Invisibility is a really useful power in the movies. Whether it’s a mud-covered hero, a cloaked starship, or a stealthy ninja, invisibility allows people in movies to be more effectual and, frequently, achieve the impossible.
Invisible health conditions, regrettably, are just as potent and much less fun. As an example, tinnitus is an exceptionally common hearing condition. Regardless of how well you may look, there are no external symptoms.
But for individuals who experience tinnitus, though it may be invisible, the affect may be substantial.
Tinnitus – what is it?
So we know one thing: you can’t see tinnitus. Actually, tinnitus symptoms are auditory in nature, being a condition of the ears. You know that ringing in your ears you occasionally hear after a rock concert or in a really silent room? That’s tinnitus. Tinnitus is so prevalent that around 25 million individuals experience it every day.
There are lots of other presentations of tinnitus besides the common ringing. Noises including humming, buzzing, crackling, clicking, and a number of others can manifest. The common denominator is that anyone who has tinnitus is hearing noises that are not really there.
For most people, tinnitus will be a short-lived affair, it will come and go very quickly. But tinnitus is a persistent and incapacitating condition for between 2-5 million individuals. Sure, it can be a little annoying to hear that ringing for a few minutes now and again. But what if that sound doesn’t go away? it’s not hard to see how that could begin to significantly affect your quality of life.
What causes tinnitus?
Have you ever had a headache and attempted to figure out the cause? Perhaps it’s stress; maybe you’re getting a cold; perhaps it’s allergies. The difficulty is that lots of issues can cause headaches! The symptoms of tinnitus, though relatively common, also have a wide variety of causes.
Sometimes, it may be really clear what’s causing your tinnitus symptoms. In other situations, you may never truly know. Here are several general things that can trigger tinnitus:
- Noise damage: Tinnitus symptoms can be caused by exposure to overly loud noise over time. One of the leading causes of tinnitus is exposure to loud noises and this is very common. Using hearing protection if exceedingly loud places can’t be avoided is the best way to prevent this kind of tinnitus.
- Meniere’s Disease: This is a condition of the inner ear that can cause a large number of symptoms. Amongst the first symptoms, however, are generally dizziness and tinnitus. Permanent hearing loss can occur over time.
- Hearing loss: Hearing loss and tinnitus are often closely associated. In part, that’s because noise damage can also be a strong contributor to sensorineural hearing loss. In other words, they both have the same cause. But the ringing in your ears can seem louder with hearing loss because the outside world is quieter.
- Colds or allergies: If a lot of mucus accumulates in your ears, it may cause some inflammation. And tinnitus can be the consequence of this swelling.
- Head or neck injuries: The head and neck are extremely sensitive systems. So head injuries, particularly traumatic brain injuries (including concussions)–can end up triggering tinnitus symptoms.
- Ear infections or other blockages: Similar to a cold or seasonal allergies, ear infections, and other obstructions can cause swelling in the ear canal. This often triggers ringing in your ears.
- High blood pressure: For some individuals, tinnitus may be caused by high blood pressure. Getting your blood pressure under control with the help of your physician is the best way to address this.
- Certain medications: Tinnitus symptoms can be caused by certain over-the-counter and prescription medications. Normally, that ringing subsides once you quit using the medication in question.
If you’re able to determine the cause of your tinnitus, treatment might become easier. For example, if an earwax obstruction is causing ringing in your ears, clearing out that earwax can relieve your symptoms. Some individuals, however, may never know what causes their tinnitus symptoms.
How is tinnitus diagnosed?
Tinnitus that only lasts a few minutes isn’t something that you really need to have diagnosed. That said, it’s never a bad idea to come see us to schedule a hearing exam.
But you should certainly schedule an appointment with us if your tinnitus won’t subside or if it keeps coming back. We will ask you about your symptoms, talk to you about how your quality of life is being impacted, complete a hearing exam, and most likely discuss your medical history. All of that information will be utilized to diagnose your symptoms.
Treating tinnitus
There’s no cure for tinnitus. But it can be addressed and it can be controlled.
If you’re taking a particular medication or have a root medical condition, your symptoms will get better when you deal with the base cause. But there will be no known root condition to manage if you’re dealing with chronic tinnitus.
So managing symptoms so they have a limited affect on your life is the goal if you have chronic tinnitus. There are a number of things that we can do to help. Among the most prevalent are the following:
- A hearing aid: When you have hearing loss, outside sounds become quieter and your tinnitus symptoms become more obvious. The buzzing or ringing will be less evident when your hearing aid raises the volume of the external world.
- A masking device: This is a device much like a hearing aid, except instead of boosting sounds, it masks sound. These devices can be adjusted to your specific tinnitus symptoms, producing just enough sound to make that ringing or buzzing significantly less obvious.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: We may refer you to a different provider for cognitive behavior therapy. This technique uses therapy to help you learn to disregard the tinnitus sounds.
We will develop a personalized and distinct treatment plan for you and your tinnitus. Helping you get back to enjoying your life by controlling your symptoms is the goal here.
If you have tinnitus, what should you do?
Even though tinnitus can’t be seen, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Chances are, those symptoms will only grow worse. It’s better to get ahead of your symptoms because you might be able to stop them from growing worse. You should at least be certain to have your hearing protection handy whenever you’re going to be around loud sound.
If you have tinnitus that won’t go away (or keeps coming back) schedule an appointment with us to get a diagnosis.