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Have you ever walked out of a loud environment such as a sporting arena, music venue, or even a restaurant and noticed your ears ringing? Although that sound was present in the loud environment, it might not have been noticeable until you stepped into the quieter outdoors. Perhaps you didn’t notice that sound until you laid your head on the pillow ready to fall asleep.
Although this experience is temporary and commonly experienced, what if the sound did not go away? The experience of prolonged sound without a source, such as ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing, humming is known as tinnitus, and its effects are remarkable, affecting 15 to 20 percent of all people.
Types of Tinnitus
There are two main types of tinnitus. The first, subjective tinnitus, is a sound that only the individual experiencing it can hear. It tends to be caused by a problem along the pathway between the ear and the brain, also known as the auditory nervous system. The second type, objective tinnitus, is quite rare. This type is caused by a sound in the body that can actually be heard by a doctor with the right tools. Let’s take a moment to consider that first type of subjective tinnitus, including the causes and available treatments.
Causes of Tinnitus
Most tinnitus is caused by damage to the tiny hair-like cells of the inner ear. When these hair cells work as they are intended, they send along electrical impulses to the brain that differ according to the type of sound they have detected. These delicate cells are able to detect subtle differences in sound with a remarkable degree of precision.
However, if these hair-like cells are bent or broken, they can sometimes send along an electrical interference that registers as sound. There are many causes of these bent or broken cells. The most common causes of this type of damage leading to tinnitus are age-related hearing loss and exposure to loud noise. Although your mind might go immediately to the loud sound associated with an explosion, car crash, or industrial labor, you might be surprised at some of the other sounds that can cause tinnitus. The volume of sound coming from your own earbuds or headphones can be sufficient to cause this type of hearing damage.
Although exposure to loud sound from a concert, sporting event, or dance club usually only causes temporary ringing in the ears, it can also have the effect of permanent damage. In addition to the common causes of tinnitus, more rare causes such as earwax buildup, Meniere’s disease, TMJ, injuries, muscle spasms, and changes in bone structure can all be causes of tinnitus, as well.
Treatments for Tinnitus
The best form of treatment for tinnitus is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Limiting your exposure to loud sound is the best preventative measure, and you can wear hearing protection when you know you will be subjected to loud sounds in places such as sporting arenas, music clubs, or even restaurants. Turning down the volume on music and video devices is also a good preventative measure, especially when that sound is projected directly into the ears with headphones or earbuds.
Beyond these basic preventative measures, there are treatments available to reduce the effect of tinnitus. If the tinnitus stems from a biological cause, it may be possible to solve the underlying issue whether it is earwax removal, changing a medication, or managing the circulatory system. For those who have subjective tinnitus due to hearing damage, treatments have a wide range, as well.
The best treatment has been to project a sound to the ears that cancels out, or “masks,” the sound of the tinnitus. This treatment can come from a white noise machine, targeted masking device, or hearing aids. Indeed, hearing aids are among the most effective treatments for tinnitus, because they can be tailored to the individual condition and projected directly to the ears at the appropriate volume without disturbing others.
If you struggle with tinnitus, don’t delay seeking treatment. The emotional and mental effects of constant ringing or other sound in the ears can be stressful, disturbing, and impossible to ignore. Take steps today to seek treatment!