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Hearing Concerns
Contact us for a Tinnitus Evaluation
Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
Tinnitus commonly manifests as ringing in the ears in one or both ears. In some cases, the sound may be perceived as a buzzing, thumping, or whooshing sound. The noise isn’t actually caused by an external sound – other people can’t hear it.
Surprisingly, this condition is quite common, especially in older adults. It affects about 15%-20% of the population.
Tinnitus is usually triggered by an underlying condition such as an ear injury, age-related hearing loss, or problems with the circulatory system. For most people, the condition improves when the underlying cause is addressed. Treatments that reduce or mask the noise can also help make the sounds less disturbing or noticeable.
Several health conditions can trigger or worsen disturbing sounds. In most cases, an exact cause is never found.
Hearing loss
The ears have tiny, delicate hair cells that move when the ear receives sound waves. The movement triggers electrical impulses along the nerve that lines up the ear to the brain which the latter then converts into sound. Once the hairs in the inner ear are damaged, random electrical impulses may leak into the brain, thereby causing tinnitus.
Ear infection or ear canal blockage
Ideally, the ear canals should be free from any obstruction – earwax, fluid buildup, dirt, and other debris and foreign objects. Once there is a blockage, it can change the inner ear pressure which could lead to tinnitus.
Head or neck injuries
Trauma in the head or neck can greatly affect the inner ear, brain function, and hearing nerves. Such injuries, no matter how minor, could trigger tinnitus in one ear.
Medications
There are medications that may worsen or trigger tinnitus. The higher the dose of these medications, the worse tinnitus gets.
In most cases, the unwanted tinnitus noise disappears when the intake of the drugs ceases.
Medications known to trigger tinnitus include certain antibiotics, cancer drugs, water pills (diuretics), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antimalarial drugs, and antidepressants.
Less common causes include chronic health conditions, other ear problems, and injuries or medical conditions that affect the nerves in the ear or the hearing center of the brain.
Meniere’s disease
Tinnitus can be an early symptom of Meniere’s disease, a disorder of the inner ear that may be caused by the presence of abnormal inner ear fluid pressure.
Eustachian tube dysfunction
With Eustachian tube dysfunction, the tube of the inner ear connecting the middle ear and the upper throat remains open or expanded all the time, which could result in making your ear feel full.
Ear bone changes
When the bones in the middle ear stiffen, you may have a condition called otosclerosis. This condition can affect your hearing and cause tinnitus.
Muscle spasms in the inner ear
When the muscles in the inner ear tense up, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the ear could be triggered. Sometimes, this just happens for no explainable reason, but it could also be caused by multiple sclerosis and other neurologic diseases.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
People who have TMJ disorders can have tinnitus, as the joint on each side of the head to the front of the ears are affected.
Brain tumor or acoustic neuroma
Head, neck, or brain tumors may be underlying reasons behind tinnitus. Acoustic neuroma is a non-cancerous tumor that grows on the cranial nerve running from the brain to the inner ear, an area that controls hearing and balance.
Blood vessel disorders
Atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, or malformed blood vessels can cause blood to pass through your arteries and veins with more force than normal. This blood force could make thumping or pulsating sounds within the body more noticeable.
Anyone can experience tinnitus, but the factors below may increase the risk:
Loud noise exposure
Loud noises from heavy equipment, firearms, chainsaws, and airplanes are common sources of noise-related hearing loss. Long-term exposure to portable music devices can also cause noise-related hearing loss.
Age
As we age, the number of functioning nerve fibers in the ears declines. This could cause hearing problems often linked to tinnitus.
Sex
Men are more likely to experience tinnitus.
Tobacco and alcohol use
Based on medical data, smokers and alcoholics are at a higher risk of developing tinnitus.
Certain health problems
Cardiovascular problems, obesity, high blood pressure, and a history of arthritis or head injury may increase a person’s risk of tinnitus.
Tinnitus is very subjective and relative. Some people may not be bothered by the sounds while some suffer from the symptoms to the point of not being able to function properly in their daily routine. If you or a family member is experiencing the latter, it’s best to see a doctor.
You may also need to visit a doctor if you experience ringing in the ears after getting an upper respiratory infection or if the symptoms don’t improve within a week.
A trip to an emergency room may be needed if you experience dizziness or sudden hearing loss with ringing in the ears.
Untreated tinnitus may trigger anxiety or depression, so make sure to prioritize seeing a doctor if you are experiencing symptoms that may be debilitating to your mental health.
If you sense that the ringing in your ears is already getting in the way of your normal functioning, or if you are losing sleep and/or concentration, it’s best to have an appointment with a doctor so symptoms can be managed before the condition gets worse.
You may know there is no treatment or medication to cure tinnitus at this time. However, there are several effective management strategies to help reduce the negative impact tinnitus can have on a person’s quality of life.
Drs. Spencer and Davis are proud to have earned their Certificate Holder – Tinnitus Management (CH-TM), a certification program through the American Academy of Audiology.
Please contact our clinic if you are experiencing tinnitus.
As we mentioned, tinnitus is subjective and highly relative. Some people may ignore or be able to live with tinnitus symptoms while some are greatly affected to the point that their relationships and career are affected.
People with this condition may also experience the following:
While treating any linked medical condition may not affect tinnitus directly, it can help alleviate the symptoms and help patients live a better quality of life.
In most cases, tinnitus is merely the result of something that can’t actually be prevented. However, practicing these precautions won’t hurt and may even help prevent other hearing issues.
Using hearing protection
Exposure to loud sounds over time can greatly damage the nerves in the ears, causing ringing in the ears and hearing loss. It’s best to limit exposure to loud sounds if possible.
However, if you really can’t avoid being exposed to loud sounds, using correct hearing protection can help.
Take care of your cardiovascular health
Living a healthy lifestyle and eating a healthy and balanced diet can help keep the blood vessels healthy which can help prevent tinnitus linked to blood vessel disorders and obesity.
Are you ready to hear better?
Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
Tinnitus Diagnosis and Treatment - Sugar Land, Texas
Fort Bend Hearing offers a wide range of hearing healthcare services in Sugar Land, Texas. From hearing tests, and hearing aid fitting, to tinnitus diagnosis and treatment, we are ready to help you hear better.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment!