Tinnitus is a common problem where a person experiences ringing, roaring, clicking or buzzing in the ears
Dr. Pratik Nayak, Consultant – ENT Surgery, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore discusses Tinnitus
Tinnitus refers to the feeling of a ringing sound in your ears from time to time. Almost each one of us has experienced the ringing of bells at one point or another. However, if you are constantly hearing hoarseness or hoarseness in your voice, you should seek immediate medical attention.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a common problem where a person experiences ringing, roaring, clicking or buzzing in the ears. This sound can be soft, loud, low pitched or high pitched and is often not audible to others. Although in the beginning, this condition may not affect you much, if left untreated it can get worse and affect your quality of life.
What are the factors that can cause tinnitus?
It is important to understand that tinnitus is not a disease but a symptom that indicates hearing disorders. Any abnormalities in the auditory system such as the ear, auditory nerves, and the parts of the brain that process sound waves can cause tinnitus. Other conditions that can also lead to tinnitus include –
age: People above the age of 65 are affected by tinnitus.
Excess accumulation of earwax: Excess earwax can sometimes block the ear canal and cause temporary tinnitus and hearing problems.
Foreign objects stuck in the ear: While cleaning the ear, foreign objects like pens, caps and pencil tips can get into the ear. These things can further damage the eardrum, which can lead to tinnitus.
Hearing less than loud: Continuous or sudden exposure to loud noise can damage the sensory hair cells of the inner ear, which are responsible for conducting sound waves to the brain. This damage can eventually lead to tinnitus. Generally, people who work in noisy environments such as factories, construction sites or musicians may experience tinnitus if they are working without proper protective gear.
Meniere’s disease: It is a chronic ear disease that causes hearing loss and balance problems along with tinnitus.
runny nose and congestion These conditions have been known to cause tinnitus and ear pain.
temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders: Any type of inflammation in the joints or muscles around the joints can lead to the development of persistent tinnitus.
vascular disease: Defects in the blood vessels that supply blood to the head and neck can cause rhythmic pulsating sounds in the ears.
Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma): This is a non-cancerous tumor that affects the nerves connected to the inner ear of the brain and causes tinnitus and balance problems.
Medicines: Medicines have many side effects and some can also cause tinnitus as a side effect.
Can tinnitus cause hearing loss and what preventive measures can you take to avoid tinnitus?
Tinnitus is usually an underlying condition and is accompanied by age-related hearing loss, an ear injury or a problem with the circulatory system. Therefore, in order to avoid this situation, you should protect your ears from external irritants and the auditory system. Additionally, you should avoid exposure to loud noises and wear earplugs if you are working with machinery.
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