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What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is sound in the head with no external source. For many, it’s a ringing sound, while for others, it’s whistling, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming, roaring, or even shrieking. The sound may seem to come from one ear or both, from inside the head, or from a distance. It may be constant or intermittent, steady or pulsating. For more advice and information on what is tinnitus, read our informative blog article on the subject.
What Causes Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is usually caused by an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a problem with your circulatory system. Tinnitus affects around 15% to 20% of people. It is especially common in older adults.
When you hear a ringing or other noises in one or both of your ears, you may be experiencing tinnitus. The ringing you hear when you have tinnitus isn’t caused by an external sound. Most people who have tinnitus have subjective tinnitus, or tinnitus that only you can hear. The noises of tinnitus may vary in pitch form a low roar to a high squeal. For many people, tinnitus improves with treatment of the underlying cause or with other treatments that reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable.
In some cases, the sound can be so loud it interferes with your ability to concentrate or hear external sounds. Tinnitus may be present all the time, or it may come and go. Rare cases of tinnitus can occur as a rhythmic pulsing or whooshing sound, often in time with your heartbeat. This is called pulsatile tinnitus. If you have pulsatile tinnitus, it is important to get this assessed by an audiologist or GP who will look for a glomus tumour which is vascular and grows behind the eardrum. The flow of the blood through the tumour means you can hear it as it is so close to the eardrum. This is very rare but definitely worth investigating if you have pulsatile tinnitus.
Common causes of disturbance to our hearing system include:
Hearing loss
There are tiny, delicate hair cells in the inner ear (cochlea) that move when your ear receives sound waves. This triggers electrical signals which your brain interprets as sound. With hearing loss through age, medication or noise exposure, the hairs inside the inner ear tend to bend or break. This causes random electrical impulses that are sent to your brain, causing tinnitus.
Ear infection or ear canal blockage
Ear canals can become blocked from a build-up of fluid (ear infection), earwax, dirt or other foreign materials. A blockage can change the pressure in your ear, and can cause tinnitus.
Head or neck injuries
Trauma to the head or neck can affect the inner ear, hearing nerves or brain function linked to hearing. These injuries can cause tinnitus in one ear. Some people experience tinnitus when they simply have a strained neck and physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment can help reduce this.
Medication
A wide range of medication may cause or worsen tinnitus. Generally, the higher the dose, the worse tinnitus becomes. Often the unwanted noise disappears when you stop taking the medication.
Medication known to cause tinnitus include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and certain antibiotics, cancer drugs, water pills (diuretics), antimalarial drugs and antidepressants.
How does Tinnitus impact a person’s quality of life?
The effects of tinnitus can be varied and may include sleep disturbance, irritability, frustration, poor concentration, depression and/or anxiety, withdrawal from social activities, fatigue, strain on relationships and the perception that tinnitus is interfering with our ability to hear. Tinnitus can sometimes become louder when we are stressed, tired, consume too much caffeine, nicotine or alcohol, and take certain medications.
When should I see my Audiologist, for tinnitus?
If you develop tinnitus after an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold, and your tinnitus does not improve within a week, book an appointment with an Audiologist. If your tinnitus is causing hearing loss or dizziness and you are experiencing anxiety or depression, you should see your Audiologist as soon as possible.
What Can I Do About My Tinnitus?
It is important to consult your Doctor or Audiologist when you first notice tinnitus to determine if it has an underlying medical cause. Once the cause of tinnitus is narrowed down, management can be implemented if needed.
Some common management strategies for tinnitus include:
- Reducing noise exposure: This is particularly important if you work in a noisy industry. Make sure you are always using hearing protection and try to reduce exposure times.
- Reducing tinnitus triggers: This can be as simple as ensuring you’re getting a good night’s sleep, or reducing alcohol, caffeine and nicotine consumption.
- Hearing Aids: If hearing loss is the cause of your tinnitus, a hearing aid can help restore the imbalance that this has created in your hearing system. A lot of hearing aids also have inbuilt tinnitus sound generators and allow you to have a dedicated tinnitus masking program. Read our blog post on the benefits of hearing aids for tinnitus sufferers.
- Tinnitus Apps: There are a number of apps available that can help mask tinnitus and aid in relaxation. Some apps to consider are: Relax Melodies, Beltone Tinnitus Calmer, Oticon Tinnitus Sound, GN ReSound Tinnitus Relief and Tinnitus Notched Tunes.
- Sound Generators: Sound generators can provide relief from tinnitus both throughout the day and when trying to sleep at night. They come in a variety of different forms, with both table top and under pillow options available.
Wrapping Up
Some people are not bothered by tinnitus, however for other people tinnitus disrupts their daily lives. If this sounds like you and your tinnitus is interfering with your daily life, best thing to do is book an appointment with your Audiologist. There are masking devices, hearing devices and counselling services available which can help understand the triggers or ways to assist.
Are you in Adelaide and experiencing tinnitus? Get in touch with our Tinnitus Treatment Clinic in Adelaide to schedule an appointment with one of our Audiologists.
