Tinnitus

What is it?

Constant ringing noise that from inside the body in one or both ears or in head.

Tinnitus is generally broken down into two types:

Subjective tinnitus

Very common and is defined as a sound that is audible only to the person with tinnitus.
Subjective tinnitus is a purely electrochemical phenomenon and cannot be heard by an outside observer no matter how hard they try.

Objective tinnitus

Far less common, is defined as a sound that arises from an “objective” source, such as mechanical defect or a specific sound source, and can be heard by an outside observer under favourable conditions.
The sounds from objective tinnitus occur somewhere within the body and reach the ears by conduction through various body tissues.
Objective tinnitus is usually caused by disorders affecting the blood vessels (vascular system) or muscles (muscular system).
In muscular tinnitus, the sound is often described as a “clicking” noise and is usually associated with myoclonus affecting muscles near – or in – the ear. Myoclonus is an involuntary spasm or jerking of a muscle or group of muscles caused by abnormal muscular contractions and relaxations.

National Organisation for Rare disorders

Progressive hearing loss

If one is asked to hum, they hear the sound loudest in their deaf ear, they have conductive progressive hearing (presbycusis) loss rather than tinnitus.

Cause

No known cause
Loud and very noisy areas:
- Noise exposure from earphones
- Noise exposure in or outside of the workplace
- Brief noise exposure
Age (as one gets older)
Nerve damage
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
Cold and flu (infection)
Injury to head
Brain tumour
Build up of wax
Glue ear
Infections i.e.
- Meningitis (short or long term complication)
- Middle ear infection
Otosclerosis (bone growth in middle ear causing hearing loss)
Meniere’s disease
Perforated ear drum
Cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSF)
Chiari malformations
Polycythemia vera
Essential Thrombocythemia
Alteration of blood flow causing increase sensitivity to hearing
Pulsatile tinnitus: the tinnitus sounds like a pulse.
- It is usually due to a problem with the blood circulation (such as carotid stenosis, a narrowing of the carotid artery as it passes through the neck).
- This type of tinnitus can sometimes be heard by other people (objective tinnitus), it beats in time with the pulse (synchronous) and/or heartbeat.
- Sometimes one can develop a pulsatile tinnitus which is not in time with the pulse (non-synchronous) i.e. is palatal myoclonus, a condition in which the muscles of the palate go into spasm.
Atherosclerosis – (When blood arteries narrow and harden due to fatty deposits slowing blood flow)
High blood pressure
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism
Anaemia (blood becomes thinner and flows more quickly)
Non cancerous growth in inner ear (acoustic neuroma)
Meningioma -(form near to the hearing and balance nerves)
Diabetes
Stress
Depression
Reduced sleep (≤ 6 h)
Hyperlipidemia
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Paget’s disease
Asthma
Tympanic membrane abnormality:
- This is mainly because the ear tympanic membrane maybe ruptured maybe due to an ear infection and causes below and will take over four weeks to heal.
- If one has constant tinnitus then it maybe because there is is permanent damage to the ear tympanic membrane.
Unilateral or bilateral hearing loss
Menopause
Camurati-Engelmann disease
Fabry disease
Syphilis
Syringobulbia (loss of feelings of pain and temperature in the face, muscle contraction of tongue)
Whipple Disease
Alcohol abuse
Solvent abuse

Illicit drugs

Syndromes

Medication

Aspirin
Diuretics (i.e. ethacrynic acid, furosemide)

Vitamins, herbals and minerals

Source: NIHL Explained

Source: Diseases Pictures

Symptoms

Sensitive to normal every day sounds (hyperacusis)?
Normal volume sounds exceptionally loud?
Hear continuously or sometimes hissing, buzzing, whistling noises, or a musical tone from ‘nowhere’ or beats in time with pulse (pulsatile tinnitus)?
Notice sounds more when quiet environments or tired?
Affect your everyday life routine?
Hearing loss?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

This condition has been associated with:

Visual snow (tiny flickering dots that resemble the noise of a detuned analogue television)

This condition may show similar symptoms to:

Exostosis (Osteoma)
NF2-related schwannomatosis (NF2; previously known as neurofibromatosis 2)
Otosclerosis
Perilymphatic fistula

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Tinnitus in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

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WebMD
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Drugs.com
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National Organisation of Rare Diseases
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Verywell Health
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Nathnac
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DR Axe
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