Tinnitus, pronounced "TIN-a-tus" or "tin-EYE-tus," is a condition characterized by a constant excess sound in the ears. This sound is typically a ringing in the ears, but can also be described as hissing, roaring, booming, clicking, whistling, pulsing, or chirping sound. These sounds can vary in volume and pitch and can be heard in one or both ears.
Types of Tinnitus
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are two types of tinnitus: subjective and objective.
Subjective tinnitus is a condition in which the patient is the only one who can hear the ringing or excess sound. This is the most common type of tinnitus, which is often caused by some kind of problem in any part of the ear, the auditory nerves, or the part of the brain that concerns hearing.
Objective tinnitus, the more rare form of the condition, is a form of tinnitus in which a doctor can hear the sound during an examination. Objective tinnitus is often caused by a problem with blood vessels, bones in the middle ear, or muscle conditions.
Causes for Concern
For most people, a case of tinnitus is not something to worry about. Sometimes, ringing in the ears is sometimes a result of another condition or illness, such as an upper respiratory infection or a cold. If the excess sound lasts for more than a week, says the Mayo Clinic, then it should become a cause for concern.
Other causes for concern are other symptoms that may appear with the excess sound. If someone becomes dizzy or has other hearing loss in addition to the tinnitus, it is time to have the symptoms assessed by a doctor.
Diagnoses and Treatments
Tinnitus is usually diagnosed by examining the patient's ears, head, and neck to rule out any other conditions and to look for a possible cause of the tinnitus. A complete audiological exam (hearing test) is also administered to see if the patient suffers from any hearing loss.
During the exam, a patient should be able to describe the sound that he or she is hearing. The sound itself, whether it is ringing, clicking, or something else, is usually an indicator of what is the cause of the sound and can be a symptom of other illnesses, such as vertigo, high blood pressure, or a tumor.
In most cases, the cause of the tinnitus is not found, especially if the patient is the only one who can hear the noise. Most often, doctors can recommend coping strategies to reduce the severity of the noise or to prevent the tinnitus from interfering with everyday life.
According to the University of California - San Francisco Medical Center, there are no medications that will work for a large majority of tinnitus patients. Sometimes, certain antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications can be helpful, but UCSF says that more research is needed in this area before it is proven whether or not this treatment will be useful to more patients.
The main forms of treatment include some kind of therapy, either by retraining a person to hear things besides the ringing or other noise, or to reduce stress and other environmental factors that could intensify the condition.
Other treatments include hearing aids or tinnitus maskers, devices that are worn like a hearing aid but produce a white noise that cancels out the noise the patient hears inside his or her ears. Doctors may also recommend support groups, proper nutrition, or alternative medicine to alleviate the symptoms.
Tinnitus, although a seemly simple problem, can become a complex condition if there are other underlying problems associated with the condition. If not assessed by a doctor, tinnitus can be another symptom of a very serious disease or condition that can be hazardous to a person's health.
