Tinnitus: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Tinnitus treatment does provide relief and people suffering can approach the doctor for required information. Tinnitus does affect older people mostly.

Tinnitus occurs when there is ringing or other noises in one or both of one’s ears. The noise a person hears when the person has tinnitus is not caused by an external sound, and other people are unable to hear it.

Tinnitus happens to be a common problem. It does affect about 15% to 20% of people and is more common in older adults.

Tinnitus is generally caused by an underlying condition, like age-related hearing loss, an ear injury, or even a problem with the circulatory system. For several people, tinnitus does improve with treatment of the underlying cause or with another sort of treatments that do reduce or mask the noise, thus making tinnitus less noticeable.

Symptoms

Tinnitus is most often referred to as ringing in the ears, even though no external sound happens to be present. Yet, tinnitus can also cause other sorts of phantom noises in one’s ears, including:

• Buzzing
• Roaring
• Hissing
• Clicking
• Humming

Often most people who suffer from tinnitus do have subjective tinnitus, or tinnitus that only the person can hear. The noises of tinnitus may vary in pitch from a low roar to even a high squeal, and the person may hear it in one or perhaps both ears. In a few cases, the sound can indeed be so loud it does interfere with one’s ability to concentrate or hear external sound. Tinnitus may be present all the time, or it may come as well as go.

In rare cases, tinnitus can rather occur as a rhythmic pulsing or even whooshing sound, often in time with one’s heartbeat. This is referred to as pulsatile tinnitus. If the person has pulsatile tinnitus, the doctor may be able to hear one’s tinnitus when he or she does have an examination (objective tinnitus).

When to consult the doctor

Few people are not very bothered by tinnitus. For others, tinnitus disrupts their daily life activities. If having tinnitus that does bother a person, then seeing the doctor helps.

Make an appointment with a doctor if:

· Developing tinnitus after an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold, and one’s tinnitus does not improve within a week.

See the doctor as soon as possible if:

• If having hearing loss or dizziness with tinnitus.
• If experiencing anxiety or depression as a result of tinnitus.

Tinnitus treatment

Treatment for tinnitus depends on whether one’s tinnitus is caused by an underlying health condition. If so, the doctor may be able to reduce his or her symptoms by treating the underlying cause. 

Tinnitus: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Depending on the cause of tinnitus, treatment can be :

Prompt care for an ear infection

• discontinuing any medications that can perhaps cause it
• removing earwax
• treating of course an underlying condition
• taking necessary steps to manage or mask the sounds of tinnitus
• counseling to help with related issues, such as anxiety or depression
• treatment for hearing loss, if present

Counseling

A person can also make it a point to attend counseling sessions alongside other existing options to help them understand as well as cope with the health issue and also be able to live with tinnitus. Counseling can indeed address anxiety, depression, and other related issues.

An audiologist can also offer tinnitus retraining therapy, a specialized therapy that can help people live more comfortably with this health issue.

Lifestyle tips

Few more strategies that can help:

• practice relaxation techniques, like meditation or deep breathing.
• avoiding unnecessary stress or loud background noises when possible, as these can rather worsen symptoms.
• developing a sleep routine, for example, taking a bath and also avoiding caffeine before bed.
• joining a support group for people suffering from tinnitus.
• avoiding total silence, which can rather  make symptoms worse.
• seeking distraction, like from a hobby, to direct attention away from tinnitus.

Conclusion

Relief is sought from tinnitus with the help of tinnitus treatment.