Tinnitus
Overview:
Tinnitus (from the
word ringing) is a common disorder characterised
by a sensation of ringing sounds in the
ears in spite of an absence of an external
sound & it is a symptom of an ear disease not a
disease in itself. Around 17% of the world's
population are affected by tinnitus.
The name tinnitus
is the Latin word for ringing and
although most commonly associated with a ringing
in the ears, some patients experience other
noises including buzzing, roaring, clicking,
hissing, whining, beeping.
Tinnitus may be
subjective or objective, objective being much
rarer than subjective tinnitus. Subjective
tinnitus is by far the most common form, this is
where only the patient can hear the sounds.
Objective tinnitus is where not only the patient
but others can also hear a sound within the
patient's ear(s) using equipment such as a
stethoscope. The most common form of objective
tinnitus is known as pulsatile objective
tinnitus. A pulsing sound resembling the pulse
or heartbeat can be heard within the ear. This
is generally harmless & is caused by altered
blood flow or increased blood turbulence to the
ear. [1] In some cases it can be the result of
life threatening conditions such as
carotid artery
aneurysm,
hydrocephalus
or a tumour.
What causes
tinnitus?
There are many
causes of tinnitus, too many to include. Some
include;
-
Exposure to
loud noises is a common cause of tinnitus.
-
Medications &
drugs (drug induced tinnitus).
-
Build up of
wax against the ear drum.
-
Allergy.
-
High blood
pressure.
-
Age related
hearing loss.
-
Diabetes.
-
Tumour.
-
Thyroid
abnormalities.
-
Ear infection.
-
Ménière's
disease.
-
Multiple
sclerosis.
-
Hyperlipidemia
(presence of excess lipids in the blood).
-
Carotid artery
aneurysm.
-
Hydrocephalus.
-
Vitamin B12
deficiency.
-
Vascular
problems.
This list is by no
means comprehensive, there are many other
possible causes of tinnitus.
How is it treated?
There are many
treatments for tinnitus & these may vary
depending on the cause & the type of tinnitus
you have. Some treatments include;
-
Medication to
treat high blood pressure.
-
Antibiotics to
treat middle ear infections.
-
Tinnitus
retraining therapy.
-
Drugs such as
Lorazepam or klonazepam, Amitriptyline or
nortriptyline.
-
Anticonvulsants such as mysoline.
-
Hearing
aids/maskers.
-
Clearing the
ear canal in the case of wax build up.
-
Surgery is
almost never recommended as a method to
treat tinnitus. One rare exception to this
is in the case of hydrocephalus.
More alternative
therapies may include;
-
Vitamin
therapies.
-
Laser
treatment.
-
Hypnotherapy.
-
Acupuncture.
Please note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a
doctor & should not be considered a replacement for a
doctor visit. The articles are provided for
informative purposes only.
Always seek
immediate medical advice for any problems.
While great
care has been made in the creation of these articles, we
cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages.
If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical
advice.
References:
[1]
Wikipedia
