What is Tinnitus?

If you’ve ever experienced a ringing or buzzing noise in your ears — and it’s lasted a while, you’re part of the 10 percent of the U.S. adult population that has suffered from tinnitus. 

Tinnitus affects roughly 25 million Americans. While not a disease on its own, tinnitus is actually considered a symptom of something gone awry with the auditory system. The auditory system is made up of the ear, auditory nerve that connects the ear to the brain, as well as the parts of the brain that process sound.

What causes tinnitus?

Typically tinnitus is caused when people suffer from noise-induced hearing loss, ear or sinus infections, disease of the heart or blood vessels, Meniere’s disease, brain tumors, hormonal changes in women or thyroid abnormalities. Additionally, tinnitus can also be cause by certain medications. In fact, more than 200 drugs are known to cause tinnitus, either when you start or stop taking them. Such drugs include antiobiotics like polymyxin B, erthomycin, vanomycin and neomycin, certain cancer medications and water pills, or diruetics, such as bumetanide, ethacrynic acid and furosemide. Talk to your physician if you are taking one of the drugs, often called ototoxic medications, and are experiencing tinnitus.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), tinnitus occurs, scientists think, as a result of the brain’s neural circuits trying to adapt to the loss of sensory hair cells but increasing the sensitivity to sound. Like chronic pain, many scientists are unsure what happens in the brain to create the illusion of sound that doesn’t actually exist. 

Is tinnitus dangerous?

Usually, tinnitus isn’t a sign of a serious health problem, however its persistency and loudness can be annoying for those suffering from it. If you are experiencing tinnitus, contact your primary care physician. He or she will check for possible causes, such as earwax buildup that could be blocking the ear canal. Along with discussing any medications you are taking, your doctor will ask about your general health and any current medical conditions you may have.

How do you treat tinnitus?

Treatment of tinnitus is tricky, as there is no cure yet. However, therapies can help people better cope with condition. Such therapies and solutions include hearing aids, counseling, wearable sound generators, tabletop sound generators, acoustic neural stimulation, cochlear implants, antidepressants or antianxiety drugs or other possible medications.

The first and most important step in treating tinnitus is to make an appointment with your hearing care provider. Left untreated, tinnitus can cause anxiety, depression, frustration and isolation.

If you’re concerned you or a loved one may be suffering from tinnitus, don’t hesitate to contact a hearing care provider in your area to discuss symptoms, causes and treatment options.