Exploring the Causes and Effects of Tinnitus

The symptoms of tinnitus can vary quite significantly. You may hear an occasional phantom sound in one ear or both. It could be buzzing, ringing, whooshing or roaring. It is also possible for it to come and go, or for it to be loud and then soft. Sometimes, moving your neck, head, eyes or touching certain parts of your body can cause the symptom or change the volume. This is known as somatosensory tinnitus. In the case of tinnitus, a lot of it is subjective. This means that only you can hear the sounds.

What Are the Main Causes of Tinnitus?

There are numerous causes of tinnitus. One of them is noise exposure. A lot of people experience tinnitus after they are exposed to noise in the workplace, or at a sporting event. Tinnitus is one of the most common symptoms that veterans experience, because of the noise that they have been exposed to through gunfire, bomb blasts or machinery. Hearing loss can be caused by factors such as exposure to loud noise, and it is also associated with tinnitus. In some instances, tinnitus can be a side effect of taking medications. This is especially the case if you take them at a very high dose.

Less Common Factors

Some of the less common risk factors include Meniere’s disease, jaw joint issues and head injuries. If you have blood vessel problems, such as high blood pressure or malformations within the blood vessel then this can also lead to tinnitus. This isn’t as likely, as most of the time, noise exposure tends to be the underlying cause if you are experiencing tinnitus. If you don’t suspect that this is the case for you, then it’s worth chatting to your hearing health professional.

Effects of Tinnitus

Tinnitus can be tiring, to say the least. This is especially the case if you are in the early stages of it. You may find that it impacts your ability to work or even cope with day-to-day life. People with tinnitus may find that they experience extreme stress, frequent mood swings, depression, tension and irritability. Sleep problems, along with poor concentration are also issues that those who have tinnitus experience.

Treatments for Tinnitus

If you are experiencing tinnitus then there are various treatment options available. Some of them include getting a hearing aid with a masking feature, a sound machine or tinnitus retraining therapy. It is also possible for you to undergo lifestyle modifications, such as quitting smoking and drinking. If you suspect that your tinnitus is the result of you having too much earwax then you can undergo earwax removal.

Most of the time, however, a hearing aid with a masking feature is the best option. If you want to eliminate as much of the tinnitus as possible then it’s wise for you to chat with a hearing health professional. They can then assess how severe your tinnitus is, so you can make sure that you are getting a hearing aid that suits your requirements.