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Tinnitus

 

What is Tinnitus?

 

Tinnitus is the perception of nose or ringing in the ears. Tinnitus isn’t a condition itself, It’s a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder. It is the conscious awareness of a sound in your ears or head not caused by external noise. You might hear it in either one or both ears, it sounds like roaring, clicking, hissing, or buzzing.

 

Types of tinnitus

 

There are two main types: subjective and objective tinnitus.

 

  • Subjective tinnitus: this can be heard only by the person. It is far the most common type of tinnitus. 
  • Objective tinnitus: this can be heard by somebody examining the person. It can be caused by a variety of physical effects such as spasm of the tiny muscles in the middle ear, abnormalities in the blood vessels or increased blood flow to the clear.

 

Symptoms

 

Tinnitus involves the sensation of hearing sound when no external sound is present.

 

  • Hearing loss
  • Dizzy
  • Include a noise in the ear, such as ringing. You may hear it in one or both ears

 

What cause tinnitus?

 

Tinnitus can be triggered by a variety of different causes, and it varies dramatically from person to person. In some causes of tinnitus, an individual’s quality of life is so adversely effected that tinnitus treatment. 
Tinnitus is often associated with:

 

  • Blockages of the ear due to buildup of wax
  • A middle ear infection
  • Disease of the ear
  • Side effect of medication
  • Age-related hearing loss
  • Inner ear damage caused by repeated exposure to loud noises
  • A head injury
  • Hormonal changes in women

 

How is tinnitus diagnosed?

 

Your doctor will examine your ears, head and neck to look for possible causes of tinnitus.

 

  • Hearing tests: An audiologist will transmit sounds through a set of headphones to one eat at a time. This can help rule out or identify possible causes of tinnitus.
  • Movement: you doctor may ask you to move your eyes, clench your jaw, or move your neck, arms and legs. If your tinnitus changes or worsens, it may help identify an underlying disorder that needs treatment. 
  • Imaging test: depending on the suspected cause of your tinnitus, you may need imaging tests such as CT or MRI scans.

 

Treatment for tinnitus

 

Here are some ways you can manage your tinnitus:

 

  • You doctor will clean out your ears if the cause of your tinnitus is excessive earwax
  • Depending on the cause of the impairment, medication, surgery or hearing aids may be needed
  • For some, treatment with low doses of antianxiety drugs, such as antidepressants which help reduce tinnitus 
  • Try to take steps to manage your tinnitus by reducing stress

 

*The above information is for reference only, please consult your doctor for detail.