It’s very common for individuals to experience tinnitus. Something like 20 million people regularly suffer from chronic tinnitus so intense that it becomes burdensome. This doesn’t even count the more common types of tinnitus, which for most individuals can come and go without causing a major impact on their quality of life.
Tinnitus happens when you hear a phantom sound, when you’re hearing a sound that no one else can hear. It could manifest as a continual buzzing or ringing in the ears. Although hearing loss is frequently associated with tinnitus, there isn’t necessarily a cause-and-effect connection between the two.
As a matter of fact, tinnitus comes in a number of forms. And each one will require a different approach to treatment.
Tinnitus – exactly what is it?
So, what is tinnitus and where does it stem from? The first thing to recognize is that tinnitus comes in several forms and causes. The various causes of tinnitus will present with similar symptoms. But it’s still essential to identify the cause in order to effectively treat the symptoms.
For some individuals, tinnitus is the outcome of a neurological issue, like a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. Hearing loss due to age can be another aspect that can trigger tinnitus. The following are a few other possible causes:
- Neurological tinnitus: Tinnitus is not always caused by ear issues. Sometimes, the underlying cause lies within the brain. Neurological tinnitus is caused by injury to or issues with your baseline neurological functions. In other words, something has broken down with the normal ways that your brain and ear communicate. The outcome is that you hear a phantom sound that might not be there. A stroke, concussion, or brain injury can all be the underlying causes of tinnitus, as well as others. As the brain heals, neurological tinnitus will, in some situations, go away on its own. It might be permanent in other circumstances.
- Subjective tinnitus: When only you can hear the sound of your tinnitus, which is very common, hearing specialists will refer to your condition as a subjective tinnitus. This form of tinnitus comprises many other types of tinnitus also. Neurological tinnitus, for instance, is often also subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus can manifest as many different sound types, including ringing, buzzing, squeals, whistles, roars, and more.
- Objective tinnitus: When you have objective tinnitus, you’re hearing a real, verifiable, objective sound. Objective tinnitus isn’t really as common as subjective tinnitus, but it still occurs. Typically, this means you’re dealing with something called pulsatile tinnitus, which happens when you’re hearing your pulse or circulatory system. Objective tinnitus causes those sounds to be abnormally loud.
- Somatic tinnitus: For many people, the sound they hear with tinnitus is relatively constant. That’s true for both subjective and objective tinnitus. With somatic tinnitus though, things are a bit different. This is tinnitus that gets worse with movement. Usually, somatic tinnitus is most susceptible to movement of the head or neck areas.
Frequently, people will have more than one type of tinnitus at the same time. You may have subjective tinnitus and neurological tinnitus at the same time, for example. Determining the cause of your symptoms can help your hearing specialist choose the best tinnitus treatment strategy for your symptoms.
Getting assistance with your tinnitus
You probably won’t have to take any particular action if your tinnitus symptoms are intermittent. But your quality of life can be significantly impacted if your tinnitus symptoms are rather constant or keep coming back. That’s when it’s particularly important to speak with a hearing specialist to receive specialized care and find some relief from your tinnitus.
After we identify the root cause of your symptoms, there are a few treatment methods we can use. A few of these strategies can minimize the severity of your symptoms making them less evident. We might also utilize masking techniques to hide your symptoms.
Tinnitus can’t typically be cured, but it can be effectively managed. We will work with you to formulate treatments that work for your symptoms. This will help you enjoy life again by pushing your symptoms into the background where they can be more easily disregarded.
