That annoying ringing you sometimes hear, the buzzing in your ear that just won't go away. Hearing sounds in your head when there are no external sounds present may be an indication that you have tinnitus. Tinnitus is the medical term for hearing sounds when no outside source is present. These sounds vary from person to person and may include hissing, roaring, whistling, pulsating, chirping or clicking. For some, these sounds may be intolerable and hard to live with. For others, they hardly notice them. The reasons for the sounds vary:
- Loud noises. This is one of the most common reasons for tinnitus. And over time, loud noises can also cause hearing loss.
- Medication. More than 200 medications can cause tinnitus. Often when the medication is stopped, the tinnitus goes away.
- Ear or sinus infections. This is often temporary and goes away after the infection is treated.
- Tumor in the brain or ears.
- Head and neck trauma.
- Idiopathic (meaning the cause is not known).
Tinnitus isn't necessarily linked with hearing loss. People with normal hearing can also suffer from it.The mechanism that causes tinnitus is unknown.
After a rock concert or even after cutting the grass, your ears may ring. That's tinnitus. It usually goes away. But for some people, that constant sound never goes away, especially if they have damage to the microscopic hair cells in the inner ear.Over time, that damage may accumulate and the effects may become worse with age.
About 12 million Americans may have the condition to the degree that they need help from a hearing health care professional, according to the American Tinnitus Association. Of these, one million have tinnitus so severely that it interferes with their quality of life.
Hearing loss can actually worsen tinnitus because without the ability to hear outside sounds, it becomes easier to hear inner noise being made by you. A ruptured eardrum, earwax and an ear infection, which block outside sound, can also worsen tinnitus.
Although tinnitus does not have a cure, there are methods for coping with the condition.
- Maskers. These are small electronic devices that look like hearing aids and give immediate relief. They make a sound to make the tinnitus less noticeable but do not cure or make it go away. Tinnitus can keep people awake at night, so maskers can help.
- Hearing aids. Because many people with tinnitus often have hearing loss, hearing aids make outside sounds louder, helping reduce the tinnitus.
- Medicine. While not a cure, some medicines can help reduce tinnitus.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT). TRT sound generators are worn in the ear and emit a quieter sound than maskers. Often someone using this device gets "directive counseling," which teaches the brain to stop noticing the noise. TRT is relatively new and the overall effectiveness of the treatment continues to be debated and studied.
- Relaxation. Learning to relax and avoiding or limiting stress will help you to better deal with the sounds.
- Counseling. If you become depressed, talking to a counselor or people in tinnitus support groups may also be helpful.
Your best bet to avoid tinnitus is prevention, however. Use earplugs at rock concerts, when cutting the grass or when near loud machines.
