Tinnitus is a sensation of ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling, or other sounds. It can be continuous or appear from time to time. The noises are felt best in silence.
On rare occasions, the ringing in your ears is synchronized with your heartbeat and becomes pulsating. This condition can be caused by a wound pathology of the ENT organs or the brain. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus or ringing in the ears is a very common condition that affects about one in five adults. Usually, it is only uncomfortable, but sometimes it can interfere with the ability to concentrate and sleep. As a result, you may experience constant stress, which negatively affects your personal relationships and work.
This condition is often accompanied with hearing loss, although tinnitus itself does not cause deafness. Many people with ringing in their ears can hear well. Sometimes they develop an increased sensitivity to sound, so they have to take measures to limit external noise.
Types of tinnitus
The different types of ringing in your ears includes:
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Subjective: you hear a noise that does not come from the external environment, it is associated with irritation of the auditory nerve;
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pulsating: you hear a buzzing, ringing, clicking, or other loud sounds that coincide with your heartbeat;
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objective: a rather rare phenomenon associated with increased sensitivity to external sounds or vibration of various parts of the body.
Depending on the cause of the tinnitus, it can be divided into the following types:
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associated with damage to the vascular system;
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caused by damage to the outer or middle ear;
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muscular;
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neurosensory, which is associated with the pathology of auditory cells and neural pathways.
Tinnitus causes
The causes of ringing in your ears are usually associated with a hearing or a nervous system disorder.
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The most common cause of tinnitus is hearing loss. Due to age-related changes, injuries, or some drugs, the auditory cells are damaged. They do not send electrical signals to the brain, so it generates its own impulses for compensation.
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Diseases of the outer and middle ear: sulfur plug, otitis media, narrowing of the ear canal, swelling of the tympanic cavity.
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Exposure to loud noise. Everyone should be aware of the damaging effects of loud music and the noise of operating mechanisms. You should always protect your ears from loud noise. Another cause of this pathology is barotrauma.
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More than 200 drugs can cause this symptom, most often aspirin, aminoglycoside antibiotics, and quinine derivatives.
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Meniere's disease is accompanied by transient dizziness, ringing, and temporary hearing loss.
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Acoustic neuroma is a tumor that affects the neural pathway leading from the cochlea to the brain centers and causes tinnitus and hearing loss on one side.
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A pulsating noise is usually associated with a pathology of the circulatory system. It is observed during pregnancy, anemia, thyrotoxicosis, arthritis, as well as with increased intracranial pressure.
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The causes of objective tinnitus can be diseases of the temporomandibular joint, pathology of the muscles of the soft palate, middle ear, nasopharynx.
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Diseases that can cause noise in the ear: hepatitis, diabetes, atherosclerosis, instability of the cervical spine, some hereditary syndromes.
The causes and treatment of tinnitus are complex, and only a highly qualified otolaryngologist can understand the problem comprehensively.
Tinnitus treatment
If you experience rining in your ears, you should be examined by an otorhinolaryngologist and a neurologist. Treatment for tinnitus depends on the cause. Your doctor may recommend methods including:
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sedatives, tranquilizers and antipsychotics;
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medications that improve the blood supply to the organ of hearing;
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betahistine, B vitamins;
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physiotherapy;
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hearing aids;
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stimulation of the auditory nerve;
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installation of a cochlear implant that replaces the function of damaged hearing cells, even with a slight concomitant hearing loss;
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neurosurgical intervention, for removal of a tumor of the auditory nerve or its microvascular decompression;
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surgical methods of improving hearing;
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changes in lifestyle, change of profession to limit external sound effects;
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using sound generators of white noise to distract from the sensation of ringing in the ears.
Any patient with tinnitus requires an individual approach. It is necessary not only to establish the cause of the pathology, but also to identify concomitant diseases, assess the emotional background, and determine unfavorable domestic and professional factors.
Often, the patient needs additional consultation with a cardiologist, hematologist, allergist or endocrinologist. Only a comprehensive examination and treatment helps to eliminate or reduce the patient's discomfort. If you experience ringing in your ear, it is recommended to consult a qualified doctor. Early treatment is much more effective.
