It’s very common for people to experience tinnitus. Tinnitus can become so extreme that it becomes a burden to live with for about 20 million people around the world. And there are also more prevalent presentations of tinnitus which are a lot more mild and sporadic and are also easier to deal with.
Tinnitus happens when you hear a phantom sound, when you’re hearing a sound that no one else can hear. It might manifest as a continual buzzing or ringing in the ears. Although hearing loss is frequently accompanied by tinnitus, there isn’t necessarily a cause-and-effect connection between the two.
As a matter of fact, tinnitus comes in a number of forms. And each one will call for a different approach to treatment.
What is tinnitus?
Exactly what is tinnitus and how is it caused? The first thing to recognize is that tinnitus comes in numerous types and causes. The various causes of tinnitus will manifest with similar symptoms. But it’s still crucial to identify the cause in order to successfully treat the symptoms.
For some individuals, tinnitus is the outcome of a neurological issue, such as a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. Hearing loss related to age can be another aspect that can trigger tinnitus. The following are some other possible causes:
- Neurological tinnitus: Problems with the ear are not always the cause of tinnitus. The brain itself can sometimes be the source. Neurological tinnitus is a result of injury to or issues with your baseline neurological functions. In other words, something has broken down with the normal ways that your brain and ear communicate. The result is that you hear a phantom sound that may not be there. A stroke, concussion, or brain injury can all be the root causes of tinnitus, as well as others. As the brain heals, neurological tinnitus will, in some instances, clear up on its own. For others, it may be permanent.
- Subjective tinnitus: With subjective tinnitus, the sound you’re hearing is phantom and doesn’t objectively exist and only you can hear it. This form of tinnitus comprises many other types of tinnitus also. Neurological tinnitus, for instance, is frequently also subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus can present as lots of different sound types, including ringing, buzzing, squeals, whistles, roars, and more.
- Objective tinnitus: When the sound you’re hearing in your ears is a real, verifiable sound, it’s referred to as objective tinnitus. Objective tinnitus does happen, though it’s not as common as subjective forms. Most commonly, this means you’re dealing with something called pulsatile tinnitus, which occurs when you’re hearing your heartbeat or circulatory system. For individuals with objective tinnitus, that pulsing sound typically seems louder than it ought to.
- Somatic tinnitus: Tinnitus sounds are often quite constant for many people coping with them. Both objective and subjective tinnitus have this attribute. With somatic tinnitus though, things are a bit different. This is tinnitus that gets worse with movement. Typically, somatic tinnitus is most susceptible to movement of the head or neck areas.
Often, people will have more than one form of tinnitus at the same time. You may have subjective tinnitus and neurological tinnitus together, for example. Identifying the cause of your symptoms can help your hearing specialist choose the best tinnitus treatment options for your symptoms.
Getting help with your tinnitus
If your tinnitus is here this minute and gone the next, you most likely don’t have to do anything about it. But if your tinnitus hangs around or returns frequently, it may have real and significant impacts on your everyday life. That’s when it’s particularly important to speak with a hearing specialist to receive specialized care and find some relief from your tinnitus.
After we identify the root cause of your symptoms, there are a few treatment strategies we can employ. Several therapies can make the sounds you’re hearing less obvious. Other treatment solutions can mask the sound you’re hearing.
Generally, there’s no cure for tinnitus, although it can usually be effectively treated. We will help you personalize the best treatment for your specific situation. That way, you can more easily ignore the buzzing or ringing in your ears, and get back to the life you enjoy.
