Tinnitus: Causes and Treatments

What is Tinnitus?

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Tinnitus is one of the most common conditions, 1 of every 5 persons suffers from it, but despite of popular belief it is not a disease. So, what is really tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a condition that makes the patient hear a sound like ringing, buzzing, hissing or other sounds, when they aren’t really made by any exterior factors. The noise can have different levels of volume, and it is usually easier to notice in a silent environment when there are no other sounds. Most people are concerned that this condition could cause hearing loss. The people who have this condition have no hearing problems; in rare cases some of the people even develop a hypersensitive sense of hearing.

Tinnitus can be persistent or it can come and go, it can affect just one ear or both. Even though it doesn’t cause hearing loss and it is not a serious condition, it still is a matter of concern for some people, sometimes they find it hard to concentrate because of the high-pitched noise they hear, and it even interferes with their sleep. When the condition reaches a level when it affects the patients sleep and concentration the patient must definitely take action.

The causes of tinnitus are many, but the condition manifests when the inner cells of the ear are damaged. One of the most commonly experienced causes for tinnitus is the loud noise/sound exposure. Depending on the period of the loud noise exposure, the tinnitus can last from a few hours to many days, weeks, or until treated if a person has been exposed to loud noise for a long amount of time. Another common cause for tinnitus is the hearing loss due to age. Yes, even though tinnitus doesn’t cause hearing loss, hearing loss can cause tinnitus, especially amongst elders. The blockage of the earwax is also a common cause for tinnitus. The earwax is produce naturally by the ear for protection, but sometimes, it forms a blockage that can irritate the eardrum, or cause hearing loss, both of them leading to tinnitus. The good news in this case, is that if the tinnitus is caused by blockage, it can be easily taken away with a visit to the doctor.

The first step toward healing the tinnitus is a visit to the doctor. Because it can have many causes, it is important to pay a visit to the doctor, and not just visit the pharmacy. Only the doctor can determine the cause of the condition and offer proper medication for it. The doctor can also provide more information about the condition according to the patient’s questions.

Signs and symptoms of tinnitus

Tinnitus is not a serious condition but it can cause complication on some patients, mostly because in some cases it affects the sleep or the concentration. Even if it does not cause hearing loss, it is very important to treat it, and the first step towards treatment is knowledge.

The first thing everyone should know about tinnitus is how to recognize the signs of this condition. Knowing the signs may help determine earlier if the condition exists and get treatment.

One of the earlier signs of tinnitus, and the most easily to notice is a ringing sound the patient hears. Most of the time the ringing can be a high pitched sound, but it can also be a low pitched sound. It can sound as a buzz, a hiss, a ringing or a whooshing. The sound can be persistent or not, it may progress or begin suddenly and it can best be observed in quiet places, when no other sounds interfere.

Another sign of tinnitus is sleep deprivation and lack of concentration, all of this being caused by the noise the patient hears, regardless of the fact that the patient is or not fully aware of it at all times.

The symptoms of the tinnitus depend on the type of tinnitus the patient has. There are two types of tinnitus: subjective and objective. The subjective tinnitus is very common, 95% of the patients suffering from tinnitus have this type of condition. The symptoms of the subjective tinnitus are often associated with many other ear afflictions and disorders. The most common symptom is the hearing of a buzzing, hassle or ringing but there are other symptoms as well, which may vary from one patient to another, according to their condition and the patient’s reaction to it. Therefore, a patient with subjective tinnitus may also have some of the following symptoms: stress, inducted by the lack of sleep or lack of concentration and in some cases even anxiety.

The other type of tinnitus is the objective tinnitus, and this type is only affecting 5% of the persons who suffer from tinnitus. This type of tinnitus is rare and it is often related to a muscular disorder or a vascular disorder. The patient suffering from objective tinnitus can be cured; this type may be observed by the doctor, who can hear with the stethoscope the ringing or buzzing in the patient’s ears. In some cases a sign of objective tinnitus is observed when the ringing sound in the ears is synchronized with the patient’s heartbeat.

In both the cases of tinnitus, the signs and symptoms vary from one patient to another, which is why a person should visit the doctor at the first sign of ringing in their ears, in order to determine what condition they have.

Learn how to treat tinnitus in a few steps

Tinnitus is most of the time nothing serious and it is in fact a condition, not a disease. Tinnitus is, in many cases the condition of another underlying condition and it can be easily cured. There are a few simple steps which every patient has to follow in order to get better:

The first and most important step towards healing tinnitus is a visit to the doctor. By taking this step the patient is going to find out the cause of the tinnitus and the underlying condition and get the proper treatment for it.
Counseling. Regardless of the cause and treatment for tinnitus, a patient should get counseling from a specialist, to understand tinnitus, talk about it and learn how it affects them as well as how to cope with the condition.
Sound. Since tinnitus is most easily observed in silent environments, sound therapy has been proved to be a very efficient way to deal with it. The patient can use a sound generator to be able to sleep, or a distraction from the tinnitus.
Relaxation. The patients who suffer from stress because of tinnitus may find it helpful to do some meditation, exercise or even take yoga classes to relax and take their mind of the condition.
Earwax removal. There are many cases of tinnitus caused by excessive earwax, and fortunately this can be easily cured with a quick visit to the hospital. Once the earwax is removed the tinnitus will go away, if earwax is the only cause for it.
Medication. The tinnitus condition has no known medication cure, but depending on the cause of the condition, some medication can be taken to ease the symptoms. For example, if one of the symptoms is depression, the doctor will recommend antidepressants.
Avoid certain substances. If one of the causes for tinnitus is blood flow associated, the patient must avoid substances rich in caffeine and alcohol.
Supplements and vitamins. There are some supplements and vitamins that are known to ease the tinnitus symptoms such as magnesium, zinc and B vitamin. The doctor can recommend on or more of them, according to the patients needs.
Music. A pleasant and simple way to make the tinnitus less disturbing is music. It can calm and relax the patient, as well as help with sleep and meditation.
Avoid loud sound. Whenever possible, loud sound must be avoided, for it is one of the main causes for tinnitus.

Even though not all of the patients suffering from tinnitus can be cured, there are a lot of ways to deal with the condition. The treatment is different for every patient, which is why a visit to the doctor is a must in order to get proper care.

Learn to prevent tinnitus

Tinnitus is not a serious condition, and it can sometimes be cured, by dealing with the underlying health problem that caused it, but it is always easier to prevent than deal with, which is why is important to learn how to prevent tinnitus. There are a few methods and precautions that can be used to prevent the tinnitus.

Hearing protection. One of the most common causes for tinnitus is exposure to loud noise, which is why in order to prevent tinnitus one must wear protection when exposed to loud noises.
Check your medicine. Some medicines have been known to have tinnitus as a side effect, so a patient must ask their doctor to check the medicine their using. There have been cases when the patient’s tinnitus has been cured when their medication was changed, because the tinnitus was only a side effect of the previous medicine.
Stay healthy. Tinnitus is often a condition associated with blood vessel disorders, so a way to prevent tinnitus is to stay healthy with proper exercise, meditation and nutrition.
Lower the headphones volume. It is well-know that many people use headphones for music, phone conversation, and radio and so on. Long exposure to loud volume can damage the hearing, thus causing tinnitus. The proper way to use headphone without getting tinnitus and hearing problems is to set the volume as low as hearing what goes around you as well.
Avoid places with loud sound or loud music. Exposure to loud sounds and music can cause tinnitus. In most cases the tinnitus induced by loud sound exposure is temporary, but if the ears are exposed to loud sound for large periods of time, then the tinnitus may become permanent.
Ease up on caffeine and alcohol. If a person has a blood vessel condition that person is more likely to develop tinnitus when consuming large amounts of caffeine and alcoholic beverages.
Hearing aids. Most of the persons who have hearing problems may develop tinnitus, so that case it is important to use hearing aids for tinnitus prevention.
Watch your weight. Tinnitus is more likely to develop if the person is obese because obesity is often related to heart problems. Proper alimentation can help maintain a healthy weight, as well as exercise.

Tinnitus may not be a serious condition but it is, however unpleasant, and in certain cases it can be complicated, which is why it is better to prevent it. A healthy lifestyle and alimentation, exercise and proper care will definitely help you prevent tinnitus.

All you need to know about tinnitus

Tinnitus is a very spread condition. Despite to popular belief it is not a disease, but a condition often induced by other health problems. Most of the time the health problems that induce the tinnitus condition are ear related or blood vessel related. Even though in most of the cases the tinnitus is not a serious problem, it is important to stay informed and learn about it.

One of the most important things to know about tinnitus is that up to this day there is no cure or medicine for it. However, depending on the case, the tinnitus can go away. If the tinnitus is cause by an earwax blockage, once the blockage is removed, the tinnitus will fade. Also if the cause of the tinnitus is another health issue, when that issue is solved the tinnitus may disappear as well.

When the tinnitus cannot be healed, it is imperative to know that its symptoms can be diminished. Depending on the type and cause of the tinnitus, a set of measures may be taken to relieve the patient’s symptoms and help him cope with the condition. If one of the patient’s symptoms is depression, antidepressants may help with the condition, as well as meditation and exercise may help in case of stress.

Another important thing to know about tinnitus is that every case is different, so a visit to the doctor should be the first thing on the list. The doctor can set the diagnosis, find the cause of the tinnitus, and cure it in case it is possible, or provide methods of help in case the condition cannot be cured.

Preventing is easier than curing, so it is important to know that tinnitus can be easily prevented by following a few steps: avoid loud noise exposure or use hearing protection when exposed to loud noise, avoid long term use of the headphone with a loud volume, exercise, eat healthy, prevent obesity.

It is vital to know that tinnitus is not a serious condition and that it can’t affect your life, abilities or personal relationships. Many people have had complications with tinnitus because they worried too much about it, instead on learning how to cope with it, thus leading to depression, stress and lack of sleep. Tinnitus can be easily prevented, however if you do get it remember that even if it can be cured all you have to do is be calm about it and remember it is not a serious issue and it can be easy to deal with.