Tinnitus

Have you ever heard of the condition Tinnitus? How about ringing in your ears? Tinnitus is the perception that you are hearing sound in your ear, but in actuality there is an absence of external sounds. Tinnitus is not considered a disease. It is a symptom that may be occurring due to many factors such as: an ear infection, a foreign object, wax build-up in the ear or it may be from allergies that have led to a build-up of fluid that needs to drain. Tinnitus can be attributed to aging, a side effect of certain medications or due to congenital hearing loss. The main cause of tinnitus is due to a hearing loss from exposure to loud noises.

Sounds may be perceived as a ringing sound in one or both ears. However, it may be heard as high pitched whining, hissing, beeping, or similar to a tone heard during a hearing test. These sounds may be heard due to muscle spasms that cause a click or crackle in the middle ear. This may occur due to use of common medications such as aspirin. There are over 260 medications that cause tinnitus. It is most likely that most tinnitus is caused by listening to loud sounds repeatedly such as music. This exposure kills the hair cells in the ear and activates other auditory parts of the brain. This leads to a perception of sound.

Tinnitus may be permanent, so it is important to avoid loud noises that damage the hair cells of the ear. When you go to see a music performance, take ear plugs to minimize any damage that may occur.

If tinnitus is a condition that you are afflicted by, it may be helpful to purchase a white noise machine to prevent the perceived sounds from causing distress. I have had tinnitus as long as I can remember. I must always sleep with a fan running or the sound keeps me up all night. I get the least amount of sleep during a power outage!

This is what tinnitus sounds like!






Protect your ears from Tinnitus!