Invisibility is a very useful power in the movies. The characters can frequently do the impossible if they have the power of invisibility, whether it’s a spaceship with cloaking ability or a wizard with an invisibility cloak.
Invisible health conditions, unfortunately, are equally as potent and much less fun. Tinnitus, for example, is an incredibly common condition that impacts the ears. Regardless of how good you may look, there are no external symptoms.
But just because it’s invisible doesn’t mean tinnitus doesn’t have a considerable affect on individuals who experience symptoms.
What is tinnitus?
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 often hear after a rock concert or in a really quiet room? That’s tinnitus. Now, tinnitus is rather common (somewhere around 25 million people experience tinnitus yearly).
While ringing is the most typical manifestation of tinnitus, it’s not the only one. Noises like humming, whirring, crackling, clicking, and a number of others can manifest. Here’s the common denominator, anyone who has tinnitus is hearing sounds that aren’t actually there.
For most people, tinnitus will be a short-lived affair, it will come and go very quickly. But for somewhere between 2-5 million individuals, tinnitus is a chronic, sometimes incapacitating condition. Think about it like this: hearing that ringing in your ears for a few minutes is annoying, but you can distract yourself easily and move on. But what if you can’t be free from that sound, ever? Obviously, your quality of life would be significantly affected.
What causes tinnitus?
Have you ever had a headache and tried to narrow down the cause? Maybe it’s stress; maybe you’re getting a cold; maybe it’s allergies. A number of things can trigger a headache and that’s the challenge. The symptoms of tinnitus, though rather common, also have a large number of causes.
The source of your tinnitus symptoms may, in some cases, be obvious. But you may never really know in other situations. In general, however, tinnitus could be caused by the following:
- Meniere’s Disease: This is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause a large number of symptoms. Dizziness and tinnitus are among the first symptoms to appear. Permanent hearing loss can occur over time.
- Colds or allergies: If a lot of mucus backs up in your ears, it may cause some swelling. This inflammation can trigger tinnitus.
- High blood pressure: For some individuals, tinnitus may be the result of high blood pressure. Getting your blood pressure under control with the help of your physician is the best way to address this.
- Noise damage: Damage from loud noises can, over time, cause tinnitus symptoms to develop. One of the leading causes of tinnitus is exposure to loud noises and this is very prevalent. Using ear protection if extremely loud settings can’t be avoided is the best way to prevent this type of tinnitus.
- Head or neck injuries: Your head is rather sensitive! So head injuries, especially traumatic brain injuries (including concussions)–can end up producing tinnitus symptoms.
- Ear infections or other blockages: Swelling of the ear canal can be caused by things like seasonal allergies, a cold, or an ear infection. This sometimes triggers ringing in your ears.
- Hearing loss: Hearing loss and tinnitus are frequently closely associated. Partly, that’s because noise damage can also be a strong contributor to sensorineural hearing loss. Both of them have the same cause, in other words. But hearing loss can also worsen tinnitus, when the rest of the world seems quieter, that ringing in your ears can become louder.
- Certain medications: Tinnitus symptoms can be triggered by some over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Once you quit using the medication, the ringing will normally subside.
If you’re able to identify the cause of your tinnitus, managing it might become easier. For example, if an earwax obstruction is triggering ringing in your ears, clearing that earwax can relieve your symptoms. But the cause of their tinnitus symptoms may never be identified for some people.
How is tinnitus diagnosed?
Tinnitus that only persists a few minutes isn’t something that you really need to have diagnosed. Still, getting regular hearing tests is always a smart plan.
But you should absolutely make 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 affected, do a hearing test, and most likely discuss your medical history. Your symptoms can then be diagnosed utilizing this insight.
How is tinnitus treated?
Tinnitus isn’t a condition that has a cure. The strategy is management and treatment.
If your tinnitus is caused by a root condition, like an ear infection or a medication you’re using, then dealing with that underlying condition will lead to an improvement in your symptoms. However, if you have chronic tinnitus, there will be no underlying condition that can be easily addressed.
So controlling symptoms so they have a limited affect on your life is the objective if you have persistent tinnitus. There are a number of things that we can do to help. Among the most common are the following:
- A hearing aid: Sometimes, tinnitus becomes obvious because your hearing loss is making everything else relatively quieter. The buzzing or ringing will be less apparent when your hearing aid boosts the volume of the external world.
- A masking device: This is a device a lot like a hearing aid, except instead of boosting sounds, it masks sound. These devices produce exactly the right amount and type of sound to make your distinct tinnitus symptoms fade into the background.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: We might refer you to a different provider for cognitive behavior therapy. This technique uses therapy to help you learn to ignore the tinnitus sounds.
The treatment plan that we develop will be custom-designed to your specific tinnitus needs. The goal will be to help you control your symptoms so that you can go back to enjoying your life!
What should you do if you have tinnitus?
Tinnitus might be invisible, but the last thing you should do is pretend it isn’t there. Your symptoms will likely get worse if you do. You might be able to prevent your symptoms from worsening if you can get in front of them. At the very least, you should invest in hearing protection for your ears, be certain you’re wearing ear plugs or ear muffs whenever you’re around loud noises.
If you’re struggling with tinnitus, contact us, we can help.
