Tinnitus is not a disease but actually a symptom that can have many different causes. The symptom which is tinnitus is hearing sound when there is no external source for the sound. The actual sound can be difficult to categorize and specific sounds do not necessarily point to a cause. On top of this, because there is no external stimulation, testing to verify tinnitus is virtually impossible. The only thing that can be done is categorize how bad the sound is based on how much it affects the person and their daily life.
Most cases of Tinnitus are subjective tinnitus, where there is no clinical test for the symptoms. The causes of this type of tinnitus vary but the most common is noise-induced hearing loss. For example, virtually everyone will have ringing in their ears for a few days after a loud concert. Another common cause is actually impacted earwax in the ear canals. Ear infections and middle effusion can also cause Tinnitus.
Another common cause of tinnitus is the aging process. Aging causes hearing loss and hearing loss can sometimes lead to tinnitus. Tinnitus is also a common symptom of lead and mercury poisoning but can also be caused by a number of medications, including aspirin, some antibiotics, some diuretics, anti-depressants, quinine and other medications as well.
The final cause of tinnitus is those that cause the much more rare objective tinnitus. In these cases, a doctor can actually hear sound coming from the ears of the patient. This type of tinnitus can be caused by altered blood flow around the ear that causes the person to be able to hear their pulse or blood flowing. Occasionally, this type of tinnitus can be the symptom that leads to diagnosis of serious and dangerous conditions such as aneurysm and dissection of the carotid artery or vasculitis.
What Does Tinnitus Sound Like?
Tinnitus sounds different from everyone, even if two people have the same cause of their tinnitus. It can happen in just one ear or both and is most commonly described as a ringing noise. However, it can sound like a buzz, hum, whistle, click, crickets, music and many more different sounds. The sound can be constant or can be one that just pops up then goes away later. Certain tinnitus suffers find they can set it off by moving part of their body, typically their head, tongue, jaw or eyes. The intensity can vary from only noticeable in quiet surroundings to a howl that cannot be ignored.
Tinnitus, while considered by many a disease is actually a symptom with many causes. Tinnitus can vary but all Tinnitus suffers will hear some sort of sound when there is none there to hear. The experience of tinnitus varies from individual to individual with some people experiencing only mild noises that are easily ignored to others who can hardly cope both because of the sound and because of the volume. For all who experience tinnitus though, it can be a distraction even when mild.
Causes of Tinnitus
The single biggest cause of tinnitus is due to hearing damage. High sound pressure volumes cause a person’s ears to stop responding as well to sounds and the resulting damage also causes the nerves to produce sounds that are not there. High sound pressures can come from anything from a jet engine to loud music to gun shots and more. Any sound that comes in higher than 90 decibels can cause hearing damage. The higher the decibels, the faster and more dramatic the hearing loss is. Each individual is different in how they might experience tinnitus from hearing damage though. Some may have some short term humming while others may experience constant noise for weeks, months or for the rest of their lives from even one event.
The second most common cause of tinnitus is from a physical problem with the ear. For some experiencing symptoms for this reason the problem can be as simple as wax buildup in the ear. The process is not completely understood but the wax sitting against the eardrum can irritate the nerves nearby causing the perception of sound. Other people will report tinnitus as part of having an ear infection as well. Both middle and inner ear infections can irritate and even potentially damage the nerves responsible for hearing causing the hearing of sound when none is there. For a small percentage of tinnitus suffers there are a couple conditions where the eardrum is not completely sealed or there is some other tiny flaw in the ear that causes the tinnitus symptoms.
The final most common cause of tinnitus is as a side effect from medication. There are many medications where tinnitus symptoms are a known side effect of the medication. In fact, it is a very common side effect, with medications as common as aspirin, some antibiotics and commonly taken anti-malaria drugs all having tinnitus listed as a known side effect.
