of animal models, which have been actively developing in recent years, have allowed specialists to understand the mechanisms of tinnitus, create new methods for analyzing brain activity, and study the effect of neural connections on the development of tinnitus.Innovative approaches to the study of this phenomenon have made it possible to determine specific treatments based on the type of tinnitus.

In medical practice, there are two types of tinnitus: objective and subjective. In some degenerative diseases of the head and neck, muscular (objective) tinnitus occurs. Impaired neuromuscular control can also occur in a person with healthy sensory perception. As a result of repetitive vibrations or myoclonus (spasm) of the ear muscles: the stapedius muscle (the muscle that strains the eardrum), there is an observable and audible noise emanating from the ear.

The case when the perception of sound occurs in the absence of an acoustic stimulus, and only the patient hears the noise, is called subjective tinnitus. In neurophysiology, tinnitus is a consequence of the brain’s response to damage to the auditory cochlea. In a healthy person, an orderly reflection of tones of different frequencies occurs in the auditory system from the cochlea through the midbrain to the auditory cortex. In the event of damage to the cochlea, the subcortical and cortical regions adapt to the chronic absence of sensory stimuli, and the tonotopic organization (tone reflection system) changes. The area in the auditory cortex that corresponds to the area of ​​damage to the cochlea is called the lesion projection zone (LPZ). After damage to the cochlear apparatus (the part of the inner ear, consisting of the cochlea and the sound-perceiving apparatus), neurons in this zone undergo two important changes: an increase in the level of spontaneous activity and an increase in the frequency of presentation of neurons adjacent to the damaged area, the so-called marginal lesion zones.

Tinnitus can occur due to pathological changes in any part of the auditory pathway caused by sudden hearing loss, ear injury, presbycusis (age-related hearing loss), or taking medications ototoxic drugs.Pathological changes in the vestibulo-cochlear nerve can also lead to the appearance of tinnitus. It should be noted that hearing loss does not always lead to the development of tinnitus, and the appearance of ringing in the ears is not always determined by pathological changes.

Temporomandibular joint diseases, various emotional states, stress can also be the reasons for the development of tinnitus. Various risk factors also play a role, with prolonged exposure to noise can lead to tinnitus in 22% of cases, head or neck trauma in 17% of cases, and infections in 10% of cases.

Treatment of tinnitus begins after the type or nature of the treatment is established. The task of the attending physician is to reduce tinnitus, to reduce the patient’s attention to sound, so that he can return to a full life. For this, Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) can be used. This technique includes counseling for the cause of tinnitus and low-level sound therapy to reduce the patient’s negative emotional responses, such as irritation or anxiety about tinnitus.

To get rid of tinnitus, cognitive behavioral therapy is practiced – this is a form of psychotherapy to change the cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses to tinnitus through cognitive restructuring and behavioral modification.

A significant decrease in tinnitus is observed in patients with bilateral deep sensorineural hearing loss (impaired signal reception by a sound-receiving device) after cochlear implantation, when a special receiver and transmitter are attached to the outer ear.

As a method of non-specific therapy, sound therapy can be used. Special generators reproduce the murmur of a stream, the sound of sea waves, waterfalls, rain or fountains. The effect of this influence is that the additionally generated sound is perceived as less disturbing than tinnitus, partially or completely masking it.

Doctors advise patients with tinnitus to undergo neuropsychological counseling, which will help ease the habituation to the perception of phantom sound and more easily cope with emotional stress, sleep problems, loss of concentration, and disturbances in personal, professional and social life.

You can get full advice and assistance in the treatment of tinnitus at the SOGAZ International Medical Center. The Center’s specialists have all the necessary knowledge and tools for making a diagnosis. A neurologist, an otolaryngologist, a psychotherapist, and specialists from the rehabilitation department take part in the treatment process.

Consult a specialist about possible contraindications

Anna Svyatoslavovna Kudryavtseva, neurologist-vestibulologist, SOGAZ Medical Center

Neurology Clinic

Treatment of noise (ringing and hum) in the ears

Tinnitus is considered as a lesion of any part of the auditory analyzer: from sound-perceiving receptors to the cerebral cortex.There is a contralateral murmur: for example, it makes a noise in the left ear, and the pathology of the auditory analyzer is detected on the right. Quite often, the cause of tinnitus cannot be determined.

Most common causes

1. Irritation of the tympanic membrane – the presence of a foreign body or cerumen in the external auditory canal.
2. Inflammatory process in the middle ear (acute or chronic otitis media).
3. Inflammation of the auditory tube (eustachitis).
4.Barotrauma.
5. Presbycusis (senile hearing loss).
6. Meniere’s syndrome.
7. Otosclerosis.
8. Tumor of the auditory nerve.
9. Neuritis of the auditory nerve.
10. Arachnoiditis of the cerebellopontine angle.
11. Tumors of the posterior cranial fossa.
12. Toxic effects or side effects of certain drugs. These are mainly antibiotics-aminoglycosides, salicylates, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics.
13. Prolonged exposure to external noise (work in a noisy production, frequent and prolonged listening to loud music through headphones)
14. Degenerative changes in the cervical spine with circulatory disorders in the vertebrobasilar system.
15. Subjective pulsating tinnitus can be observed with increased cardiac output, which occurs with thyrotoxicosis, anemia, pregnancy, physical exertion, low blood pressure.
16. Mental disorders.
17. Hypertension.
18. Atherosclerosis of the vessels of the brain.

The approach to tinnitus treatment depends on the underlying disease :

• If the examination reveals any pathological formation, surgical treatment is possible: removal of tumors, neurinomas, sanitizing operations for otitis media and labyrinthitis.
• Conservative treatment of ear diseases.Treatment of otitis media, eustachitis, removal of sulfur plug.
• In case of arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint, complex treatment by a dentist or orthopedist is necessary.
• Cancellation of drugs that may cause tinnitus.
• For the treatment of tinnitus, various physiotherapeutic effects, methods of hyperbaric oxygenation, acupuncture, and laser therapy have been proposed.
• In case of noise caused by muscle spasms, massage of the neck muscles, masticatory muscles, exercises for stretching the masticatory muscles (forward movement of the lower jaw) give a good effect.
• Regardless of the etiology of the noise, psychotherapy is indicated for all patients. This method is aimed at reducing the patient’s obsession with their feelings, changing the attitude towards him.
• Good results can be obtained by the method of biofeedback – training the patient to control his autonomic responses.
• The use of drugs that can reduce noise or improve its tolerance.

Tinnitus (tinnitus) | Centro Coromina

Tinnitus (tinnitus) | Centro Coromina – Dr.Jordi Coromina

WE WILL FIND THE MOST SUITABLE TREATMENT FOR CALLING AND NOISE IN EARS

The Noise Society: How Does Noise Affect Our Hearing?

TINNITUS (NOISE IN THE EARS)

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a sensation of noise, ringing, whistling in the ears or in the head in the absence of a real external source of such a sound. It can manifest itself in different ways: buzzing, whistling, the sound of the sea, ringing, etc. These sounds can be constant or intermittent, and can also be felt on one side, on both sides or in the entire head.

Almost all people, to one degree or another, have experienced tinnitus at least once.

For example, a ringing sensation in the ears can occur after a concert or any event where the hearing organ is exposed to loud sounds.

Tinnitus causes concern when it does not go away or gets worse over time. In such cases, the patient experiences more or less discomfort, depending on the intensity and frequency of the tinnitus.

Tinnitus is not always associated with hearing loss.About 30% of people with severe deafness do not have tinnitus, while about 18% of the population suffers from some form of tinnitus.

How do tinnitus patients feel?

Most patients with tinnitus gradually become accustomed to it, but 10% of them have significant impairments such as loss of concentration, trouble sleeping and severe emotional anxiety, which can even lead to depression.

In these cases, the patient is literally obsessed with tinnitus, which makes it more difficult to control the problem.This obsession causes more irritation to the brain, which only makes the situation worse. As a result, as a rule, the patient falls into despair.

In 40% of cases, hypersensitivity to sounds (hyperacusis) also develops.

What are the causes of tinnitus?

Tinnitus can be caused by many reasons, but there are three main reasons:

• Damage to the ear canal with hearing impairment (presbycusis or senile deafness; various diseases of the outer, middle or inner ear; acoustic trauma; ear infections; Meniere’s disease and T.etc.).
• Incorrect postural habits , negatively affecting mainly the temporomandibular and cervical muscles (bruxism or gnashing of teeth during sleep and other “bad habits” of the facial muscles; arthrosis of the cervical spine; contractures; curvature of the spine, etc.).
• Stress related to work or family. With regard to stress, it is important to emphasize that tinnitus patients have increased activity in the auditory cortex and limbic cortex, which are responsible for emotions.

How is tinnitus diagnosed?

When diagnosing tinnitus, the otorhinolaryngologist first examines the patient thoroughly to identify the cause of the tinnitus. Based on the first stage of the examination, the following tests are required:

• Otoscopy (microscopic examination of the ear and tympanic membrane)
• Examination of pain points of the craniofacial and cervical regions
• Audiometry (measurement of auditory sensitivity at various sound frequencies)
• Noise measurement for accurate determination type of tinnitus
• Hearing discomfort threshold
• Additional tests (blood test, CT, MRI, MR angiography, cervical x-ray, echodopplerography, etc.)
• Tinnitus severity questionnaire

How is tinnitus treated?

Treatment for tinnitus depends on the cause. If it was not possible to get rid of the cause, then the following methods of treatment are applied in the future:

• Drug treatment . Usually, drugs are prescribed that dilate the blood vessels of the brain, which can reduce tinnitus, and even get rid of it. If they do not help, other medications are prescribed to control the activity of the brain, such as.
  melatonin, sulpiride, hydroxyzine, lyrica, etc. In addition, depending on the circumstances, tranquilizers such as alprazolam and amitriptyline may be prescribed.

• TRT (Tinnitus retraining therapy). TRT therapy is the most popular treatment method today. Its purpose is for the patient to become accustomed to their tinnitus and not consciously notice it.
  This treatment method includes a treatment recommendation phase (detailed explanation of the problem) and a sound therapy phase (to reduce the perception of noise).In some cases, sound therapy uses the so-called sound generator , which works in conjunction with conventional hearing aids in patients with significant hearing loss.

• Physiotherapy . In case of detection of muscle contracture or an incorrect postural habit, the patient is referred for physiotherapy exercises.
• Tinnitus Masker . A tinnitus masker is a hearing aid-like device that emits soft sounds directly into the ear, masking and reducing the noise caused by tinnitus.It converts the sound wave of tinnitus, which disappears for a while (for a few minutes, hours, or even days).
• Hearing aid . If the patient has a hearing loss, the tinnitus can often disappear or be reduced by using a hearing aid. In this case, the patient hears the surrounding noises, and not his own.

Examples of white noise

In some cases, we also use so-called “white noise” in the treatment of tinnitus.White noise is a monotonous and monotonous sound signal that almost does not pass other sounds around the patient in a relaxed state.

Some examples of white noise can be found at the links below:

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causes and treatment “- Yandex.Q

Tinnitus is a rather unpleasant phenomenon that sometimes accompanies the everyday life of an adult. The main group of people suffering from tinnitus (this is the name of this symptom in the official medical language) are people over 45 years of age and allergy sufferers (their intense fluid secretion contributes to the growth of sulfur inside the ear canal).

Translation of the pathological phenomenon means “bell ringing”, however, patients have complaints of buzzing, whistling and other sounds that can be intermittent or continuous, varying in volume.Low background noise heard at night makes it difficult to fall asleep in a quiet room, or difficulty concentrating, which affects work capacity and personal relationships. Having discomfort on an ongoing basis can cause psychological distress and, in more severe cases, hearing loss.

Why does ringing in the ears appear?

Tinnitus never develops as an independent phenomenon, always acting as a consequence of an existing disorder of the body.He can accompany the physiological state only in two cases – during the process of age-related changes in the body, the onset of aging, and during the period of bearing a child. Each of these conditions is characterized by hormonal fluctuations, as well as changes in blood pressure levels.

Other factors influencing its appearance:

• prolonged stay in places with loud music or other noises;

• Excessive adhesion of sulfur, impurities inside the ear canal, which occurs in the absence of proper hygiene;

90,080 taking certain medicines (especially aspirin), antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, sedative properties (made on the basis of quinine), as well as antidepressants, tranquilizers;

• Meniere’s disease, which destabilizes the inner part of the ear;
• transferred injuries to the head, neck; dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, resulting from this damage to the nerve endings;
• Thinning of the cartilaginous tissue of the cervical vertebrae – osteochondrosis;
• otosclerosis, leading to stiffness of the small bones inside the middle ear;
• high or unnecessarily low level of blood pressure, disturbances in the activity of the heart, blood vessels; problems with the circulatory system, decreased functional activity of the thyroid gland, hormonal imbalance, diabetes mellitus.

Ringing inside the ears can be exacerbated by smoking, alcohol abuse; drinks containing caffeine; drugs. Eating foods saturated with artificial colors, preservatives and thickeners that only improve their appearance. For reasons unknown to researchers, stress and fatigue can also contribute to this phenomenon.

Symptoms that accompany constant ringing inside the auditory canals are directly related to the underlying disease.They assume:

• Dizziness, weakness, apathy, flashing “flies” before the eyes – when the condition is caused by a hypertensive crisis.
• Nausea, vomiting, pallor of the skin, tremors of the extremities, lethargy, darkening before the eyes, impaired coordination of movement, concentration of attention, the desire to take a horizontal position – all this is noted by patients with increasing hypotension.
• Increased body temperature, tenderness when touching the parotid region, sharp pain when trying to press on the tragus are characteristic signs of otitis media.
• Hearing impairment (one- or two-way), dizziness, problems with moving an escalator or elevator, nausea, an increase in body temperature to subfebrile numbers, listening to fluid inside the auditory canal when tilting the head – the phenomena are observed due to the ingress of water into the ear.

Each of these diseases deserves medical attention: in order to avoid complications, you should contact a medical institution. The possibility of self-treatment is excluded.

How is tinnitus treated?

In spite of the fact that ENT conducts the therapy of hearing impairments and diseases of the ears, the issue of eliminating ringing in certain clinical cases is dealt with by a cardiologist, neurologist or therapist.

The examination includes otoscopy (to assess the condition of the auditory canal), MRI (if there is a suspicion of impaired blood circulation inside the cerebral vessels), ECG (when the preliminary diagnosis is hypertension, VSD or hypotension).

The basic aspect of the study is laboratory diagnostics. In the blood, a laboratory assistant can detect a low level of hemoglobin, which indicates the development of anemia, provoking hypotension. If a high concentration of leukocytes is found, inflammation progresses. In order to exclude disorders of the thyroid gland, a blood test is prescribed for the hormones it produces – the lack of such is an indication for consulting an endocrinologist.

If the ringing inside the ear is caused by high blood pressure, antihypertensive drugs are prescribed: a solution of dibazol and papaverine intramuscularly or magnesium sulfate intravenously.The patient needs to take a horizontal position, provide oxygen access. The specialist will monitor the blood pressure level – the ringing in the head will be eliminated after the normalization of this indicator.

Tinnitus caused by a bacterial infection is treated with antibiotics (in the composition of ear drops and intramuscularly), anti-inflammatory drugs, for acute pain – analgesics, washing the ear canal with a warm solution. During the formation of an abscess, it is forbidden to warm up the lesion; it is necessary to sleep on the side of inflammation – then the contents of the opened boil will be released outward, and not flow into more distant sections, increasing the spectrum of the disease.With the onset of recovery, the ringing goes away.

When constant ringing in the ears and head is caused by vegetative-vascular dystonia, a neurologist prescribes treatment. Drugs that improve blood circulation in the vessels of the brain have general strengthening properties.

If the health problem is the stagnation of fluid inside the auditory canal, a specialist will prescribe antihistamine drugs: since they have a hypnotic effect, they need to be taken in the evening, and during treatment, stop working or study.

Earwax and impurities formed into the plug require flushing with heated saline from a syringe. Only an ENT doctor can carry out the procedure; it cannot be performed independently. If the solution is not heated to the desired temperature, a number of complications will arise: from nausea with vomiting to loss of consciousness. Correctly carried out rinsing is painless.

There are preventive measures to prevent tinnitus:

1. Avoid prolonged exposure to loud noises or use personal protective equipment when working with chainsaws, carpentry, etc.(in particular, ear muffs). Do not forget that the sensitive cells of the inner ear cochlea are not restored (as well as the nerve cells).

2. Do not neglect the procedure for cleansing the ears from wax, since a neglected condition requires the elimination of congestion in a hospital environment.
3. Limit yourself from all kinds of stress, head injuries.
4. Organize balanced meals.
5. Closely monitor the effects of taking various medications.If drugs are prescribed by an ENT doctor, with a suspicion of sensorineural hearing loss, the prescribed therapy involves steroid drugs, as well as hormones that can produce side effects. It is important to monitor your health, and in case of deterioration, inform a specialist.
6. Limit yourself in smoking, stop drinking alcohol, foods and drugs that have a detrimental effect on the state of blood vessels.

If the above methods do not help, then the appearance of tinnitus may not directly depend on any actions of the patient, acting as a consequence of cerebral atherosclerosis or another, no less serious disease.With prolonged manifestations of ringing in the ears, it is necessary to consult a specialist and undergo an examination.

Material provided

bezboleznej.ru

Betahistine for tinnitus | Cochrane

Relevance

Tinnitus (noise, ringing in the ears) is characterized by “ringing”, “whistling” or “hissing” that is heard in the absence of any external sound. Between 5% and 43% of people experience this symptom, and for some, it has a significant negative impact on their quality of life.Tinnitus can be controlled through education and counseling, prescription hearing aids, over-the-counter devices that produce background sounds, and psychological and relaxation therapies. Medication is used to treat tinnitus-related complaints such as sleep problems, anxiety, or depression. There is no drug therapy that can cure tinnitus. However, betahistine is often prescribed for tinnitus. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the results of high quality clinical trials regarding the efficacy of betahistine in people with tinnitus.In particular, we wanted to look at the effects of betahistine on tinnitus (tinnitus) and the side effects of betahistine.

Characteristics of research

Our review identified five randomized controlled trials with a total of 303 to 305 participants who suffered from tinnitus. These studies compared participants taking betahistine with those taking a placebo. Four studies assigned participants to parallel groups.In one study, participants agreed to take all study drugs in a predetermined sequence. The outcomes we evaluated included tinnitus severity and obsession, tinnitus symptoms, and side effects.

90,076 Key Outcomes 90,077

The included studies showed no differences in tinnitus severity, symptom severity, or side effects between participants taking betahistine and those taking placebo. There were no significant side effects.We planned to measure changes in obsessional tinnitus, depression, anxiety, and quality of life, but these were not measured. Research results indicate that betahistine is generally well tolerated and the risk of side effects is similar to placebo.

Quality of evidence

The quality of the evidence ranged from moderate to very low. The risk of bias in all included studies was uncertain. Results were obtained from only one or two studies.In some studies, the participants who were included did not fully represent the entire population of people with tinnitus, and therefore we cannot draw general conclusions.

Treatment of tinnitus in osteochondrosis and arterial hypertension

What to do if tinnitus and pain in the ears

Tinnitus (tinnitus) is a symptom, not a disease. Tinnitus occurs in the absence of external sound stimuli and can be unilateral and bilateral.Why does pulsating tinnitus appear? It can be caused by the perception of the movement of blood in the vessels of the inner ear and felt in conditions of complete silence. The condition is considered physiological. Pathological tinnitus is a symptom of a medical condition. Tinnitus is constantly felt by about 8% of the adult population.

Causes of severe tinnitus

Tinnitus varies in nature and intensity, may be constant or intermittently. Patients describe tinnitus as a high-pitched continuous sound, turbine noise, ringing, hum, hiss, hiss, clicks, and so on.

Causes of severe tinnitus:

• diseases of the middle and inner ear;
• damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve, which is responsible for the transmission of sound from the ear to the brain;
• multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases that cause muscle spasms;
• Meniere’s disease;
• otosclerosis;

90,080 acoustic trauma, barotrauma;

90,080 tinnitus and ringing in the ears in older people is associated with the natural aging process and hearing loss;

• osteochondrosis;
• arterial hypertension;

90,080 thyroid diseases;

• neurocirculatory dystonia;
• cerebral atherosclerosis;
• brain tumors;
• intoxication;

90,080 stress.

Nervous strain caused by tinnitus causes insomnia, irritability, depression. Several studies support a link between anxiety and impaired concentration with tinnitus. Tinnitus, even in balanced people, can cause nervous system disorders. Emotionally labile patients constantly focus on the problem, which increases the discomfort. Therefore, the treatment of tinnitus is an important medical and social task. How to get rid of congestion and tinnitus depends on the underlying cause.

Treatment of tinnitus

Alas, there is still no medicine that can eliminate tinnitus once and for all. When choosing a treatment regimen, the cause of the disease (if established), the degree of hearing impairment, previous therapy, and concomitant pathologies are taken into account.

Treatment of tinnitus is reduced to the treatment of the underlying disease. Unfortunately, the cause of tinnitus is often not found. What if there is noise and pain in the ears, and the diagnosis has not been established? With an unclear etiology of tinnitus, the following are indicated: drug therapy (betaserc, tanakan), reflexology, hearing aids, psychotherapeutic sessions, audiomaskers.There is evidence of the effectiveness of the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants in the treatment of tinnitus. The result of this treatment is a noticeable reduction in discomfort and an improvement in the patient’s mood.

It is important to know that when a diagnosis of cochlear neuritis is made, the success of treatment depends on the timing of its initiation. Therefore, if you experience tinnitus, you should immediately consult a doctor. Timely therapy is a guarantee of restoration of hearing and the disappearance of intrusive tinnitus.

How to treat persistent tinnitus in cervical osteochondrosis? Of course, the underlying disease must be treated. Taking medications prescribed by a doctor, a course of physiotherapy, massage, therapeutic exercises will help improve the condition and get rid of tinnitus.

Arterial hypertension and tinnitus

Dizziness and subjective tinnitus are often early symptoms of arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. Patients are more likely to experience noise at night when the surroundings are quiet.It has been noted that hearing loss develops simultaneously or shortly after the onset of tinnitus.

Pressure medications for tinnitus and dizziness should be taken continuously. In general, the treatment of high blood pressure is not a one-time pill intake on the principle of “when the pressure has jumped.” If a diagnosis of “arterial hypertension” is made, then drugs “for pressure” must be taken daily until the end of life. Read more about the treatment of arterial hypertension on our website Dobrobut.com.

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Scientists explained tinnitus in coronavirus

Coronavirus exacerbates tinnitus in almost half of those affected and may even cause hearing problems for the first time, a new study says. At the same time, hearing can be influenced not only by the disease itself, but also by changes in lifestyle caused by isolation, scientists say.

Nearly half of people with tinnitus (tinnitus or tinnitus without external acoustic stimulus) say coronavirus has impaired their hearing, a new study found.

According to the Daily Mail, this problem, which affects about one in eight people, causes them to hear constant phantom noises such as buzzing, whistling or noise. Some people in a study by Anglia Ruskin University said they did not have hearing problems prior to COVID-19, but developed after contracting the virus.

Poor emotional well-being, depression and anxiety are commonly thought to contribute to this condition.And given that survey respondents said concerns about COVID-19 infection and other pandemic concerns have exacerbated their tinnitus, this could help explain the coronavirus link.

Lifestyle changes resulting from the pandemic, including increased use of technology and a livelier and noisier home environment during isolation, also had a negative impact on respondents’ tinnitus, the researchers said.

Audiologists have suggested that coronavirus can damage cells in the ear, and damage to the hair cells in the inner ear is a common cause of tinnitus.

The study involved 3,103 people with tinnitus from 48 countries, the vast majority of which are from the UK (24 percent) and the United States (49 percent).

A study published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health found that eight percent of respondents said they had experienced COVID-19 symptoms. About 40% of those with coronavirus symptoms have experienced worsening tinnitus at the same time.

The study focused on people with pre-existing tinnitus.However, a small number of participants also reported that their condition first appeared after developing symptoms of COVID-19.

Seven people said they believed coronavius ​​caused tinnitus, and one 52-year-old British woman said: “I didn’t have tinnitus before the virus. It happened when I was sick, and this is the only thing that continued after the illness. ”

This suggests that tinnitus may in some cases be part of a ‘long-term coronavirus’.

The study also found that a large proportion of people believe that their tinnitus is exacerbated by the indirect effect of the pandemic.

Social distancing measures and restrictions introduced to help control the spread of the virus have led to significant changes in work and lifestyle. For example, 46 percent of UK respondents and 29 percent of North American respondents said lifestyle changes had a negative impact on their tinnitus.

Concerns such as fear of contracting the coronavirus, financial problems, loneliness and sleep problems have contributed to the fact that tinnitus has become more unpleasant for 32% of people in general.

One 31-year-old woman from the UK said: “Due to the increased stress, my tinnitus is very loud.”

Respondents also blamed external factors such as increased video calls, noisier home environments, homeschooling, and an increase in coffee and alcohol consumption.

While tinnitus is usually more noticeable in quiet environments, others say that noise worsens their condition further and therefore avoids noisy situations.

Women and people under the age of 50 found that tinnitus was significantly more troubling during the pandemic.

The pandemic has also made it difficult for people to access health care for the disease, which can cause a vicious cycle of emotional distress and worsening tinnitus symptoms.

See also: Russian nutritionists have evaluated the Ducan method against coronavirus

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