It’s really common for individuals to experience tinnitus. Something like 20 million people routinely cope with chronic tinnitus so intense that it becomes burdensome. And there are also more prevalent presentations of tinnitus which are much more mild and sporadic and are also easier to deal with.
Tinnitus occurs when you hear a phantom noise, when you’re hearing a sound that no one else can hear. It may manifest as a persistent buzzing or ringing in the ears. Tinnitus is frequently related to hearing loss, but that doesn’t mean that one condition will immediately result in the other.
In fact, there are a significant variety of types of tinnitus. Managing these varieties of tinnitus will require different approaches.
What is tinnitus?
So, what is tinnitus and where does it come from? Well, it’s essential to mention that not all types of tinnitus are the same. Regardless of the specific cause, the symptoms will be similar. But it’s still crucial to determine the cause in order to effectively manage the symptoms.
For some individuals, tinnitus is the outcome of a neurological problem, like a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. Hearing loss related to age can be another aspect that can cause tinnitus. The following are some other potential causes:
- Neurological tinnitus: Tinnitus isn’t always caused by ear issues. Sometimes, the underlying cause lies within the brain. Neurological tinnitus is a result of injury to or problems with your baseline neurological functions. In other words, something has gone wrong with the typical ways that your brain and ear interact. The result is that you hear a phantom sound that may not be there. A stroke, concussion, or brain injury can all be the underlying sources of tinnitus, as well as others. In some situations, neurological tinnitus may go away as the brain heals. It might be irreversible in other instances.
- Subjective tinnitus: When only you can hear the sound of your tinnitus, which is really common, hearing specialists will refer to your condition as a subjective tinnitus. Lots of other forms of tinnitus also fall into this category. Neurological tinnitus, for instance, is frequently also subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus can present as lots of different sound types, including ringing, buzzing, squeals, whistles, roars, and others.
- Objective tinnitus: When the sound you’re hearing in your ears is a real, verifiable sound, it’s referred to as objective tinnitus. Objective tinnitus is not really as common as subjective tinnitus, but it still occurs. Typically, this means you’re dealing with something called pulsatile tinnitus, which happens when you’re hearing your pulse or circulatory system. Objective tinnitus causes those sounds to be unusually loud.
- Somatic tinnitus: Tinnitus sounds are often rather constant for many individuals coping with them. Both objective and subjective tinnitus have this attribute. With somatic tinnitus though, things are a bit different. This is tinnitus that gets worse with movement. Typically, somatic tinnitus is most susceptible to movement of the head or neck areas.
The majority of these types of tinnitus are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, you may have neurological tinnitus and subjective tinnitus. Determining the cause of your symptoms can help your hearing specialist choose the best tinnitus treatment strategy for your symptoms.
Getting help with your tinnitus
You most likely won’t need to take any specific action if your tinnitus symptoms are intermittent. But your quality of life can be seriously impacted if your tinnitus symptoms are fairly constant or keep coming back. That’s when it’s particularly important to talk to a hearing specialist to get specialized care and find some tinnitus relief.
We have a number of different tinnitus management methods we might try depending on the underlying cause of your symptoms. A few of these strategies can minimize the severity of your symptoms making them less obvious. Other treatment options can mask the sound you’re hearing.
Tinnitus can’t usually be cured, but it can be effectively managed. We will work with you to formulate treatments that work for your symptoms. That way, you can more easily disregard the buzzing or ringing in your ears, and get back to the life you love.