What is Tinnitus - Facts, Symptoms, Causes

What is tinnitus?

Have you been hearing a constant ringing in your ear lately? What about knocks and clicking that seems to come from nowhere? Do you constantly suffer from these noises, or are they intermittent?

Now, before you go assuming you have a brain tumor, you should know that you are probably suffering from tinnitus. It is a condition in the ear, but it is not a form of hearing loss. Although studies show that about 90% of people who suffer from hearing loss also have tinnitus, this is not directly caused by hearing loss.

Signs and Symptoms

What is tinnitus characterized by?

The symptoms of tinnitus include clicking, buzzing, ringing, chirping, booming, pulsing and swishing in the ear. Most of the time, the person hearing these noises is the only one who can hear them, but in other, rarer forms of the condition, a doctor can also hear the noises during an examination.

The problem, though, is that knowing the symptoms doesn’t help us to know exactly what is tinnitus or what the causes of it are.

About Tinnitus

While many people think that tinnitus is a form of hearing loss, there are many other things that can cause this condition, so if you think you have it, it’s important to rule out causes that might affect other aspects of your health, such as high blood pressure and clogged arteries. The good news is that for most people, tinnitus is nothing serious, but it can be frustrating and cause sleep problems.

Many people with tinnitus will learn to live with the symptoms and get used to the noises, but for others, tinnitus can become painful and distracting. In severe cases, people suffering from this condition have trouble concentrating, hearing and carrying on their daily lives.

Some affected persons suffer from constant ringing and they cannot hear when other sounds are at the same frequency as the buzzing. This can become frustrating to many.

Causes

What is tinnitus caused by?

Tinnitus is often caused by factors such as continuous loud noises. Over time, these noises can cause damage to the ear drum, which will cause symptoms to occur. People who frequently listen to loud music through headphones are at risk for this condition, too.

Other people who are at risk for tinnitus include musicians who don’t use ear plugs when performing. The constant loud music causes damage over time, damage that cannot be repaired.

What is tinnitus caused by? Another possible answer is ear wax buildup in the ear. By using cotton swabs in an effort to clean the ear, wax can often compress itself against the ear drum.

Foreign objects are also another common cause of tinnitus. In those cases, remove the object and tinnitus symptoms stop. In some cases, the tinnitus is caused by temporary damage to the ears (think gun shots, explosions or concerts) and it will get better over time.

What is Tinnitus - Conclusion

For many people, the best way to battle tinnitus is to prevent it, which includes using ear plugs or sound dampening ear phones when doing things such as mowing and shooting.

Do not listen to loud music from headphones, as this is a frequent cause of the condition. If you attend concerts and musical events, consider wearing ear plugs, which will also dampen the sound and reduce damage to your ears.

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