How Tinnitus Works

Have you ever experienced the sensation of hearing a ringing, if there was no external sound? This is called tinnitus, and there are many underlying causes. Tinnitus can happen in one or both ears, and it can take the form of whining, buzzing, humming, crickets, locusts, songs, beeping, sizzling, or a steady tone. You can hear the whining, buzzing, humming, crickets, locusts, songs, beeping, sizzling, or a steady tone type of noises of tinnitus in one or both ears. Tinnitus can be a continuous tone, or happen intermittently. If you want to learn more about tinnitus and its causes and treatments, keep reading. What causes ringing in the ears? There is a large range of the severity of tinnitus. Some people may only be inconvenienced by a small background noise, but for others, tinnitus can be so severe that it inhibits the activities of daily life. The intensity of the tone can be changed for some people based on how they move their head, neck or jaw. For people who have tinnitus, they have difficulty hearing sounds in the same range as the tone that they have constantly ringing. Most people have heard a ringing sound in their head at some point, so tinnitus usually just refers to those who have the most severe cases. Severe tinnitus can even lead to depression, musical hallucinations, irritability and fatigue. Objective and subjective are the two types of tinnitus. Objective tinnitus is very rare. In objective tinnitus, a doctor can also hear a sound emanating from the patient's ear. Sounds that are from muscles working in the inner ear or sounds that are in rhythm with a patient's heartbeat are two examples of this. More serious conditions may underlie objective tinnitus. The second type of tinnitus that was already mentioned was subjective. Out of the two types, subjective is more common. Subjective tinnitus usually arises from hearing loss same as the decease called Meniere's Disease. One other cause that may be adding to tinnitus is ototoxic drugs. Sometimes tinnitus is also a side effect of the over the counter drugs, like those for minor aches and pains. One more possible cause is tinnitus as a side effect of withdrawal from benzodiazepine. So how do people treat hearing loss and this ringing in the ears? You might want to limit your exposure to loud noises and music as best you can. It is also a good idea to stay away from headphones that go in the inner ear, with nothing else to absorb sound. Also, industrial workplaces like a warehouse can be especially noisy, so it is best to use earplugs if you can. Trying to prevent hearing loss now is best, because consistent exposure to loud sounds will make a difference down the line for you, even if you can't tell a significant difference right now. There are some treatments for tinnitus. One is surgery on the ear. Some people also try using cochlea implants, drugs, or electric stimulation. See a doctor if you think you have tinnitus.