What is tinnitus and how is it treated?
Tinnitus is a common issue, but it’s often misunderstood. Understanding what may cause this distracting and deeply uncomfortable condition, when to seek medical attention and how to manage ongoing symptoms can help those struggling with the issue to navigate the condition and maintain their quality of life.
Ear, nose and throat specialist Brent Wilkerson, MD, answered common questions about tinnitus.
What is tinnitus?
“Tinnitus is a condition affecting millions of people worldwide, and it’s estimated that it may affect up to 15% of the adult population in the United States,” said Dr. Wilkerson. “Tinnitus isn’t really a disease, but more of a symptom of a separate underlying condition.”
Someone with tinnitus will often describe a ringing, buzzing, humming, hissing or roaring sound in the ear. What sounds someone with tinnitus hears can vary, and it may affect both ears or only one. The condition can range from a minor annoyance to being strong enough to cause a significant disruption in your daily life.
What causes tinnitus?
“Hearing loss is the biggest cause of tinnitus,” said Dr. Wilkerson. “It could be age-related hearing loss or hearing loss caused by damage from loud noises like guns, explosions or music. Other medical conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), high blood pressure, diabetes, migraines and cardiovascular disease can also cause or worsen tinnitus.”
Ear canal blockages from earwax, ear infections or fluid in the ear can also cause temporary tinnitus, and medications like aspirin or some antibiotics can also have tinnitus as a potential side effect.
When should you see a doctor about tinnitus?
“Tinnitus is often harmless, but in some cases, you may need to seek medical advice,” said Dr. Wilkerson. “If the tinnitus starts up suddenly, or you start dealing with tinnitus that comes alongside hearing fluctuation, hearing loss or a vertigo sensation (room-spinning dizziness), see a doctor immediately.”
In addition, if you experience the ringing or buzzing sound only in one ear and it lasts more than a few days, make a call to your primary care physician. If you also have other related symptoms like dizziness and ear pain or pressure, then your doctor may decide to refer you to a specialist to see if there’s an underlying condition that needs treatment.
Can tinnitus be a sign a more serious health problem?
“In most cases, tinnitus is not going to be a sign of a serious problem,” said Dr. Wilkerson. “While irritating or even distressing, it’s generally harmless. However, there are some situations where it could be a sign of something more significant.”
Health conditions that can cause tinnitus include:
- Meniere’s disease, where a condition of the inner ear causes ‘spells’ of tinnitus, hearing loss or fluctuation, a sensation of fullness or pressure in the ear and a feeling of spinning or vertigo that lasts hours. These symptoms are felt in one ear and may come and go while worsening over time and causing further hearing damage.
- A vestibular schwannoma, also called an acoustic neuroma, is a rare and benign tumor on the balance nerve that connects the ear to the brain. Acoustic neuromas involve typically one-sided hearing loss and tinnitus and can sometimes cause balance issues, too.
- Vascular disorders that affect your blood flow, like high blood pressure or hardened arteries, can cause pulsatile tinnitus, a type of tinnitus that sounds like a rhythmic pulsing in the ear.
If your condition is accompanied by any alarming symptoms or is one-sided, it’s essential to consult a health care provider to rule out these serious conditions.
How is tinnitus treated?
“Unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus,” said Dr. Wilkerson. “While many who struggle with it hope for the ‘magic pill’ that will make it disappear for good, such a cure doesn’t currently exist. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have treatments to help manage the symptoms and regain quality of life.”
As hearing loss is the main cause of tinnitus, hearing aids can amplify external sounds and make the ringing or buzzing less noticeable. Sound therapy, which uses white noise machines, music or other background sounds to ‘mask’ the sounds and make them less distracting, has also been effective. Sound therapy is often combined with counseling in a treatment called tinnitus retraining therapy, which retrains how your brain ‘perceives’ the ringing sound to make it less noticeable, so you can focus on other sounds or activities. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, helps to manage the emotional impact of the condition and reduce the intensity of its impact on your daily life.
While there isn’t an effective medication that resolves or cures the condition, treating underlying medical conditions like anxiety or depression can sometimes help to reduce the symptoms.
Is there anything you can do to manage tinnitus at home?
“Yes, there are several strategies you can try at home,” said Dr. Wilkerson. “First off, protect your hearing and reduce your exposure to loud noises. Avoiding any further hearing loss can help prevent worsening of your tinnitus.”
Managing your stress level can also help. Increased stress is one of the most important factors involved in the condition becoming more severe. Try relaxation techniques like yoga, deep breathing or meditation to help reduce its intensity. The masking technique, where you use white noise or soft music, can also help to calm stress and reduce discomfort, especially at night.
Dr. Wilkerson also recommended maintaining your overall health and keeping up with a healthy diet. Regular exercise, eating balanced, healthy meals and managing any ongoing medical conditions like hypertension, TMJ or migraines can all have a positive impact on how the condition affects you and the comfort you feel in everyday life.
“Finally, I highly recommend limiting your intake of caffeine and alcohol,” said Dr. Wilkerson. “Both of these can make symptoms feel more severe in some people, and cutting back may help to reduce your symptoms.”
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