Tinnitus is a really prevalent medical condition. Something like 20 million people routinely cope with persistent tinnitus so intense that it becomes burdensome. And there are also more common presentations of tinnitus which are much more mild and sporadic and are also easier to cope with.
When you hear sounds in your ears that don’t have an external source and no one else can hear them, that’s tinnitus. It might manifest as a continual buzzing or ringing in the ears. Tinnitus is frequently associated with hearing loss, but that doesn’t mean that one condition will automatically lead to the other.
As a matter of fact, there are a significant variety of forms of tinnitus. And each one will call for a different treatment approach.
Tinnitus – exactly what is it?
Exactly what is tinnitus and how is it caused? The first thing to recognize is that tinnitus comes in numerous types and causes. The assorted causes of tinnitus will manifest with similar symptoms. But it’s still crucial to determine the cause in order to successfully manage the symptoms.
In some cases, concussions or other traumatic brain injuries or neurological problems can be the cause. In other instances, tinnitus may result from age-related hearing loss. The following are some other potential causes:
- Neurological tinnitus: Tinnitus is not always caused by ear issues. Sometimes, the root cause lies within the brain. If your baseline neurological functions are damaged by injury it can activate neurological tinnitus. In other words, something has broken down with the normal ways that your brain and ear communicate. The result is that you hear a phantom sound that might not be there. Neurological tinnitus can be due to concussion, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and more. As the brain heals, neurological tinnitus will, in some cases, clear up on its own. For others, it may be permanent.
- Subjective tinnitus: When only you can hear the sound of your tinnitus, which is very common, hearing specialists will talk about your condition as a subjective tinnitus. This form of tinnitus includes many other forms of tinnitus also. Neurological tinnitus, for instance, is frequently also subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus can present as lots of different sound types, including ringing, buzzing, squeals, whistles, roars, and others.
- Objective tinnitus: When the sound you’re hearing in your ears is a real, verifiable sound, it’s known as objective tinnitus. Objective tinnitus is not really as common as subjective tinnitus, but it still happens. Pulsatile tinnitus, which is when you hear your heartbeat or pulse, is an example of this form of tinnitus. Objective tinnitus causes those sounds to be abnormally loud.
- Somatic tinnitus: For many individuals, the sound they hear with tinnitus is fairly constant. That’s true for both subjective and objective tinnitus. With somatic tinnitus though, things are a bit different. This type of tinnitus becomes more extreme when you move around. Usually, somatic tinnitus will cause the symptoms to become more intense when you move your head or neck.
Frequently, individuals will have more than one form of tinnitus at the same time. For example, you may have neurological tinnitus and subjective tinnitus. Figuring out the cause of your symptoms can help your hearing specialist decide the best tinnitus treatment strategy for your symptoms.
Getting assistance with your tinnitus
You probably won’t have to take any particular action if your tinnitus symptoms are sporadic. But if your tinnitus hangs around or comes back frequently, it might have real and severe impacts on your day-to-day life. When that happens, your best plan to get some relief is to call us for a consultation.
After we determine the underlying cause of your symptoms, there are a few treatment methods we can use. A few of these techniques can minimize the severity of your symptoms making them less apparent. We may also utilize masking techniques to hide your symptoms.
Generally, there is no cure for tinnitus, although it can usually be successfully treated. We will work with you to formulate treatments that work for your symptoms. That way, you can more easily disregard the buzzing or ringing in your ears, and get back to the life you enjoy.
