Definition: Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing a sound in one or both ears, when there is no external sound/noise from the environment. No one else can hear what you can hear.
Tinnitus may be confined to one ear, when it is indicative of a local cause, or be bilateral which is symptomatic of a general condition. Noise and or drugs may bring about pathological changes.
Tinnitus is usually associated with ear damage from exposure to:
- Loud noise
- Age-related hearing loss
- Middle ear infections
- A tumour
- Meniere’s Disease
- Injury to the vestibulocochlear nerve
- Various symptoms of tinnitus
Symptoms can vary in tone and in pitch from:
- A low roar
- High squeal
- A whine
- Roaring
- Hissing
- Music
- Crackers
- Ringing
- Whistling
- Tinkling
- Buzzing
- Humming
Some of the factors that cause or worsen tinnitus include the following:
Loud noises are always accused of destroying or damaging the cilia (hair cells that prevent dust from entering the inner ear) in the inner ear
- Wax against the eardrum
- A tumour on the hearing nerve
- Old Age (advancing age is accompanied by a certain amount of hearing nerve impairment and tinnitus)
- Oteosclerosis (stiffening of the middle ear bones)
- High or low blood pressure (blood circulation problems)
- Diabetes
- Thyroid problems
- Certain foods like soy, wheat, chocolate and red wine
- Injury to the head or neck
- Meniere’s disease (results from an increased pressure in the inner ear which also causes deafness and vertigo
