One morning, you wake up hearing a constant ringing, hissing or buzzing. You experienced it before after they blew up that firecracker at your friend's birthday party. The ringing went away after a few minutes. This ringing is still present in your quiet little cubicle. Your friend then tells you that you have tinnitus. What exactly is tinnitus? Tinnitus is characterized as a constant ringing, whining or buzzing in the ears. It can be a faint whine, a low hum, a low roar or an annoying screech. It is most commonly caused by prolonged exposure to loud noises and old age.
As we grow older, nerve cells deteriorate everywhere in our body including the auditory system. Prolonged exposure to loud sounds exceeding 70db kills cells that aid in hearing. Such damage causes a tinnitus effect, a low but sometimes high regular sound accompanied by hearing loss equal to the frequency of the tinnitus sound. Tinnitus can also be caused by other health-related problems in the head and neck area.
Aside from the aforementioned, tinnitus effect is also caused by
• Constant exposure to ototoxic drugs, drugs that have adverse side effects to the auditory
• system like aspirin
• Head trauma like getting slapped hard in the face or getting boxed in the ears or any damage to the head and neck that can affect the normal flow of sound in the head.
• Cerumen or earwax impaction - regular ear cleaning is a must
• A middle or inner ear infection
• An acoustic tumor
• Meniere's disease
Tinnitus effect can either be temporary, intermittent or consistent. Temporary tinnitus can happen when a person is exposed to a sudden loud noise like a firecracker explosion or a prolonged noise like attending a heavy metal concert. This type can last from a few minutes to several hours. Consistent tinnitus is a symptom of other conditions like old age. Consistent tinnitus is treatable. You can go see a doctor or try some of the simple treatments listed below. (For that constant voice however, telling you to waste the person next to you, its time to see a shrink or a priest.)
• Avoid loud noises and abstain from loud music for an extended period of time to allow your nerve cells to heal.
• Avoid the use of ototoxic drugs if possible. See your doctor if he can prescribe something else for your other conditions.
• Old-fashioned well-living, the right diet, exercise and the proper nutrients can help.
• Tinnitus effect maskers, devices which cancel out the noise made by tinnitus with more pleasant and soothing sounds or listening to soft music equal to the frequency of the tinnitus effect.
• Surgery, which includes shielding of the cochlea with a teflon implant, removal of obstructions in the ear canal, excision of a tumor in the head, mandibular repair or treatment for Meniere's disease.
Like hiccups or the common cold, there are many treatments or relieves for tinnitus aside from the ones listed here that are worth looking into.
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