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Causes and Symptoms of Tinnitus

by | Aug 11, 2024 | Info | 0 comments

Tinnitus Overview

A person with tinnitus may hear ringing or other sounds in one or both ears. Tinnitus can be temporary or long-term and persistent. Older age and exposure to loud noise may increase the risk of tinnitus, but the exact cause is unclear.

An individual may also hear hissing, roaring, or whistling sounds, which may be high or low pitched.

Tinnitus affects around 10% of adults in the United States. It usually affects older adults, but it can occur at any age.

It is often linked with hearing loss.

There is currently no cure for tinnitus, but there are ways to manage it.

Symptoms of Tinnitus

In most cases, tinnitus is subjective. This means only the individual with tinnitus can hear the sound, and there is no way to measure it. In fewer than 1% of cases, other people can hear the noise.

People commonly describe the sound as:

  • Buzzing
  • Hissing
  • Ringing
  • Roaring 
  • Whistling

The sound may also:

  • Affect one or both ears
  • Be intermittent or continuous
  • Sound can be high or low pitched

The sound can change in volume. It is often most noticeable at night or during periods of quiet. There may be some hearing loss.

Some people hear a pulsing sound, like a heartbeat, called pulsatile tinnitus. This can happen if there is a cardiovascular problem.

Complications of Tinnitus

Tinnitus can affect a person’s overall health and well-being.

The American Tinnitus Association notes that tinnitus can lead to:

It can also be a sign of an underlying disease, such as Meniere’s disease or a cardiovascular problem. People who experience tinnitus with other symptoms should see a doctor to rule out an underlying condition.

Objective tinnitus, when other people can hear the noise,  may result from cardiovascular or musculoskeletal movements, such as an aneurysm or temporomandibular joint disease.

Causes of Tinnitus

Doctors do not know precisely why tinnitus occurs. Changes in many parts of the brain and nervous system can trigger it.

Possible causes include:

  • Cognitive and emotional factors
  • A reaction to the loss of sensory hair cells
  • Change in interactions between neural circuits in the ear and other parts of the brain 
  • Pressure in the inner ear


Risk Factors of Tinnitus

Factors that increase the risk of tinnitus include older age and noise exposure. The types of noise that could cause it include:

  • Loud music or working near powerful speakers
  • The sound of gunshots and explosions, including on movie sets
  • Workplace noise, for example in buildings or factories

People with tinnitus may also have hearing loss. Hyperacusis may also occur, which is hypersensitivity to noise. For example, a person with hyperacusis may find it uncomfortable to hear a door closing or a book dropping.

Other Factors

Various health factors can also lead to tinnitus, including:

Drugs

Over 200 drugs can cause tinnitus if a person starts using them or stops taking them. They include:

Tinnitus that sounds like a heartbeat could be due to a tumor or a cardiovascular problem.

Seeking Medical Treatment

A person should seek medical advice if:

  • Another person can hear it, which may be a sign of a more serious condition
  • They have new or sudden tinnitus or tinnitus with other symptoms
  • There may be earwax or a foreign object in the ear that a doctor can remove
  • Tinnitus affects the person’s sleep, ability to interact with others, and other aspects of daily life
  • The sound is like a heartbeat, which could indicate a cardiovascular problem
  • Tinnitus is causing anxiety or depression

Emergency Help

People should seek emergency medical help for tinnitus if it occurs after a head injury or if the person also has:


Treatment of Tinnitus

Depending on the cause of tinnitus, treatment may involve:

  • Prompt care for an ear infection
  • Discontinuing any medications that may be causing it
  • Removing earwax
  • Treating an underlying condition
  • Taking steps to manage or mask the sounds of tinnitus
  • Counseling to help with related issues, such as anxiety or depression
  • treatment for hearing loss, if present


If Tinnitus Does Not Go Away

If tinnitus does not go away, the following strategies may help:

Masking

Sound therapy uses external background noise to mask the perception of tinnitus.

This could involve:

  • Playing low level background music
  • Using a tabletop sound generator that plays relaxing sounds, such as waves or rain
  • Playing recordings of white noise
  • Using hearing aids to amplify environmental sounds 
  • Wearing sound generators that fit in the ear and generate background noise or music

These strategies aim to redirect the attention away from tinnitus. Most people prefer a sound volume just above that of the tinnitus.

Counseling

A person can attend counseling sessions alongside other options to help them understand and live with tinnitus. Counseling can also address anxiety, depression, and other related issues.

An audiologist may also offer tinnitus retraining therapy, a specialized therapy that may help people live more comfortably with tinnitus.

Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids

Addressing underlying hearing loss may help reduce the symptoms of tinnitus. A range of interventions can address hearing loss, from amplification devices to surgical implants.

Hearing aids often feature programs to help mask tinnitus.

Lifestyle Tips

Here are some more strategies that may help:

  • Avoiding stress or loud background noises when possible, as these can worsen symptoms
  • Developing a sleep routine, for example, taking a bath and avoiding caffeine before bed
  • Joining a support group for people with tinnitus
  • Avoiding total silence, which can make symptoms worse
  • Practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing
  • seeking distraction, such as from a hobby, to direct attention away from tinnitus


Diagnosis of Tinnitus

If a person seeks medical advice for tinnitus, the doctor may:

  • Ask about symptoms
  • Do a test to check for hearing loss
  • Assess for conditions that may be causing tinnitus
  • Refer the person to a specialist doctor for more investigations

The doctor may ask the following questions:

  • Are the noises constant, intermittent, or pulsating?
  • Is there any hearing loss or dizziness?
  • Has there been any exposure to loud noise?
  • Is there any pain or jaw clicking?
  • Have you had a recent illness or injury?
  • When and how did tinnitus first start?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some questions people often ask about tinnitus.

Can tinnitus go away?

Tinnitus can go away if it results from a temporary cause, such as earwax, drug use, or an underlying condition. If it results from permanent damage to the ear or another structure, it will not disappear.

How can you get rid of tinnitus?

Treating an underlying problem or stopping certain medications can resolve tinnitus. If tinnitus does not go away, however, masking and other strategies can help manage it. Finding ways to manage anxiety and stress may also help.

What are the first signs of tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a sound such as ringing, buzzing, roaring, or whistling that only the hearer can hear.

Summary

Tinnitus is a sound that a person hears that nobody else can hear. People describe it as ringing, hissing, buzzing, or roaring. It is common and often affects older adults, though it can happen at any age.

In most cases, tinnitus will not go away completely, but if it is due to earwax or medication,it may resolve after treatment.

People can manage tinnitus through strategies such as masking, which means playing other sounds, to distract the attention from tinnitus.

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