Invisibility is a really useful power in the movies. Whether it’s a mud-covered hero, a cloaked spaceship, or a stealthy ninja, invisibility allows people in movies to be more effective and, frequently, accomplish the impossible.
Invisible health problems, unfortunately, are equally as potent and a lot less enjoyable. Tinnitus, for instance, is a really common condition that affects the ears. Regardless of how well you may look, there are no outward symptoms.
But for individuals who experience tinnitus, though it may be invisible, the impact may be significant.
What is tinnitus?
One thing we know for certain about tinnitus is that you can’t see it. In fact, tinnitus is a condition of the ears, which means symptoms are auditory in nature. You know when you are sitting in a silent room, or when you return from a loud concert and you hear a ringing in your ears? That’s tinnitus. Tinnitus is so common that around 25 million people experience it daily.
There are many other manifestations of tinnitus besides the common ringing. Noises including humming, whirring, crackling, clicking, and lots of others can manifest. The one thing that all of these sounds have in common is that they’re not actual sounds at all.
For most people, tinnitus will be a short-lived affair, it will come and go very quickly. But for somewhere between 2-5 million people, tinnitus is a persistent, sometimes debilitating condition. Sure, it can be a bit annoying to hear that ringing for a few minutes now and then. But what if you can’t be free from that sound, ever? Clearly, your quality of life would be significantly impacted.
What causes tinnitus?
Have you ever had a headache and tried to narrow down the cause? Are you catching a cold, is it stress, or is it an allergic reaction? The difficulty is that quite a few issues can trigger headaches! The symptoms of tinnitus, though fairly common, also have a wide variety of causes.
The cause of your tinnitus symptoms may, in some cases, be obvious. In other situations, you might never truly know. Here are some general things that can cause tinnitus:
- Hearing loss: Hearing loss and tinnitus are frequently closely connected. Sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus can both be brought about by noise damage and that’s a big part of the equation here. They both have the same cause, in other words. But the ringing in your ears can seem louder with hearing loss because the outside world is quieter.
- Meniere’s Disease: A good number of symptoms can be caused by this disorder of the inner ear. Among the first symptoms, however, are typically dizziness and tinnitus. Over time, Meniere’s disease can cause permanent hearing loss.
- Noise damage: Damage from loud noises can, after a while, cause tinnitus symptoms to happen. One of the primary causes of tinnitus is exposure to loud noises and this is very prevalent. The best way to counter this type of tinnitus is to stay away from excessively loud places (or use hearing protection if avoidance isn’t possible).
- Colds or allergies: If a lot of mucus accumulates in your ears, it could cause some inflammation. And tinnitus can be the consequence of this inflammation.
- High blood pressure: High blood pressure can cause tinnitus symptoms for some individuals. If this is the situation, it’s a good idea to consult your physician in order to help regulate your blood pressure.
- Ear infections or other blockages: Similar to a cold or seasonal allergies, ear infections, and other obstructions can cause swelling in the ear canal. Consequently, your ears could begin to ring.
- Certain medications: Tinnitus symptoms can be triggered by certain over-the-counter and prescription medications. Once you quit using the medication, the ringing will normally go away.
- Head or neck injuries: The head and neck are incredibly sensitive systems. Ringing in your ears can be brought on by traumatic brain injuries including concussions.
Treatment will clearly be easier if you can identify the source of your tinnitus symptoms. Clearing out a blockage, for example, will relieve tinnitus symptoms if that’s what is causing them. Some people, however, might never know what causes their tinnitus symptoms.
Diagnosing Tinnitus
If you have ringing in your ears for a few minutes and then it subsides, it’s not really something that needs to be diagnosed (unless it occurs frequently). Having said that, it’s never a bad idea to come see us to schedule a hearing evaluation.
However, if your tinnitus won’t subside or continues to come back, you should schedule some time with us to get to the bottom of it (or at least start treatment). We will perform a hearing exam, discuss your symptoms and how they’re impacting your life, and perhaps even talk about your medical history. All of that information will be utilized to diagnose your symptoms.
Treating tinnitus
Tinnitus isn’t a condition that has a cure. The strategy is management and treatment.
If you’re taking a specific medication or have an underlying medical condition, your symptoms will improve when you address the underlying cause. But there will be no known root condition to treat if you’re dealing with chronic tinnitus.
So controlling symptoms so they have a limited affect on your life is the objective if you have persistent tinnitus. There are a number of things that we can do to help. Here are some of the most common:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: We might refer you to another provider for cognitive behavior therapy. This is a therapeutic technique designed to help you not pay attention to the ringing in your ears.
- A masking device: This is a device a lot like a hearing aid, except instead of amplifying sounds, it masks sound. These devices generate just the right amount and type of sound to make your particular tinnitus symptoms fade into the background.
- A hearing aid: Sometimes, tinnitus becomes obvious because your hearing loss is making outside sounds comparatively quieter. In these situations, a hearing aid can help turn the volume up on the rest of the world, and drown out the buzzing or ringing you might be hearing from your tinnitus.
We will create an individualized and unique treatment plan for you and your tinnitus. Helping you get back to enjoying your life by managing your symptoms is the goal here.
What should you do if you have tinnitus?
Even though tinnitus can’t be seen, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Your symptoms will probably get worse if you do. You might be able to stop your symptoms from worsening if you can get in front of them. You should at least be sure to have your ear protection handy whenever you’re going to be around loud sound.
If you’re struggling with tinnitus, contact us, we can help.
