What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus (Tinnitus) is commonly referred to as a ringing sound in the ear, sometimes appearing as ringing, fluttering, whistling, clicking, or continuous ringing in the ear. Tinnitus varies by nature depending on the problem causing it. It varies from person to person; it may be noisy by nature or quiet, with a high or low tone, may persist all the time or come intermittently, and is usually accompanied by weakness in the hearing of external sounds, Tinnitus occurs in both ears, or is confined to one. Tinnitus is a common problem, affecting one out of every five people.
Types of tinnitus
Tinnitus is divided into two main types:
- Tinnitus personal This type is associated with health problems in the outer, middle, or inner parts of the ear, due to a problem in the auditory nerves, or the special parts of the ear. Interpretation of sounds in the brain.
- Objective Tinnitus : A tinnitus that can be seen by the patient and the doctor tester head, a rare type of tinnitus, and is caused by the presence of problems in the blood vessels, or problems in the bones of the central ear, or as a result of muscle contraction.
Causes of Tinnitus
Tinnitus is not a disease in itself; it is an indication of a satisfactory problem in the auditory system, which consists of the ear, the auditory nerves that connect the inner ear and brain, the parts of the brain responsible for hearing. Tinnitus may also be associated with many diseases and disorders Which does not follow the auditory system in the body, so the tinnitus has many reasons, the most important of which:
- Accumulation of wax or gum in the ear, and closure of the ear canal, or what is known as the channel Astacios.
- Hearing loss associated with age, where hearing loss decreases with age, especially after the age of 60, and this is accompanied by the feeling of tonsils in the ear most of the time.
- Hearing loss caused by noise, constant exposure to loud sounds leads to tinnitus, and prolonged exposure to these sounds destroy the sensory cells in the inner ear responsible for transmitting sounds to the brain, resulting in progressive hearing loss.
- Inflammation of the ear or sinus.
- Changes in the bones of the ear.
- Heart disease, vascular problems, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, abnormalities in capillaries, or tumors in the head or neck.
- Brain tumors.
- Thyroid disorders.
- Hormonal changes in the woman’s body.
- There are more than 200 types of medications that may cause tinnitus when starting or stopping them, including some antibiotics, depression drugs, diuretics, cancer drugs, and others.
- Despite multiple causes of tinnitus, it may not be associated with a known and apparent cause in some people, which in most cases does not indicate a serious health problem.
Tinnitus factors
Continuous exposure to loud sounds, as soldiers and musicians do, working in factories and construction sites is one of the most important factors that increase the risk of ear infection. Other factors that make a person more susceptible to this problem include aging, smoking, cardiovascular disease, Men are more likely to develop ear infections than women.
When to turn to the doctor
The doctor recommends that you visit the doctor when the tinnitus becomes annoying and affects the patient’s normal life. Also check with your doctor if the tinnitus associated with upper respiratory infection continues for more than a week, or if the tinnitus suddenly occurs without a clear cause, Pain or gonorrhea or inflammation of the ear, as well as if the patient felt weak or hearing loss, or the owner of the buzziness feeling dizzy and dizziness.
Tinnitus Treatment
Tinnitus treatment depends mainly on determining the cause of this tinnitus and trying to treat it, as follows:
- Try to clean the ear and withdraw the glue accumulated inside it by the doctor, if it is the expected cause of the tinnitus.
- If the cause of an ear infection, an appropriate antibiotic can be given to treat ear inflammation, and a drop of hydrocortisone to relieve itching.
- Surgery can be used in the case of a tumor, a lump or a hardening of the ear bones.
- Some medications can be used in the treatment of tinnitus, such as anti-anxiety drugs, depression and others, and should be dispensed by the doctor.
- If the tinnitus is caused by hearing loss, it is possible to use a hearing aid.
- In cases where the tinnitus is annoying and not known, it is possible to use a sound-sensing device, where the device produces a sound or a pleasant tone that overshadows the annoying sound caused by the tinnitus.
- Cognitive therapy, which relies on helping the patient to adapt to the tinnitus, is best to be used along with other means of treatment such as the use of devices or medication.
Coexistence with tinnitus
Many tips can be given to the patient with an ear infection to help him cope with this problem and alleviate it, including:
- Trying to identify the triggers that make the tinnitus worse, Tinnitus may be exacerbated in some patients after eating certain foods, drinks or medications. They vary from patient to patient. The patient should identify and avoid these stimuli, including caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, Energy drinks, soft drinks and others, as well as drinking alcohol, taking aspirin and salty foods.
- Stop smoking habit, it is known that cigarette smoking makes the problem of tinnitus worse.
- Avoid sitting in a silent atmosphere. Tinnitus becomes more annoying in the quiet, so it is recommended to add a light sound in the sitting area, such as playing quiet music, running the fan or adaptive device, listening to the radio, etc.
- Get enough sleep every day. Fatigue and fatigue make the problem of tinnitus more troublesome.