Tinnitus is an exceptionally prevalent medical condition. Around 20 million people routinely cope with persistent tinnitus so severe that it becomes burdensome. This does not even reference the more common types of tinnitus, which for most people can come and go without causing a major impact on their quality of life.
When you hear noises in your ears that don’t have an external source and no one else can hear them, that’s tinnitus. This might be a ringing in the ears or a buzzing sound you can’t get rid of. Tinnitus is often linked to hearing loss, but that doesn’t mean that one condition will automatically result in the other.
As a matter of fact, tinnitus comes in numerous forms. And each one will call for a different treatment approach.
Tinnitus – exactly what is it?
So, what is tinnitus and where does it come from? The first thing to understand is that tinnitus comes in a number of types and causes. Regardless of the particular cause, the symptoms will be similar. But determining the cause can be essential to finding the right treatment approach.
For some individuals, tinnitus is the outcome of a neurological issue, including a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. Hearing loss due to age can be another factor that can trigger tinnitus. The following are some other possible causes:
- Neurological tinnitus: Problems with the ear aren’t always the cause of tinnitus. Sometimes, the root cause lies within the brain. Neurological tinnitus is caused by injury to or problems with your baseline neurological functions. This means that the normal communication between your brain and ears isn’t functioning properly. As a result, a phantom sound is heard which isn’t actually there. A stroke, concussion, or brain injury can all be the underlying sources of tinnitus, as well as others. In some instances, neurological tinnitus might resolve as the brain heals. 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 forms of tinnitus as well. Neurological tinnitus, for instance, is frequently also subjective tinnitus. There are a large number of sounds that can manifest with subjective tinnitus, including buzzing, ringing, screeching, roaring, thumping, and many others.
- 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 is not quite as common as subjective tinnitus, but it still occurs. Most commonly, this means you’re dealing with something called pulsatile tinnitus, which happens when you’re hearing your pulse or circulatory system. For those with objective tinnitus, that pulsing sound usually seems louder than it should.
- Somatic tinnitus: For many people, the sound they hear with tinnitus is fairly constant. Both objective and subjective tinnitus have this characteristic. But, somatic tinnitus is different. This is tinnitus that gets worse with movement. Typically, somatic tinnitus is most sensitive to movement of the head or neck areas.
Often, individuals will have more than one type of tinnitus at the same time. For example, you might have neurological tinnitus and subjective tinnitus. Figuring out the cause of your symptoms can help your hearing specialist decide the best tinnitus treatment strategy for your symptoms.
Getting tinnitus support
You most likely won’t have to take any specific action if your tinnitus symptoms are intermittent. But if your tinnitus hangs around or returns frequently, it might have real and significant impacts on your day-to-day life. When that occurs, your best plan to get some relief is to contact us for a consultation.
After we identify the root cause of your symptoms, there are a few treatment strategies we can utilize. A few of these strategies can decrease the intensity of your symptoms making them less evident. Other treatment solutions can mask the sound you’re hearing.
Tinnitus can’t typically be cured, but it can be effectively managed. We will help you customize the best treatment for your specific situation. This will help you enjoy life again by moving your symptoms into the background where they can be more easily disregarded.