What is the Ringing Ear (Tinnitus)?
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 10 years of experience
What is the meaning of Tinnitus?
Tinnitus ( Ringing Ear ) or ringing in the ears is the sensation of hearing ringing, hissing, buzzing, whistling, chirping, or other sounds in one or both ears. The noise can be continuous or intermittent and can vary in loudness. It is a common condition that may affect approximately 15% to 20% of people. Tinnitus is usually seen in older adults. Tinnitus usually occurs due to an underlying condition like age-related loss of hearing, an injury to the ears, or problems associated with the circulatory system.
In this article, we will be discussing tinnitus in detail-
- What are the causes of Tinnitus?
- What are the risk factors of Tinnitus?
- What are the symptoms of Tinnitus?
- How to diagnose Tinnitus?
- What is the treatment of Tinnitus?
- What are the complications of Tinnitus?
- How to prevent Tinnitus?
What are the causes of Tinnitus?
The different causes of tinnitus include:
- Loss of hearing
- Ear infection
- Blockage of the ear canal due to fluid buildup, dirt, earwax, or other foreign materials
- Head and neck injuries
- Medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cancer drugs, diuretics (water pills), antidepressants, antimalarial drugs, and some antibiotics
- Meniere’s disease (a disorder of the inner ear caused due to an abnormal inner ear fluid pressure)
- Otosclerosis (the bones in the middle ear become stiff due to an abnormal ear bone growth)
- Eustachian tube dysfunction (the tube in the ear that connects the middle ear to the upper throat stays expanded, making the ear feel full)
- Spasms (contractions) of the muscles in the inner ear
- Multiple sclerosis (a condition in which the immune system or disease-fighting system of the body eats away the protective covering of the nerves)
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (disorders of the joint on each side of the head in front of the ears)
- Head and neck tumors
- Acoustic neuroma (a non-cancerous tumor that develops on the cranial nerve, which runs from the brain to the inner ear)
- Blood vessel disorders like high blood pressure, malformed blood vessels, atherosclerosis (a condition in which fat and cholesterol builds up in the arterial wall)
- Chronic (long-term) conditions like diabetes, thyroid disorders, migraines, anemia (lack of red blood cells), lupus (when the immune system attacks the body causing pain and inflammation in the body), and rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disorder causing pain and inflammation in the joints).
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What are the risk factors of Tinnitus?
Certain factors may increase your risk of getting tinnitus. These factors include:
- Increase in age
- More common in men
- Smoking
- Excessive consumption of alcohol
- Exposure to loud noise
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Cardiovascular diseases (disorders affecting the heart)
- Head injury
- History of arthritis (joint pain)
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What are the symptoms of Tinnitus ( Ringing Ear )?
- Ringing in the ears without the presence of any external sound is known as tinnitus.
- Other types of noises (called phantom noises) that can be heard in the ears when having tinnitus include:
- Roaring
- Clicking
- Buzzing
- Humming
- Hissing
- The tinnitus noises can vary in pitch. It can range from a low roar sound to a high squeal. At times, the sound can be extremely loud and can interfere with the ability to hear any external sound or the ability to concentrate.
- Tinnitus can affect one or both ears.
- Tinnitus may either come and go or be present all the time.
- In a few cases, tinnitus can be present as a whooshing or rhythmic pulsing sound, which may occur in coordination with the heartbeat.
- The doctor may be able to hear pulsatile tinnitus on examination (known as objective tinnitus).
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How to diagnose Tinnitus?
The doctor can usually diagnose Tinnitus ( Ringing Ear ) by the patient’s symptoms themselves. The doctor will ask about the medical history of the patient, examine the head, neck, and ears of the patient, and may recommend further tests to check if any underlying medical condition is responsible for the tinnitus. The tests recommended include:
- Audiological exam: This test involves sitting in a soundproof room wearing earphones, which will transmit specific sounds into one ear at a time. The sound heard will be compared to the results that are considered normal for your age. This could help in diagnosing the cause of tinnitus.
- Movement: The doctor may ask you to make various movements like moving the eyes, arms, neck, legs, or clenching your jaw. If the tinnitus worsens or changes, it can help in the identification of an underlying medical condition that may require treatment.
- Lab tests: Routine blood tests may be done to check for the presence of disorders like thyroid disorders, anemia (deficiency of red blood cells), vitamin deficiency, or heart diseases.
- Imaging tests: Imaging tests like CT scans or MRI scans may be done to check for the cause of tinnitus.
The type of sound heard in tinnitus helps the doctor in identifying the underlying cause of the condition.
- Clicking: This kind of sound indicates muscle contractions in and around the ears that may be causing tinnitus.
- Low-pitched ringing: This type of sound may indicate Meniere’s disease, otosclerosis, or ear canal blockages.
- High-pitched ringing: This is the most common type of sound heard in tinnitus and could occur due to hearing loss, certain medications, loud noise exposure, and acoustic neuroma.
- Pulsing, humming, or rushing: These types of sounds usually occur due to vascular causes (related to the blood vessels), like high blood pressure.
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What is the treatment of Tinnitus ( Ringing Ear ) ?
- Treatment of the underlying cause: The treatment for tinnitus depends on the cause of the condition. The different types of treatments for the possible underlying causes could include:
- Removal of earwax: Earwax blockage removal can help in decreasing the symptoms of tinnitus.
- Hearing aids: In case of tinnitus caused due to age-related hearing loss or loud noise, hearing aids may help in improving the symptoms.
- Treatment of a blood vessel condition: Any underlying blood vessel condition should be treated using medications or surgery to treat the condition.
- Change of medications: If certain medications that you are taking may be causing tinnitus, the doctor may recommend stopping or replacing the medication.
- Suppression of noise: The following can be used to suppress the noise:
- White noise machines: These devices produce sounds that are similar to environmental sounds like waves of the ocean, or falling rain help in treating tinnitus.
- Masking devices: These devices are worn in the ear and produce a low-level, continuous white noise that helps in suppressing the symptoms of tinnitus.
- Counseling: Certain behavioral treatment options help in relieving the symptoms of tinnitus and may include:
- Tinnitus retraining therapy: This therapy involves masking and counseling from a trained professional.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: A psychologist can help you in learning coping techniques to lessen the symptoms of tinnitus.
- Medications: Although medications cannot cure tinnitus, they may help in relieving the symptoms associated with tinnitus and the treatment of an underlying condition that may cause tinnitus.
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What are the complications of Tinnitus ( Ringing Ear ) ?
The complications of tinnitus include:
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Sleep disturbances
- Trouble in concentration
- Memory disorders
- Headache
- Depression
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Problems with family life
- Problems at work
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How to prevent Tinnitus?
Tinnitus ( Ringing Ear ) can be prevented by the following means:
- Use hearing protection
- Avoid listening to music at a high volume
- Quit smoking
- Limit the intake of caffeine
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Eat a well-balanced diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise regularly
We hope that we could answer all your questions regarding tinnitus through this article.
If you need more information and treatment of tinnitus, you can contact an ENT surgeon.
We only aim to provide you with information through this article. We do not recommend any medication or treatment to anyone. Only a qualified doctor can give you the best advice and correct treatment plan.
