Tinnitus (Ringing Sound In The Ear): Definition, Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Retraining Therapy, Preventions And Home Remedies.

Tinnitus (Ringing Sound In The Ear): Definition, Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Retraining Therapy, Preventions And Home Remedies.

What is Tinnitus or Ringing Sound In The Ear?

Tinnitus is a symptomatic condition (means that it is just a symptom not a disease) of the ear characterized by a noise in the ear. It is very common and annoying symptom. Tinnitus may be mild and occurs only at the night; sometimes the tinnitus is continuous and loud and interferes with hearing. Tinnitus is the most difficult symptoms to treat.

Classification (types) of tinnitus

Subjective: this a tinnitus which is audible to patient.

Objective: This one is audible to both patient and examiner.

The most common type is subjective. Tinnitus may be high pitched or low pitched.

Does tinnitus means the same thing as auditory hallucinations?

The right answer is no because tinnitus can thus be defined as a ringing sound or noise in the ear or head. It is different from auditory hallucination which is hearing of voices and sentences due to functional disturbances.

What causes tinnitus?

The causes of tinnitus are :

I. Muscle spasm

Tinnitus that is described as clicking may be due to abnormalities that cause the muscle in the roof of the mouth (palate) to go in to spasm. This cause the Eustachian tube, which helps equalize the pressure in the ears to, repeatedly open and close. Multiple sclerosis and other neurologic disorders that are associated with muscle spasm may also be associated with tinnitus, as they may lead to spasm of certain muscles in the middle ear that cause repeatitive clicking.

II. Tumors/Blood flow

Tumors that are vascular, meaning that they increased blood flow within them, as well as tinnitus that is throbbing (pulsatile) may be due to blood flow through veins and arteries adjacent to the ear.

III. Temporomandibular Joints

Abnormalities may cause a repeated clicking sound in the ear.

IV. Vestibulocochlea nerve damage

Damage to vestibulocochlea nerve responsible for transmitting of sound from the ear to the brain may cause tinnitus. Causes may include drug toxicity, or a tumor (for example, acoustic neuroma).

V. Aging

As people grew up, their hearing ability may decrease and there can be associated tinnitus.

VI. Meniere's disease

This disease is associated with hearing loss and vertigo also may cause tinnitus.

VII. Otosclerosis

This is caused by abnormal bone growth in the middle ear, can sometimes cause tinnitus.

VIII. Trauma

May also be a cause of tinnitus and hearing loss. This includes barotrauma, whereby air pressure changes can damage ear function.

Examples of barotrauma includes pressure changes from scuba diving or changes in air pressure when flying.

What are the symptoms of tinnitus?

The ringing sound of tinnitus may come and go intermittently, or it may be constant.

It may occur in one or both the ear.

Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss and the patient may complain of decreased hearing, even if the tinnitus is absent.

It may be throbbing (beating strongly).

Most often, the sound is a high pitched continuous tone, but it may also be described by the patient as buzz, hum or a click.

How to diagnose tinnitus?

In order to diagnose tinnitus, the patient's history and description of symptoms is the key in determine the cause of tinnitus.

Medical practitioner may ask you questions in regard to the quality of Abnormal sounds, and weather it is constantly present or weather it comes and goes. Other information needed may include the following:

Does it click

Is there associated decreased hearing or hearing loss

Does it involves one or both the ear

Does the person feel a sensation of vertigo (spinning)

Has there been recurrent exposure to loud noise or sound at home, at work, or at play

Does the sound pulsate, or does it sound like flow or rush.

  Medications: be prepared to provide the information on the drugs you have used including the Over the counter and supplements to review since there are some drugs that can cause tinnitus.

 Physical examination: this will be focused on head and neck, and especially the ears, including the tympanic membranes and auditory canals. Since the the sense of hearing is conducted through the one of the cranial nerves, a carefully neurologenic also may be performed. Weakness or numbness on the face, neck and mouth may be associated with tumor or other structural abnormality pressing on a nerve. Medical practitioner may listen to the flow in the carotid arteries in the neck for an abnormal sounds, since carotid artery stenosis (narrowing of the artery) can transmit a sound to the ear that may cause tinnitus.

 Imaging: Depending upon the suspected underlying cause of tinnitus, radiology test may be performed to image the head and neck. These imaging test include ultrasound, MRI and CT scan.

  Hearing test: Hearing test or audiogram may be performed to look for associated hearing loss in one or both ears.

Retraining and relief therapy for Tinnitus.

There are some cognitive and behavioral treatment that have been successful in treating tinnitus. Seeking out a multidisciplinary program at a medical center that specializes in tinnitus may improve treatment success.

Tinnitus retraining therapy is a form of treatment that tries to retrain the nerve pathways associated with hearing that may allow the brain to get used to the abnormal sounds. Habituation allows the brain to ignore the tinnitus noise signal, and it allows the person to become unaware that it is present unless they specifically concentrate on noise. This treatment involves counseling and wearing a sound generator. Otolaryngologists and Audiologist often work together in offering this treatment.

In addition to tinnitus retraining therapy, other treatments are used to to relieve tinnitus such as relief therapy, and each affected individual may benefits differently depending upon the cause of tinnitus and their response to the. 

Other treatments option for tinnitus are:

Stress reduction

Masking

Depression counseling

Biofeedback

Electrical stimulation for patients with hearing loss.

What are the Preventions of tinnitus?

Repeated exposure loud noise exposure can be the cause of tinnitus as well as Hearing loss.

Loud music may cause short term symptoms, but repeated occupational exposure like construction workers, factory and musicians requires less intense sound levels to cause potential hearing damage leading to tinnitus. Minimizing of exposure to sound reduces the risk of developing tinnitus. Sound protection devices, like acoustic ear-muffs may be appropriate at home and at work when exposed to loud noise.

A variety of drugs may damage the ear (ototoxic drugs) and cause tinnitus. If tinnitus develop while you are taking medications, stop the medications and contact medical practitioner for other options.

Home remedies for Tinnitus.

The home remedies for Tinnitus that of helpful to person are:

Quit smoking.

Successful behavioral and cognitive therapies include masking, retraining therapy, and behavioral therapy.

Avoid caffeine

Reduce salt intake

Melatonin may help those who suffer from tinnitus, particularly those with disturbed sleep due to tinnitus.

In some cases, zinc supplementation in people who have low levels of zinc may be beneficial.

Gigko biloba may be of helpfull to people who have tinnitus.

Sources:

Community Health Unpublished Lecture Note.

www.medicinenet.com