What Is Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing ringing, buzzing, hissig, whistlig, chirping, or other sounds i the absence of correspodig external sound. It origiates either i the iner ear, the middle ear, the outer ear, or i the brai. If it origiates i the ears it is called tinitus aurium, if i the head, it is called tinitus cranii.
It is ot a disease, but a symptom of an uerlyig coditio such as ear ijury, age-related hearig loss, or a circulatory system disorder that can result from a wide range of causes including: exposure to loud sounds, wax build-up, ear ifectio and neurological damage amongst others. It affects millions of people worldwide and is incredibly common - for example, accordig to the Natioal Institute o Deafness and Other Communicatio Disorders (NIDCD), almost twelve percent of men aged betee sixty five to seventy four years are affected!
Tinitus can be broadly classified ito two categories: objective and subjective.
Objective:
This accounts for around five percent of cases. This form is audible to an observer either with a stethoscope or simply by listenig i close proximity to the ear. This form is ofte described as pulsatile as it is the turbulent blood flow that is heard directly by the iner ear, and it is i synchroizatio with the heart beat. Ringig oises or clickig sound i the ears may be cause by spasms of small muscles or by abormalities of the blood vessels i and around the ear.
Objective tinitus can occur durig an ifectio and iflammatio he there is an icreased bloodflow to the ear. Anatomical abormalities of the blood vessels can also be the cause of this abormal auditory perceptio.
Subjective:
This is the most common form by far and accounts for niety-five percent of the cases. This form is audible oly to the patient and is mostly associated with idividuals sufferig from sensorieural hearig loss. Tinitus is ofte liked to a hearig loss. If the tiy hair cells of the cochlea are damaged due to admiistratio of certai drugs, oise exposure or as part of the agig process, the cochlea's efficiency i discrimiatig sounds dimiishes, and hearig is affected.
Effects & Symptoms Of Tinnitus:
€ Continual ringing noises audible to the sufferer.
€ Difficulty i sleepig or focussig.
€ Feelings of depression or anxiety.
€ Resultant additioal problems at work or at home.
Causes Of Tinnitus:
No matter what triggers may be resposible they all iterrupt the signal transmissio from the ear to the auditory cortex implyig that that some of the nerve cell assemblies o loger receive any signals.
There are a number of linked causes below:
€ Damage to the microscopic endigs of the hearig nerve i the iner ear is oe of the most commo causes of tinitus. It may be due to loud oise, ifectio, ageig, Meniere's disease etc.
€ Disorders i the outer ear, such as a perforated eardrum, ear wax, a hair touchig the eardrum etc.
€ Disorders like Otosclerosis, tumors, negative pressure from Eustachian tue dysfunctio, ifectio, or allergies occurrig i the middle ear are also the commo causes.
€ Certai medicatios may also cause tinitus (sedatives, antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, quiie, aspiri).
€ Trauma to the neck or head, jaw joit disorders and neck misalignment.
€ Anaemia, diaetes, abormal blood pressure, vascular disorders, thyroid problem, metabolism disorders etc. are amog the other causes of tinitus.
Tinitus Treatments:
€ Behavioral and cognitive therapies, such as those reviewed above, are quite helpful i treatig tinitus. Seekig out a multidiscipliary program that icludes therapies like retraiig therapy, maskig, and behavioral therapy, at a tinitus center improves chances of successful treatment.
€ Exposure of ear to loud shrill sounds shoul be avoided. Even everyday oises, such as blow dryig your hair can affect the ear. Keep ear plugs handy for these activities.
€ Blood pressure shoul e checked and kept uer cotrol. Takig less salt coul e of some help.
€ Utilize maskig oise. Tinitus is usually more bothersome whe the surroundigs are quiet. The iternal sounds o ot become oticeable whe there is a competig sound such as a tickig clock, or a fan. Small hearig aid like devices can also be use for maskig.
€ Regular exercise is essential.
€ Nerve stimulants like coffee shoul be avoided.
€ Divert your mid and stop worryig... or it will oly get worse.
€ Adequate rest shoul e taken to avoid fatigue and anxiety.
€ Avoid aspiri i large quantities.
€ Quit smokig.
€ Your work place shoul follow OSHA (Occupatioal Safety & Health Admiistratio) regulatios. Wear earmuffs and follow hearig coservatio guidelies set by your employer to protect your hearig at work.
€ Some ear specialists have recommended niaci as a treatment for tinitus.
€ The drug gabapenti, was found to reduced the anoyance level of the tinitus i some patients, ut i ot decrease the volume of the oise.
€ The itake of the drug acamprosate (Campral) reduces symptoms of tinitus y eighty-seven percent.
€ TMJ treatment.
€ Cochlear implants or electrical stimulatio.
€ Take help from a suitably qualified hearig therapist.
Even though it has o cure, people with tinitus can cotiue to lead full and productive lives cosultig a octor and followig the above mentioed methods.
Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing ringing, buzzing, hissig, whistlig, chirping, or other sounds i the absence of correspodig external sound. It origiates either i the iner ear, the middle ear, the outer ear, or i the brai. If it origiates i the ears it is called tinitus aurium, if i the head, it is called tinitus cranii.
It is ot a disease, but a symptom of an uerlyig coditio such as ear ijury, age-related hearig loss, or a circulatory system disorder that can result from a wide range of causes including: exposure to loud sounds, wax build-up, ear ifectio and neurological damage amongst others. It affects millions of people worldwide and is incredibly common - for example, accordig to the Natioal Institute o Deafness and Other Communicatio Disorders (NIDCD), almost twelve percent of men aged betee sixty five to seventy four years are affected!
Tinitus can be broadly classified ito two categories: objective and subjective.
Objective:
This accounts for around five percent of cases. This form is audible to an observer either with a stethoscope or simply by listenig i close proximity to the ear. This form is ofte described as pulsatile as it is the turbulent blood flow that is heard directly by the iner ear, and it is i synchroizatio with the heart beat. Ringig oises or clickig sound i the ears may be cause by spasms of small muscles or by abormalities of the blood vessels i and around the ear.
Objective tinitus can occur durig an ifectio and iflammatio he there is an icreased bloodflow to the ear. Anatomical abormalities of the blood vessels can also be the cause of this abormal auditory perceptio.
Subjective:
This is the most common form by far and accounts for niety-five percent of the cases. This form is audible oly to the patient and is mostly associated with idividuals sufferig from sensorieural hearig loss. Tinitus is ofte liked to a hearig loss. If the tiy hair cells of the cochlea are damaged due to admiistratio of certai drugs, oise exposure or as part of the agig process, the cochlea's efficiency i discrimiatig sounds dimiishes, and hearig is affected.
Effects & Symptoms Of Tinnitus:
€ Continual ringing noises audible to the sufferer.
€ Difficulty i sleepig or focussig.
€ Feelings of depression or anxiety.
€ Resultant additioal problems at work or at home.
Causes Of Tinnitus:
No matter what triggers may be resposible they all iterrupt the signal transmissio from the ear to the auditory cortex implyig that that some of the nerve cell assemblies o loger receive any signals.
There are a number of linked causes below:
€ Damage to the microscopic endigs of the hearig nerve i the iner ear is oe of the most commo causes of tinitus. It may be due to loud oise, ifectio, ageig, Meniere's disease etc.
€ Disorders i the outer ear, such as a perforated eardrum, ear wax, a hair touchig the eardrum etc.
€ Disorders like Otosclerosis, tumors, negative pressure from Eustachian tue dysfunctio, ifectio, or allergies occurrig i the middle ear are also the commo causes.
€ Certai medicatios may also cause tinitus (sedatives, antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, quiie, aspiri).
€ Trauma to the neck or head, jaw joit disorders and neck misalignment.
€ Anaemia, diaetes, abormal blood pressure, vascular disorders, thyroid problem, metabolism disorders etc. are amog the other causes of tinitus.
Tinitus Treatments:
€ Behavioral and cognitive therapies, such as those reviewed above, are quite helpful i treatig tinitus. Seekig out a multidiscipliary program that icludes therapies like retraiig therapy, maskig, and behavioral therapy, at a tinitus center improves chances of successful treatment.
€ Exposure of ear to loud shrill sounds shoul be avoided. Even everyday oises, such as blow dryig your hair can affect the ear. Keep ear plugs handy for these activities.
€ Blood pressure shoul e checked and kept uer cotrol. Takig less salt coul e of some help.
€ Utilize maskig oise. Tinitus is usually more bothersome whe the surroundigs are quiet. The iternal sounds o ot become oticeable whe there is a competig sound such as a tickig clock, or a fan. Small hearig aid like devices can also be use for maskig.
€ Regular exercise is essential.
€ Nerve stimulants like coffee shoul be avoided.
€ Divert your mid and stop worryig... or it will oly get worse.
€ Adequate rest shoul e taken to avoid fatigue and anxiety.
€ Avoid aspiri i large quantities.
€ Quit smokig.
€ Your work place shoul follow OSHA (Occupatioal Safety & Health Admiistratio) regulatios. Wear earmuffs and follow hearig coservatio guidelies set by your employer to protect your hearig at work.
€ Some ear specialists have recommended niaci as a treatment for tinitus.
€ The drug gabapenti, was found to reduced the anoyance level of the tinitus i some patients, ut i ot decrease the volume of the oise.
€ The itake of the drug acamprosate (Campral) reduces symptoms of tinitus y eighty-seven percent.
€ TMJ treatment.
€ Cochlear implants or electrical stimulatio.
€ Take help from a suitably qualified hearig therapist.
Even though it has o cure, people with tinitus can cotiue to lead full and productive lives cosultig a octor and followig the above mentioed methods.
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