"Doctor, What Causes The Noise In My Ear?" I Sometimes Hear Ringing In My Ears. Is This Unusual?
Not at all. Tinnitus is the name for these head noises, and they are very common. Tinnitus may come and go, or you may be aware of a continuous sound. It can vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal or whine, and you may hear it in one or both ears. When the ringing is constant, it can be annoying and distracting.
Can Other People Hear The Noise In My Ears?
Not usually, but sometimes they are able to hear a certain type of tinnitus. This is called objective tinnitus, and it is caused either by abnormalities in blood vessels around the outside of the ear or by muscle spasms, which may sound like clicks or cracklings inside the middle ear.
What Causes Tinnitus?
There are many possible causes of subjective tinnitus; noise only the patient can hear. Some causes are not serious (for instance, a small plug of wax might cause temporary tinnitus).
Tinnitus can also be a symptom of more serious middle ear problems, such as infection, a hole in the eardrum, an accumulation of fluid, or stiffening (otosclerosis) of the middle ear bones.
Tinnitus can also be a symptom of a head and neck aneurysm or acoustic neuroma, either of which can be life-threatening.
These problems often involve a loss of hearing. Tinnitus may also be caused by allergies, high (or low) blood pressure, a tumor, diabetes, thyroid problems, injury to the head or neck, and a variety of other specific causes, including anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, sedatives, antidepressants, and aspirin. (Aspirin can be a possible cause of tinnitus if overused, depending on the patient's size.
Talk to your doctor if you take aspirin and your ear ring.) The treatment will be quite different in each case. It is important to see a physician who specializes in ear disorders (an otolaryngologist) to attempt to determine the cause of your tinnitus, and what kind of treatment, if any, may be needed.
If you're struggling with ear or head noises, don’t wait. Schedule a consultation at Dr. Deenadayals ENT Care Centre—Hyderabad’s trusted destination for advanced tinnitus diagnosis and treatment. Relief starts with the right diagnosis.
What Is The Most Common Cause Of Tinnitus?
Most tinnitus comes from damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear. The health of these nerve endings is important for hearing, and injury to them brings on hearing loss and often tinnitus.
Advancing age is generally accompanied by a certain amount of hearing nerve impairment—and even tinnitus.
Exposure to loud noises is probably the leading cause of tinnitus in today's world, and it often damages hearing as well. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of, or unconcerned about, the harmful effects of excessively loud industrial noise, firearms noise, high-intensity music, and other loud noises.
Stereo headsets played too loudly appear to be an increasing cause of ear damage in otherwise healthy young people.
What Is The Treatment Of Tinnitus?
In most cases, there is no specific treatment for noises in the ear or head. If an otolaryngologist finds during examination that your tinnitus has a specific cause, he may be able to remove it and thus eliminate the noise.
This investigation may require fairly extensive workup, including X-rays, hearing tests, CT scans, and nerve conduction tests.
However, most causes of tinnitus cannot be identified. Occasionally, medications may help the noise even though no cause can be identified. The medications used are many; frequently, the patient is asked to take a medicine to see if it helps.
Tinnitus - Locating The Problem
Tinnitus can arise in any of the four sections of the ear: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear, and the retrocochlear area (eighth nerve and brain). A doctor's history, physical examination, and a series of special tests can help determine precisely where the problem is.
When There Is No Identifiable Cause, Can Something Be Done To Lessen The Tinnitus?
Yes, the following list of dos and don'ts can help lessen the severity of tinnitus. First of all, remember that the auditory (hearing) system is one of the most delicate and sensitive mechanisms of the human body.
Since it is part of the general nervous system, its responses are affected to some degree by the anxiety state of the person involved. Therefore, it is advisable to make every effort to:
- Avoid exposure to loud sounds and noises.
- Get your blood pressure checked; if it is high, seek your doctor's help to get it under control.
- Decrease your salt intake (which impairs good blood circulation). Avoid salty foods and do not add salt to your food at the table.
- Avoid nerve stimulants such as coffee and colas (caffeine) and tobacco (nicotine).
- Exercise daily. It improves your circulation.
- Get adequate rest and avoid overfatigue.
- Stop worrying about noise. Tinnitus will not cause you to go deaf or result in losing your mind or your life. Recognize your head noises as an annoying but minor reality, and then learn to ignore them as much as possible. This type of control can sometimes be greatly enhanced through the techniques of biofeedback and/or masking.
- Reduce nervous anxiety, which may further stress an already tense hearing system.
What Is Masking?
Tinnitus is usually more bothersome when the surroundings are quiet, especially when you are in bed. A competing sound such as a ticking clock or a radio may help mask head noises, making them less noticeable.
Some physicians suggest listening to music at low volume. It helps block the more offensive tinnitus sounds.Will Hearing Aids Help Reduce Noise?
People with impaired hearing sometimes find that their hearing aids reduce head noise and occasionally cause it to disappear. Even a person with a minor hearing deficit may find that hearing aids relieve their tinnitus.
However, a thorough trial before purchase is advisable if the primary purpose is tinnitus relief. Often, when the hearing aid is removed, the head noise returns to its former level.
Conclusion
Tinnitus is not a disease but a symptom, and can be caused by numerous conditions. To find out what may be causing your problem, a complete ENT examination and special tests may be necessary. The key to successful treatment of tinnitus is getting the most accurate diagnosis possible.
Once your ENT doctor has completed this evaluation, an essential part of the treatment will be to help you understand your tinnitus, what caused it, and how best it can be treated.
Your hearing is too precious to treat carelessly
That is why this pamphlet is offered. We hope it has been helpful. If you have further questions, your Otolaryngologist in Secunderabad will be happy to try to answer them for you.