Tinnitus is a really common medical condition. Tinnitus can become so extreme that it becomes a burden to live with for around 20 million people around the world. And there are also more prevalent presentations of tinnitus which are a lot more mild and sporadic and are also easier to cope with.
Tinnitus happens when you hear a phantom noise, when you’re hearing a sound that no one else can hear. This might be a ringing in the ears or a buzzing sound you can’t shake. Tinnitus is frequently related to hearing loss, but that doesn’t mean that one condition will automatically lead to the other.
As a matter of fact, tinnitus comes in numerous forms. Treating these varieties of tinnitus will require different approaches.
Tinnitus – exactly what is it?
Exactly what is tinnitus and what are its causes? Well, it’s essential to mention that not all kinds of tinnitus are the same. Regardless of the specific cause, the symptoms will be similar. But distinguishing the cause can be essential to finding the correct treatment approach.
For some individuals, tinnitus is the result of a neurological issue, like a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. In other instances, tinnitus might result from age-related hearing loss. The following are a few other potential causes:
- Neurological tinnitus: Problems with the ear aren’t always the cause of tinnitus. The brain itself can sometimes be the cause. Neurological tinnitus is a result of injury to or problems with your baseline neurological functions. In other words, something has broken down with the typical ways that your brain and ear interact. The outcome is that you hear a phantom sound that might not be there. Neurological tinnitus can be due to concussion, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and others. In some situations, neurological tinnitus might go away as the brain heals. It may be irreversible in other instances.
- Subjective tinnitus: With subjective tinnitus, the sound you’re hearing is phantom and has no external source and no one else can hear it. This type of tinnitus includes many other forms of tinnitus also. For example, neurological tinnitus can also be subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus can present as many different sound types, including ringing, buzzing, squeals, whistles, roars, and more.
- Objective tinnitus: With objective tinnitus, you’re hearing a real, verifiable, objective sound. Objective tinnitus does occur, though it’s not as common as subjective forms. Pulsatile tinnitus, which is when you hear your heartbeat or pulse, is an illustration of this type of tinnitus. For individuals with objective tinnitus, that pulsing sound usually seems louder than it should.
- Somatic tinnitus: Tinnitus sounds are often rather constant for many people coping with them. Both objective and subjective tinnitus have this attribute. However, somatic tinnitus is different. This form of tinnitus becomes more extreme when you move around. Typically, somatic tinnitus is most susceptible to movement of the head or neck areas.
Often, people will have more than one form of tinnitus simultaneously. For instance, you may have neurological tinnitus and subjective tinnitus. Figuring out the cause of your symptoms can help your hearing specialist choose the best tinnitus treatment options for your symptoms.
Getting assistance with your tinnitus
If your tinnitus is here this minute and gone the next, you probably don’t need to do anything about it. But if your tinnitus hangs around or comes back frequently, it could have real and severe impacts on your everyday life. When that occurs, your best plan to get some relief is to contact us for a consultation.
After we determine the root cause of your symptoms, there are a few treatment strategies we can utilize. A few of these techniques can minimize the severity of your symptoms making them less obvious. Other treatment solutions can mask the sound you’re hearing.
Tinnitus can’t generally be cured, but it can be successfully managed. We will help you customize the best treatment for your particular situation. This will help you enjoy life again by moving your symptoms into the background where they can be more easily ignored.