Tinnitus is a complicated phenomenon. It’s completely subjective, meaning that no two people truly experience tinnitus in exactly the same way. And that’s saying something, considering how common it is; more than 50 million Americans experience tinnitus. So, what is it?
What Is Tinnitus
Tinnitus is often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” but it can sound like buzzing, whooshing, humming or any other type of sound, with no external source. Tinnitus is not a condition in and of itself, either; rather, it’s typically a symptom of some other condition, and it can be caused by many things.
For some, tinnitus is a mild nuisance, but for others it is debilitating, causing significant distress, affecting mood and disrupting sleep.
Common Tinnitus Causes
As mentioned, several other factors or conditions can cause tinnitus, and we don’t even know all of them yet. But here are some things that tinnitus has been linked to:
- Hearing loss. 90% of tinnitus cases occur with hearing loss, making this a close relationship. When you have hearing loss, your brain realizes that it’s receiving less sound information than it ought to, so it generates its own sound to fill in the gaps.
- Noise exposure. Sound waves from loud noises are wide and forceful, and they can cause significant physical damage to the structures inside our ears that are critical to our ability to perceive sound.
- Ear blockage. If the ear canal is obstructed by something, it can affect how sound waves reach the inner ear. Blockages may be caused by compacted earwax, an ear infection or a foreign object.
- Jaw issues. The temporomandibular joint is a hinge-like joint that connects your jaw to the skull, and it is nestled right up against your ear. Disorders of this joint can cause inflammation that impacts the ear.
- Cardiovascular issues. Like any other organ, our ears need a healthy blood supply to function. In the case of some cardiovascular issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or anemia, blood flow to the ears may be interrupted.
- Injury or trauma. Blows to the head or neck can damage the nerve pathway that carries sound information from the ears to the brain, affecting sound perception.
- Stress. Stress is known to be correlated with tinnitus. Its influence on our hormones, blood flow and the nervous system can cause heightened awareness of and reaction to tinnitus.
Finding Relief from Tinnitus
Due to its subjective nature and varied causes, there is no cure for tinnitus, but there are ways to manage it, from at-home techniques to medical attention.
First, if possible, determine the root cause of your tinnitus. For example, if you believe you’re in the beginning stages of hearing loss, it’s worth considering if that is what is correlated with your tinnitus symptoms. Sometimes this can be difficult, so speak with your doctor about your health and lifestyle and see if you can take a guess at the cause.
After that, meet with an audiologist or tinnitus expert to discuss management techniques like acoustic therapy or tinnitus retraining therapy. Treatments like these can help reduce your perception of tinnitus, therefore lessening your reaction to it.
To learn more about tinnitus and tinnitus management, contact our experts at Kampsen Hearing. We look forward to answering your questions and working with you to find the relief you need.