What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus refers to the perception of sound in your ears or head when no external noise is present.
Individuals describe the experience in different ways; for some, tinnitus may be a soft background hum, while for others it is a persistent and distracting noise. People have experienced ringing, buzzing, whirring, roaring, or fluttering in the ear, all at differing pitches and volumes.
Although tinnitus is not curable, you can manage its effects through expert hearing care that tailors intervention to your unique needs.
What Causes Tinnitus?
In many cases, pinpointing the exact cause of tinnitus is challenging. However, known causes include:
Hearing Loss
Damage to the hair cells inside your inner ear can send erroneous signals to your brain, creating the perception of ringing or buzzing. If you have noise-induced hearing loss or hearing loss associated with Meniere’s disease, you may be more prone to experiencing tinnitus.
Medications
Some medications can trigger or worsen tinnitus. Drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), certain antibiotics, cancer treatments, diuretics, antimalarial drugs, and antidepressants have been linked to tinnitus symptoms.
Outer and/or Middle Ear Pathology
Conditions like wax buildup, ear infections, eustachian tube dysfunction, and otosclerosis can alter ear pressure and function, potentially leading to tinnitus.
Head or Neck Trauma
If you have experienced trauma such as a concussion or whiplash and parts of your auditory system were affected, that may result in tinnitus in one or both ears.
How to Effectively Manage Tinnitus Symptoms
You have options when it comes to managing tinnitus.
Tinnitus-Masking Hearing Aids
If we find that your tinnitus is accompanied by hearing loss, which is incredibly common, hearing aids can help replace the ringing noise with the sounds of the world you were missing out on, effectively boosting your hearing and masking your tinnitus in one fell swoop.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
TRT works by habituating your response to the sound, allowing you to regain focus on daily tasks without distraction.
