Even if no one else can hear the noises and doctors can’t diagnose tinnitus, the condition isn’t a hallucination or an imaginary disorder. But we still don’t know how it develops or how to get rid of it for good. We do know one thing, though – the most common causes of tinnitus are injury, illness, or some other kind of change in the ear. Here are some different ways that tinnitus can develop:
Tinnitus can develop in the inner ear following exposure to a sudden loud noise, or it can be linked to age-related hearing loss. These things can damage the sensory cells in the cochlea, resulting in some sounds only being faintly heard by the brain, or not heard at all. Hearing experts suspect that this makes the auditory response area in the brain try to ‘make up’ for the missing sounds – creating noise that isn’t there.
Some forms of tinnitus can’t be measured externally. This makes it difficult for doctors to determine the what might trigger it, which makes it even more difficult to treat. The cause of tinnitus could be in a number of different areas of the ear, in the nerves, or even in the brain. It could be caused by a problem with the eardrum, or by inflammation somewhere in the ear. In some patients, tinnitus may also be due to a malfunction in the brain . In this case, the tinnitus disappears if the auditory nerve is severed. Potential causes of the malfunction include meningitis or a tumor in the auditory center of the brain. In addition, tinnitus sometimes has a psychological cause.
For some people, tinnitus could be caused by problem in the brain. This is very rare, and could be linked to a much more serious condition like meningitis or a brain tumour.
Objective tinnitus is pretty unusual – it means that the noises in the ear can actually be detected by a doctor. In these cases, it’s often a problem with blood vessels in the ear or damage to the middle ear. Objective tinnitus is usually a side effect of another disorder like Ménière’s disease, a disorder of the inner ear. This kind of tinnitus can be treated with medication or surgery.
Recent studies have shown that people with tinnitus have been under stress more often than other people with ear, nose or throat problems. Tinnitus can be linked to long-term stress like work-related worries, or to a larger one-off incident such as a family bereavement.
Tinnitus could be a side effect of certain medication. Some some antidepressants and malaria treatments may trigger it. Certain types of pain relief, rheumatism medication and oral treatments for blood pressure could also play a part.
Loud noise is the most common trigger for tinnitus. If you regularly spend time in a noisy environment for years hearing protection, you’re at a much higher risk of developing tinnitus. It can also be brought on by a sudden, very loud noise. Click here to read our section about hearing protection.
Some hearing experts believe that alcohol and nicotine are linked to tinnitus.
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Sudden noises in the ear usually disappear on their own. But what can you do if the whistling or whooshing noises just won’t go away? If the noises last longer than 24 hours, you should seek the advice of an expert. The earlier you do something about tinnitus, the more treatable it is.
See your GP if you think you might have tinnitus. They can refer you to a specialist ear, nose and throat doctor.
Lifestyle adjustments like stress reduction, healthy habits, staying active, and protecting your ears in noisy environments can complement professional treatment. Developing coping strategies and seeking support from healthcare professionals and support groups can also help individuals better manage tinnitus and improve overall well-being.
Acute tinnitus (tinnitus that lasts less than three months) can be treated with medication like cortisone that stimulates circulation. For tinnitus that has been ongoing for more than three months, there are treatments that can help you cope long-term tinnitus. Your doctor can choose the right treatment depending on the type of noises you’re hearing.
The most successful method to help people living with tinnitus is called tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT). TRT aims to help you get to know your chronic tinnitus so that, over time, you’ll be able to start ignoring it. In other words, TRT helps your brain get used to the tinnitus so it no longer perceives it as strongly. TRT is best-suited to people who only hear slight or chronic noise.
Hearing aids with tinnitus noisers built in work in two ways:
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