What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the perception of sound that has no external source. People afflicted with tinnitus often describe it as sounding like ringing, hissing, roaring, buzzing, or whooshing, and it can be perceived in one or both ears. Some people experience tinnitus intermittently, while others may hear it constantly. Stress, fatigue, anxiety, and other triggers can exacerbate the sound.
Is there a cure for tinnitus?
With the advancements in health and technology, the expectation is that there should be a pill for everything. Whether it is anxiety, weight control, heart conditions, or a myriad of other health conditions, people expect that there is some prescription they can take to treat their pain or symptoms. Unfortunately, when it comes to tinnitus, there is no “magic pill.”
Currently, there is no medical cure for tinnitus. Researchers are still learning more about this common hearing problem and how it affects the auditory nerve and the entire auditory system. One reason why there is no cure is based on the fact that tinnitus is not a health condition itself but rather a symptom of an underlying health issue.
In some cases, treating the underlying health issue, such as ear wax blockage, can successfully resolve any tinnitus symptoms. But for most cases of tinnitus, there is no quick fix. Rather, you should work with an audiologist to develop a treatment plan to help you manage your tinnitus symptoms.
Is tinnitus an ear problem?
Tinnitus is generated in the brain, not the ears. This has been proven in research with functional MRIs from patients who experience persistent tinnitus. Tinnitus hyperactivity is generated in the brain near the limbic system or emotional center of our brain. This is why some patients may experience added anxiety or depression with persistent tinnitus. In other words, the hyperactivity spills over into the limbic system and overly excites that area of the brain. As a result, an emotional time in a person’s life can be a tinnitus trigger, such as losing a loved one or a stressful job.
If I have tinnitus but hear well, do I really need a hearing test?
The simple answer is yes, you need a hearing test to help diagnose the type of tinnitus you are experiencing and for us to recommend a treatment plan. Many people with tinnitus question why they need a hearing test when they believe their hearing is normal. A comprehensive hearing evaluation provides important information when someone reports tinnitus, or ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ear(s), such as:
Is there change or damage to the auditory system at any point along the pathway of sound from the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, or auditory nerve to the brain? Many people have damage to the thousands of hair cells in the inner ear caused by daily noise exposure before they ever perceive any hearing loss. A hearing test will help discover this damage, which is often the root cause of tinnitus. If a standard hearing test is not sensitive enough to detect the damage to the hair cells, an Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) will objectively show us changes to these delicate structures.
A baseline of your hearing is important because tinnitus is usually the first symptom of changes in the auditory system. Comparing to the baseline is important to track what is occurring over time, such as if the hearing levels are stable, fluctuating, or becoming worse based on several factors (i.e., noise exposure, genetics, aging).
Occasionally, tinnitus is the first symptom of a disorder to the auditory nerve, especially when the hearing to one side is affected and not the other. Any significant asymmetry or difference between the two ears must be fully investigated to correctly diagnose and treat the underlying problem.
Many treatment options for tinnitus require sound-specific information, such as the pitch and intensity of the tinnitus relative to the softest sound(s) a person can perceive. A complete hearing test and tinnitus evaluation will provide this information to the audiologist who is responsible for customizing sound therapy options for patients (when appropriate).
An appointment with an audiologist to test your hearing and analyze the tinnitus specifically will help discover the best way to manage and treat your unique symptoms.
What causes tinnitus?
While most often associated with age-related hearing loss or repeated exposure to loud noises, there are many different causes of tinnitus. Sometimes, how you hear tinnitus may be linked to a specific reason, such as those with pulsatile tinnitus. But for many living with tinnitus, you may have no idea what’s causing that ringing in your ears.
Various factors can contribute to tinnitus, including loud noises, medications, ear wax buildup, and certain disorders. By determining the cause of your tinnitus, an audiologist can recommend a more effective treatment.
Ear Wax Buildup
A buildup of cerumen (more commonly known as earwax) in the ear canal may diminish your ability to hear. This can cause the auditory system to overcompensate, creating stimulation in the form of noises that do not exist, i.e. tinnitus.
Exposure to Loud Noise
Loud sounds can damage or even destroy hair cells (known as cilia) in the inner ear. This can result in permanent hearing loss and tinnitus, and both conditions may worsen if exposure to loud noises continues. Once damaged, hair cells cannot be renewed or replaced.
Hearing Loss
Many people with tinnitus also experience some degree of hearing loss. In fact, age-related hearing loss is the most common cause of tinnitus. As such, there are a variety of tinnitus treatment options built in to hearing aids.
Stress
Physical or emotional stress can act as a catalyst for the onset of tinnitus. Stress can also exacerbate existing tinnitus. Our audiologists can offer tips on how to manage tinnitus anxiety.
Certain Disorders
Medical conditions can cause tinnitus, including hypothyroidism, TMJ, hyperthyroidism, Ménière’s disease, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, and thoracic outlet syndrome.
Ototoxicity
Some medications are ototoxic, which means they are harmful and damaging to the ear. Learn more about what drugs cause ototoxicity.
Tinnitus is most often linked to changes in the auditory system that start with hearing damage to the inner ear hair cells. Because of this, both hearing testing and otoacoustic emissions or OAEs are important to help explain why tinnitus exists. In other words, just because you have been told you’re hearing is normal does not mean that there are not changes apparent to the hair cells in the inner ear that will be detected with an OAE before they appear on an audiogram.
Other causes of tinnitus include allergies, acoustic neuromas, issues with the heart and blood vessels, jaw misalignment, ear infections, and head or neck trauma. To determine the cause of your tinnitus, schedule a consultation with an audiologist.
What makes tinnitus worse?
While everyone experiences tinnitus in a unique way, several common factors can make your tinnitus symptoms even more noticeable.
Some factors that can make your tinnitus worse include:
Stress
Loud noises
Ear wax buildup
Seasonal allergies
High blood pressure
Ototoxic medications
Do any over-the-counter tinnitus treatments work?
No. Over-the-counter substances and herbal remedies do not work in the treatment of tinnitus. No reliable scientific evidence proves that such substances have any impact on tinnitus. This includes Lipoflavinoid, which has not been approved by the FDA to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent tinnitus. Many of these products are essentially multivitamins. Be wary of anecdotal success stories. Sometimes when people take over-the-counter treatments, this coincides with their natural relief from tinnitus, leading them to believe that the treatment has worked. A short-term placebo effect can also cause someone to believe an ineffectual treatment is effective.
