Tinnitus – What Is That Ringing Sound In My Ears?
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus refers to a ringing or buzzing sound in the ear. Most often, it is the result of an underlying, more serious condition such as an infection. This annoying noise can be constant, intermittent or pulsating. Although this can be a chronic disorder, it is able to be mamaged with proper treatment.
Tinnitus comes from the Latin word tinnitus which means ringing. It has been a peculiar problem for thousands of years with many varieties of treatments resulting from its existence. This condition can either be unilateral meaning one ear or bilateral meaning both ears.
Tinnitus can be divided into two specific types; Subjective refers to the type where only the person affected can hear it, while Objective refers to the type that a physician can hear upon examination. Subjective Tinnitus is very challenging to treat as the person affected is the only one able to hear the noise.
Tinnitus is caused by:
Obstruction due to fluid or wax buildup Ear infections Damage to the eardrum or the little bones in the middle ear Aspirin overdose Meniere’s disease Brain tumor Aneurysm Traumatic head injury, such as a severe blow to the head.
Tinnitus is diagnosed by your health care professional who will get your medical history, perform a physical examination, and conduct special hearing tests such as an audiogram.
Other important tests:
Auditory brain stem response (ABR), tests the hearing nerves and brain pathways CT scan MRI scan to rule out a tumor
Treatment:
Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Tinnitus; however it can be managed by introducing other noises into your environment that can take the focus off the annoying buzzing in your ears. Oftentimes, it can alleviate itself on its own; however there are some cases where it is a lifelong affliction.
Prevention:
If you have a chronic disease such as hypertension, make sure to keep your blood pressure within normal limits. You can reduce your risks of getting tinnitus by avoiding loud noises, keeping blood pressure within normal limits, reducing stress and fatigue, and taking no more than the recommended dosage of medications that can cause tinnitus, such as aspirin.
Another tool you can use is your ability to focus on something else. By transferring your concentration onto something else, the noise will become less. Other noises such as those from a fan or anything that create another sound in the room. This distracting noise is referred to as “white noise” and can be very effective in reducing the annoyance of Tinnitus.
Consult your health care provider if you believe you suffer from Tinnitus. And remember, adding a little white noise can be a beautiful way to combat the buzzing, ringing blues.
Barb Hicks is an established writer and registered nurse who loves to share her knowledge about Signs And Symptoms Of Hearing Loss with others. She has more articles including What is Conductive Hearing Loss on Clivir.com.
categories: ears,ear disorders,tinnitus,hearing,hearing aid,shearing deficits,hearing specialists,health,fitness,disease
