Tinnitus – What are the Causes?

One of the most common problems that can affect hearing is tinnitus. Tinnitus is the experience of hearing ringing or high pitched noises, even no actual sound is present. It is thought that as many as 20% of Australians are suffering from Tinnitus in some form.

Tinnitus is a symptom and not an actual condition. There are several conditions that can bring on an episode of Tinnitus. The causes of Tinnitus can be based in the ear or in the brain

Tinnitus caused by Loud Noises and Trauma

Constant exposure to loud noises can increase the likelihood of developing tinnitus. Construction workers, farmers and anyone that works in loud conditions are at risk. Tinnitus can also occur after a loud noise that is a one off. For instance, the loud sound of a collision in an accident, or attending a rock concert and having seats near the speakers can cause ringing in the ears for some time afterwards. This kind of tinnitus will often decrease in time.

Tinnitus caused by Problems in the Ear

There are several conditions in the ear of which Tinnitus is a symptom. The middle ear is made up of three small bones, the vibrations that make up a sound wave stimulate these bones as an important part of the hearing process. Over time these bones can start to wear and become damaged. The symptoms of this degeneration can include hearing loss as well as tinnitus.

A problem known as otosclerosis occurs when the stirrup bone, one the mentioned middle ear bones, becomes misshapen or overgrown. It is not known what causes this to happen, but the condition is most common in women aged between 15 and 30. Often pregnancy is a common factor. Otosclerosis can cause Tinnitus and also hearing loss.

Other Causes of Tinnitus

Meniere’s disease is a leading cause of Tinnitus. This illness causes a duct within the middle ear to swell during the early states of the disease. Tinnitus, vertigo, dizziness and nausea are common symptoms of early Meiere’s disease.

Sometimes the cause of tinnitus is not a physical problem, but a mental one. A stressful lifestyle or a traumatic experience can also instigate episodes of Tinnitus. Treating the cause of the anxiety or stress can often cause this to decrease.

Some drugs, both illegal and prescription can cause tinnitus as a side effect.

Tinnitus Solutions

As there is no single cause of tinnitus there is no single cure. Instead there are a range of solutions that can decrease or help you be rid of tinnitus completely. Many people do not seek treatment for their tinnitus because they assume that there is nothing that can be done, however seeing your doctor or audiologist is essential as there is help available.

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 13th, 2010 at 2:28 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.