Tinnitus is an exceptionally prevalent medical condition. Something like 20 million individuals regularly suffer from persistent tinnitus so severe that it becomes burdensome. And there are also more prevalent presentations of tinnitus which are much more mild and sporadic and are also easier to cope with.
Tinnitus happens when you hear a phantom sound, when you’re hearing a sound that no one else can hear. This may be a ringing in the ears or a buzzing sound you can’t get rid of. Although hearing loss is frequently associated with tinnitus, there isn’t necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship between the two.
As a matter of fact, tinnitus comes in numerous forms. Managing these varieties of tinnitus will require different approaches.
Tinnitus – exactly what is it?
So, what is tinnitus and where does it stem from? The first thing to recognize is that tinnitus comes in several types and causes. Regardless of the particular cause, the symptoms will be similar. But determining the cause can be crucial to identifying the correct treatment approach.
For some people, tinnitus is the outcome of a neurological problem, such as a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. In other instances, tinnitus may be caused by age-related hearing loss. 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 cause. If your baseline neurological functions are impaired by injury it can trigger neurological tinnitus. In other words, something has broken down with the normal ways that your brain and ear interact. The result is that you hear a phantom sound that might not be there. Neurological tinnitus can be caused by concussion, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and others. As the brain heals, neurological tinnitus will, in some instances, clear up on its own. For others, it could be lasting.
- Subjective tinnitus: When only you can hear the sound of your tinnitus, which is really common, hearing specialists will talk about your condition as a subjective tinnitus. This type of tinnitus comprises many other forms of tinnitus as well. For example, neurological tinnitus can also be 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 an actual, verifiable sound, it’s referred to as objective tinnitus. Objective tinnitus is not really as common as subjective tinnitus, but it still happens. Pulsatile tinnitus, which is when you hear your heartbeat or pulse, is an example of this type of tinnitus. Objective tinnitus causes those sounds to be abnormally loud.
- Somatic tinnitus: Tinnitus sounds are frequently rather constant for many individuals coping with them. That’s true for both subjective and objective tinnitus. However, somatic tinnitus is different. This form of tinnitus becomes more severe when you move around. Usually, somatic tinnitus is most sensitive to movement of the head or neck areas.
Frequently, people will have more than one type of tinnitus simultaneously. You might have subjective tinnitus and neurological tinnitus at the same time, for example. Determining the cause of your symptoms can help your hearing specialist decide the best tinnitus treatment options for your symptoms.
Getting tinnitus assistance
You probably won’t have to take any particular action if your tinnitus symptoms are sporadic. But your quality of life can be significantly impacted if your tinnitus symptoms are fairly constant or keep returning. That’s when it’s particularly important to talk to a hearing specialist to get specialized care and find some tinnitus relief.
We have a few different tinnitus management strategies we might try depending on the root cause of your symptoms. A few of these techniques can decrease the severity of your symptoms making them less obvious. Other treatment options can mask the sound you’re hearing.
Tinnitus can’t usually be cured, but it can be effectively managed. We will work with you to create treatments that work for your symptoms. That way, you can more easily disregard the buzzing or ringing in your ears, and get back to the life you enjoy.
