Ringing in the ears (tinnitus): symptoms, medications, etc. • hello healthy

Definition

What is ringing in the ears (tinnitus)?

Ringing in the ears, or in medical language called tinnitus, is the sensation of ringing or ringing in the ears as a result of a condition. Tinnitus is usually associated with hearing loss as you age, ear injuries, or circulatory disorders.

Tinnitus can occur in one or both of your ears. Generally, ringing ears are divided into two types, namely:

1. Objective tinnitus

Objective tinnitus is a condition when you and others can hear noise in your ears. This condition occurs due to abnormal blood vessels in and around the ear. Objective tinnitus is a rare condition.

2. Subjective tinnitus

Subjective tinnitus is a ringing ear condition that is more common than other types. In this state, only you can hear roaring, ringing, and other sounds.

It can also be caused by problems with your hearing nerves and the part of the brain that interprets certain signals as sound.

Though bothersome, tinnitus is not a serious sign. This ringing ear condition can worsen with age. However, for some people, this ear condition can improve with treatment.

How common is this condition?

Ringing in the ears is relatively common in people of all ages. About 1 in 5 people experience this.

Women usually experience more often than men. You can prevent ringing in your ears by reducing your risk factors or treating them according to the cause. Please discuss with your doctor for more information.

Signs and symptoms

What are the symptoms of tinnitus?

A common symptom of tinnitus is that you hear a sound without a clear source, which can include:

• Ring
• Buzz
• Roar
• Click
• Hissing

Reporting from Harvard Health Publishing, tinnitus is a symptom of a hearing condition. Some people who have ringing in their ears may also experience symptoms:

• Insomnia
• Difficulty communicating
• Depression
• Frustration
• Easily offended

In addition, depending on the cause of your ringing in the ears, you may also experience:

• Hearing loss
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Ear pain
• Gag

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have any signs or symptoms of ringing in the ears or any other questions, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition.

Cause

What causes this condition?

In some people, ringing in the ears is caused by the following conditions:

1. Age-related hearing loss

For most people, this condition occurs around the age of 60. Hearing loss can lead to tinnitus. The medical term for this type of hearing loss is presbycusis.

2. Hearing loud noises for a long or short period of time

Loud sounds, such as those from heavy equipment, chainsaws, and firearms, can cause noise-related hearing loss. Listening to music using headset It can also cause ringing in the ears if you listen to it aloud for a long time.

Tinnitus is a condition that can go away on its own if it occurs as a result of hearing loud noises for a short time, such as attending a music concert. However, both short and long term exposure can cause permanent damage.

3. Earwax blockage

Earwax or fluid protects your ear canal by trapping wax and slowing the growth of bacteria. When you have too much earwax, it can be difficult to get rid of it naturally.

Ear wax blockage can result in hearing loss or irritation of the eardrum can occur, which can lead to tinnitus.

4. Changes in ear bones

Stiffness of the bones in the middle ear (otosclerosis) can affect your hearing and cause tinnitus. This condition is caused by abnormal bone growth and tends to run in families.

Another cause of tinnitus

Some of the other less common conditions that can cause tinnitus are:

1. Meniere's disease

Tinnitus can be an early indication of Meniere's disease, an inner ear disorder that may be caused by abnormal inner ear fluid pressure.

2. TMJ disorders

Problems with the temporomandibular joint, which is the joint on each side of the head in front of the ear, where your lower jawbone meets the skull, can cause tinnitus.

3. Head or neck injury

Head or neck injuries can affect the inner ear, the auditory nerve, or brain function related to hearing. Some accidents usually cause tinnitus in one ear only.

4. Acoustic neuroma

This condition is a non-cancerous, benign tumor on the nerve that extends from your brain to your inner ear. These nerves control balance and hearing.

This condition, also known as vestibular schwannoma, is a condition that causes tinnitus in only one ear.

5. Eustachian tube dysfunction

In this condition, the tube in the ear that connects your middle ear to your upper throat continues to enlarge all the time. This makes your ears feel full.

Losing large amounts of weight, pregnancy, and radiation therapy are some of the conditions that can cause this disorder.

6. Muscle spasms in the inner ear

The muscles in the inner ear can tighten (spasm) and cause tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. This occurs for no apparent reason, but it can also be caused by neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis.

7. Treatment

In general, the higher the dosage of these medicines, the worse the tinnitus is. Ringing in the ears can occur because of the side effects of using drugs, which contain:

• High doses of aspirin, or more than 12 daily doses for a long time
• Diuretic drugs, such as bumetanide
• Anti-malarial drugs, such as chloroquine
• Antibiotics with the suffix "-mysin", such as erythromycin and gentamicin
• Certain cancer drugs, such as vincristine

In addition, some herbal supplements, such as nicotine and caffeine are other causes of tinnitus.

8. Blood vessel disorders related to tinnitus

In rare cases, tinnitus is a condition caused by blood vessel disorders. This type is called pulsatile tinnitus. Some of the causes of tinnitus due to blood vessel disorders are:

• Atherosclerosis: increasing age and accumulation of cholesterol and other deposits make the middle ear lose elasticity. As a result, the blood flow is stronger, and you are more sensitive to beats / sounds.
• Head and neck tumors:ringing in the ears when a tumor presses on a blood vessel in the head or neck.
• High blood pressure: hypertension and factors that increase blood pressure can make ringing in the ears easier to feel.
• Turbulent blood flow: narrowing of the arteries or veins in the neck can cause irregular blood flow, leading to ringing in the ears.
• Capillary malformation (arteriovenous malformation / AVM) (AVM): an abnormal connection between the arteries and veins that causes ringing in the ears.

Risk factors

What puts me at risk for ringing in my ears?

Some of the risk factors for tinnitus are:

• Exposure to loud noises. Listening to loud noises for a long time can damage the sensory hair cells in your ears.
• Aging factor which causes damage to the cochlea and other parts of the ear, such as the eardrum, can sometimes trigger ringing in the ear on the right or left.
• Gender. This condition is more common in men than women.
• Smoke. Smokers have a greater risk of ringing in the ears
• Cardiovascular problems. Conditions related to your blood flow, such as high blood pressure or narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), can increase your risk of ringing in your ears.

Diagnosis and treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition diagnosed?

The ways tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is diagnosed are:

• Hearing test (audiology). You will sit in a soundproof room using the earphones which will play a specific sound.
• Movement. The doctor will ask you to move your eyes, clench your jaw, or move your neck, arms, and legs.
• Imaging Tests. This examination can be a CT or MRI scan.
• The sound you hear. The sound is in the form of a clatter / crowd / hum / heartbeat / ring.

How to treat ringing in the ears (tinnitus)?

Tinnitus treatment will usually depend on the cause. The following are treatment options that might treat tinnitus.

1. Adjust the treatment of disease

People who experience tinnitus because of the side effects of medication will adjust their drug consumption by stopping or reducing the dose.

2. Clean earwax

Cleaning earwax can also treat this condition. However, if ringing in the ears is caused by Meniere's disease, the condition will usually persist even after treatment.

3. Sound therapy

Sound therapy for tinnitus is a method that uses outside sounds to change the patient's perception or reaction to the ringing sound. This therapy does not specifically cure left or right ear ringing.

Sound therapy is carried out in four ways, namely:

• Masking : This method serves to provide the patient with a loud enough volume sound outside, partly or completely, to cover the buzzing sound in their ears.
• Using distraction: This method uses sound from outside to distract the patient from the sound of tinnitus.
• Habituation: This method helps the patient's brain to know which tinnitus sound to ignore and which sound to hear.
• Neuromodulation: This method uses a special sound to minimize overactive nerves, as this is thought to be the cause of tinnitus.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat ringing in the ears?

Lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with tinnitus are:

1. Suck on candy

Not only does it relieve motion sickness, sucking on candy can actually help you overcome ringing in your ears while driving.

Sucking or sucking on candy as the plane starts to land allows air to flow up the Eustachian tube. This also applies when you swallow, yawn, or chew.

2. Regulate breathing

Try taking a deep breath, then exhaling slowly with your mouth closed while squeezing / covering your nose (valsalva maneuver). This way, no air is blown out, but you will gently push the air into the Eustachian tube.

If you do this, you will feel your ear 'pop' as a sign that air is being pushed into the middle ear. This is often done to treat ringing in the ears.

3. Yawn

Yawning also has the same benefits as swallowing and chewing. That is why, this method is also believed to be able to help you deal with ringing ears when driving.

4. Using hearing aids

Using special hearing aids can help dull unwanted sounds and can help reduce tinnitus. This tool, which is intended for patients with tinnitus, is known as masking hearing aid.

5. Avoid very loud sounds

Exposure to loud sounds can cause hearing loss (deafness) and other ear problems. Loud sounds including heavy machinery or construction equipment, gunshots, car accidents, or loud concerts can trigger acute tinnitus.

Adjust the volume when listening to music or calling, not too loud or too long. Especially if you use earphones or headphones.

6. Don't wear cotton bud to clean the ears

To deal with ringing in the ears, many people immediately use it cotton bud because he thought there was wax clogging the ears. Even though, cotton bud it is at risk of causing blockages in the ear, ear infections, and ear damage.

Do not put anything in your ear canal to prevent irritation or harm to the inner ear. This will not help treat ringing in the ears. Better to go straight to the doctor and ask the doctor to clean your ears.

7. Avoid using drugs or alcohol

Research has found that some medications can make tinnitus symptoms worse. For example, pain relievers. In addition, smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages can worsen tinnitus.

8. Reduce inflammation and chronic stress

Inflammation in the body can increase the risk of ear problems, such as ear infections, hearing loss, and vertigo. Unhealthy eating patterns, poor lifestyle, and can also reduce immunity and lead to nerve damage, allergies, and ear problems.

Therefore, one of the best ways to deal with persistent ringing in ears due to tinnitus is to live a healthy lifestyle. For example, by maintaining health, eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, managing stress, and getting adequate rest.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.