Causes of Tinnitus
As you may be aware, several underlying health problems can cause tinnitus or make it worse. In the vast majority of cases, the exact cause is never found by conventional doctors. That said, there are some things that we do know for a certain about underlying causes.
First, it is important to realize that most types of tinnitus are caused by damage to the delicate hairs that move as sound waves enter your ear. As these hairs move, they trigger a neurological cascade that includes the recognition and perception of sounds by your brain. If the hairs inside your ear become damaged or broken, they will trigger that neurological cascade even if no sound is present.
Aside from direct damage to the ear or auditory nerves, some chronic health issues or injury can also have a harmful impact on the auditory pathways. Here are just a few tinnitus causes to consider:
Hearing loss that occurs with age: Even though some hearing loss is normal as we get older, the damaging effects of loud noises over a lifetime can still cause tinnitus. In fact, many people over the age of 60 experience age related hearing loss or presbycusis as a prelude to tinnitus.
Loud noises: No matter how much you may love turning up the TV or listening to rock music with the headphones on maximum volume, it is every bit as damaging to your ears as the sound of chainsaws, firearms, and other loud noises. In fact, even if you go to a loud concert or experience other loud sounds, you may suffer from short term tinnitus afterward. Unfortunately, there is no way to determine when that temporary problem will evolve into a permanent one.
Buildup of earwax: It is important to note that some earwax is needed to keep the ear canal free of dirt and bacteria. If too much builds up, or becomes too hard, it will progress closer to the ear drum. As earwax becomes impacted, hearing loss and tinnitus can easily result.
Changes to the ear bones: interestingly enough, there is a hereditary condition, otosclerosis, where the bones in the middle ear become stiffer over time.
Some less common tinnitus causes include:
Tinnitus Causes 1: Meniere’s disease – Even though this disorder is still something of a mystery, doctors believe that tinnitus can result when inner ear fluid pressure is abnormal, or the fluid itself as an unusual composition.
Tinnitus Causes 2: Depression and stress – while it is hard to determine which disease occurs first, they often go together and may even create a negative biofeedback loop.
Tinnitus Causes 3: TMJ Problems – if the joints, muscles, and nerves around your jaw are out of balance, or damaged, it can both cause and make tinnitus even worse. In addition, if TMJ is related to issues with your feet, it may be very hard to find the actual culprit.
Tinnitus Causes 4: Neck and Head Injuries – It goes without saying that damage to any of the cranial nerves, or muscles in this area can have a negative impact on hearing as well as the way your ears trigger in relation to sound.
Tinnitus Causes 5: Tumors – acoustic neuromas or vestibular schwannoma, and other benign tumors along the cranial nerve can also cause tinnitus. These tumors usually cause tinnitus in just one ear and may also cause issues with balance.
A wide range of blood vessel disorders can also lead to tinnitus. This tinnitus cause includes:
- pressure on blood vessels caused by tumors (vascular neoplasms) in the head and neck
- atherosclerosis – hardening of the arteries caused by cholesterol and fat buildups can lead to tinnitus. This is especially common if the carotid arteries or blood vessels near the ear are affected. In addition, even if the smaller blood vessels in the ear lose their ability to flex naturally with each heart beat, that sound will trigger an auditory cascade.
- High blood pressure, as well as temporary increases caused by consuming caffeine or alcohol.
- Turbulent blood flow – if restrictions occur in the carotid artery or jugular veins, it can cause tinnitus.
- Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) – if the capillaries which serve to connect blood vessels and deliver blood to body tissue are malformed, the aberration may lead to tinnitus in one ear.
If you suffer from tinnitus that have high pitches, you may benefit from sound therapy as tinnitus treatment. To be able to receive a sound therapy that is tailored to Tinnitus that you suffer from, you must go to a special center that works to figure out what type of tinnitus that you suffer from. Electronic devices and computers work to replicate the exact level of ringing sensations that a individual suffers from. Once this is achieved, patients will then be issued a half hour to an hour’s worth of therapy that is known as “sound cancellation”. Once a effective sound cancellation is achieved, the person will receive this on a CD.
It is believed that when this is listened to, it actually drowns out the irritating sounds typically heard by the ears. Additionally to this procedure, it has been confirmed that doing something as simple as listening music in the background can be successful tinnitus treatment.
Read more about a complete tinnitus treatment.