What is Tinnitus?

What is Tinnitus Disease Exactly?

Well firstly, Tinnitus is not actually considered a disease, but it is more of a symptom of other problems. Tinnitus is a condition whereby the sufferer feels like they can hear noise originating from inside their ear or head. In the past there were many medical professionals who were skeptical about whether it was actually a real condition at all. Exactly how Tinnitus works is still not completely known but it does appear to be a condition involving either the physical components of the ear or an anomaly of the brain.

Do I have Tinnitus?

Most people think of a ringing noise when it comes to Tinnitus but it can also be other noises such as crackling, hissing, roaring or whooshing. So it is important that whatever type of noise you hear originating inside your head or ear, you see a doctor because these noises may very well be symptoms of Tinnitus. We may all be subject to internal noise to a degree, Tinnitus maybe the situation where this noise becomes the thing that we hear the most.

What Causes Tinnitus?

It usually occurs as a result of another condition or from intense/excessive noise itself. Meniere’s disease is a problem with the inner ear and it is one of the most common causes of Tinnitus. Vertigo, ear pressure and hearing loss are also symptoms of this condition. Other problems with the ear may bring about Tinnitus such as ear infections, damage to the nerve in the inner ear and hair cells. Hearing loss itself can be a cause of Tinnitus as it reduces the ability to hear external noise, placing more focus on the noises that occur internally.

Tinnitus affects millions of people and is a message to anyone who gets it to be very careful with exposure to loud and excessive noise which can debilitating to our sense of hearing. Yes, Tinnitus can be an early warning sign of hearing loss and worst case scenario, deafness.

Tinnitus – Things to avoid

Excessive and Loud Noise
It could be exposure to noise over a long period of time or shorter exposure to very loud noise. These things will put you at a much greater risk of developing Tinnitus or making the problem even worse. Those who are in occupations with such noise or exposing themselves to noise in various situations (clubs, concerts, renovations etc) can take measures such as earplugs or muffs to reduce or even eliminate the risk.

Stress- Focusing on Tinnitus brings it to the foreground and will make it worse. This is why the treatments associated with Tinnitus generally involve distracting sufferers from the noise. Stress and tiredness makes doing this even more difficult and focusing on reducing it is therefore strongly encouraged.

Medication- A range of medications can bring about or worsen Tinnitus (even aspirin) so sufferers should consult their general practitioner before medicating.

Caffeine, alcohol and Smoking- These things can worsen Tinnitus and reduce the body and ears ability to function and heal.

Tinnitus Treatment

Currently, Tinnitus does not have a cure and because it is often a symptom of other conditions, curing of these conditions will usually result in it subsiding. There are however ways of treating Tinnitus to obtain some relief and to cope with this consistent and nagging problem.

Hearing Aids
Some suffers have reported excellent results from properly fitted hearing aids that maximize the noise from the external environment which distracts from the sounds created by Tinnitus.

Therapeutic Noise Generator
Again like the hearing aid, Therapeutic Noise Generators are about distracting the ear from Tinnitus by the noise it generates at the ears exterior.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy may use both hearing aids and therapeutic Noise Generators to maximize external noise to override those noises created by Tinnitus. It also focuses on counseling to help individuals to cope with Tinnitus in a more positive and less stressful manner.