“Ringing” in your ears, buzzing, clicking noises, a constant humming only you can hear — there are lots of ways to describe the symptoms associated with tinnitus, a common hearing problem affecting as many as 25% of adults and many kids, too. While some types of tinnitus clear up over time (particularly symptoms associated with acute issues, like ear infections), chronic tinnitus can take a significant toll on your life and your hearing, too.
At ENT Specialists, our team uses advanced techniques to get to the root cause of tinnitus, helping patients find relief from their tinnitus symptoms while protecting their hearing from further damage. In this post, learn why tinnitus happens and how this common issue can be an early indicator of permanent hearing problems.
Tinnitus happens when you can hear sounds, even though no external source is present. Instead, these sounds emanate from inside your head, occurring intermittently or continuously and affecting one or both ears.
While different conditions can lead to tinnitus, researchers still aren’t sure why the symptoms occur. They theorize that the sensation of sound may be caused by abnormal interactions between the nerves responsible for hearing and other parts of the brain. Others posit inner ear changes could be the underlying cause.
What researchers do know for sure is that tinnitus is associated with specific underlying issues, like:
Tinnitus symptoms may also be associated with certain chronic conditions, like thyroid disorders, migraines, autoimmune disorders, and diabetes. Many of these issues damage the tiny hair cells inside the ear that are responsible for transmitting noises to your brain.
Tinnitus is frequently associated with hearing loss. In fact, many people notice the symptoms of tinnitus before they become aware of other symptoms of hearing loss, meaning tinnitus can sometimes act as an early warning sign.
While not dangerous on its own, tinnitus needs to be evaluated as early as possible to identify underlying issues that could be playing a role, including infections, tumors, or hearing problems. Sometimes, underlying causes can’t be identified — but tinnitus treatment can still help relieve annoying symptoms.
Tinnitus treatment begins with a hearing test, a review of your symptoms and your health history, a physical exam of your ears, and sometimes, a CT scan of your head and hearing system. Depending on your risk factors and other considerations, we may order lab tests, too.
Once we have the results of your tests, we prescribe a treatment plan based on any underlying factors we find, like better management of diabetes, earwax removal, or infection treatment. Depending on your specific underlying factors, we may refer you to an outside specialist — for instance, a vascular specialist or a neurologist.
Many people with tinnitus have no identifiable underlying cause, especially people who have had prolonged exposure to loud noises. In these instances, our team provides treatment options focused on managing your symptoms with hearing aids or a masking device that “interrupts” tinnitus sounds with other sounds. Your therapy will be tailored to your specific symptoms and needs to improve your quality of life and protect your hearing from further damage.
Bottom line: While tinnitus can be an early sign of hearing loss, it can be caused by other problems, too. Early diagnosis is essential for relieving symptoms and preventing further problems, including permanent loss of hearing.
If you have tinnitus, scheduling an evaluation is the first step toward protecting your hearing and your health. To schedule your evaluation, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at ENT Specialists in Salt Lake City, Murray, Draper, and Tooele, Utah, today.
