Tinnitus: Ear and Identified Underlying Cause
Introduction to Tinnitus
Tinnitus (TIN-i-tus) is noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people. Tinnitus isn't a condition itself — it's a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder.
Although bothersome, tinnitus usually isn't a sign of something serious. Although it can worsen with age, for many people, tinnitus can improve with treatment. Treating an identified underlying cause sometimes helps. Other treatments reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable.
Symptoms
Tinnitus involves the annoying sensation of hearing sound when no external sound is present. Tinnitus symptoms include these types of phantom noises in your ears:
Ringing Buzzing Roaring Clicking Whistling Hissing
The phantom noise may vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal, and you may hear it in one or both ears. In some cases, the sound can be so loud it can interfere with your ability to concentrate or hear actual sound. Tinnitus may be present all the time, or it may come and go.
If you have tinnitus that bothers you, see your doctor. Make an appointment to see your doctor if you develop tinnitus after an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold, and your tinnitus doesn't improve within a week. See your doctor as soon as possible if you have tinnitus that occurs suddenly or without an apparent cause, or if you have hearing loss or dizziness with the tinnitus.
Causes
A number of health conditions can cause or worsen tinnitus. In many cases, an exact cause is never found. A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear cell damage. Tiny, delicate hairs in your inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This triggers ear cells to release an electrical signal through a nerve from your ear (auditory nerve) to your brain. Your brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken, they can "leak" random
Tinnitus (TIN-i-tus) is noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people. Tinnitus isn't a condition itself — it's a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder.
Although bothersome, tinnitus usually isn't a sign of something serious. Although it can worsen with age, for many people, tinnitus can improve with treatment. Treating an identified underlying cause sometimes helps. Other treatments reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable.
Symptoms
Tinnitus involves the annoying sensation of hearing sound when no external sound is present. Tinnitus symptoms include these types of phantom noises in your ears:
Ringing Buzzing Roaring Clicking Whistling Hissing
The phantom noise may vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal, and you may hear it in one or both ears. In some cases, the sound can be so loud it can interfere with your ability to concentrate or hear actual sound. Tinnitus may be present all the time, or it may come and go.
If you have tinnitus that bothers you, see your doctor. Make an appointment to see your doctor if you develop tinnitus after an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold, and your tinnitus doesn't improve within a week. See your doctor as soon as possible if you have tinnitus that occurs suddenly or without an apparent cause, or if you have hearing loss or dizziness with the tinnitus.
Causes
A number of health conditions can cause or worsen tinnitus. In many cases, an exact cause is never found. A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear cell damage. Tiny, delicate hairs in your inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This triggers ear cells to release an electrical signal through a nerve from your ear (auditory nerve) to your brain. Your brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken, they can "leak" random