It’s really common for individuals to experience tinnitus. Tinnitus can become so overwhelming that it becomes a burden to live with for around 20 million individuals worldwide. This doesn’t even count the more common types of tinnitus, which for most individuals can come and go without causing a huge impact on their quality of life.
Tinnitus occurs when you hear a phantom sound, when you’re hearing a sound that nobody else can hear. It could manifest as a persistent buzzing or ringing in the ears. Although hearing loss is frequently accompanied by tinnitus, there isn’t always a cause-and-effect connection between the two.
As a matter of fact, there are a significant variety of types of tinnitus. And each one will require a different approach to treatment.
Tinnitus – exactly what is it?
Exactly what is tinnitus and how is it caused? Well, it’s essential to note that not all kinds of tinnitus are the same. Regardless of the specific cause, the symptoms will be similar. But determining the cause can be essential to identifying the correct treatment strategy.
For some individuals, tinnitus is the result of a neurological issue, like a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. In other circumstances, tinnitus may be caused by age-related hearing loss. The following are a few other possible causes:
- Neurological tinnitus: Issues with the ear aren’t always the cause of tinnitus. Sometimes, the underlying cause lies within the brain. Neurological tinnitus is a result of injury to or issues with your baseline neurological functions. This means that the standard communication between your brain and ears isn’t functioning properly. As a result, a phantom sound is heard which isn’t really there. A stroke, concussion, or brain injury can all be the underlying sources of tinnitus, as well as others. As the brain heals, neurological tinnitus will, in some instances, go away on its own. For others, it could be lasting.
- Subjective tinnitus: When only you can hear the sound of your tinnitus, which is quite common, hearing specialists will talk about your condition as a subjective tinnitus. This type of tinnitus comprises many other types of tinnitus as well. For example, neurological tinnitus can also be subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus can manifest 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 isn’t really as common as subjective tinnitus, but it still occurs. Typically, this means you’re experiencing something called pulsatile tinnitus, which happens when you’re hearing your pulse or circulatory system. For those with objective tinnitus, that pulsing sound usually seems louder than it should.
- Somatic tinnitus: Tinnitus sounds are frequently quite constant for many people coping with them. That’s true for both subjective and objective tinnitus. With somatic tinnitus though, things are a bit different. This is tinnitus that gets worse with movement. Usually, somatic tinnitus will cause the symptoms to get worse when you move your head or neck.
Often, individuals will have more than one type of tinnitus simultaneously. You may have subjective tinnitus and neurological tinnitus together, for instance. In order for us to develop a treatment plan, we will first need to identify the underlying cause of your tinnitus.
Getting help with your tinnitus
You probably won’t have to take any particular action if your tinnitus symptoms are sporadic. But your quality of life can be significantly impacted if your tinnitus symptoms are fairly constant or keep coming back. When that occurs, your best plan to get some relief is to contact us for a consultation.
After we identify the underlying cause of your symptoms, there are a few treatment methods we can employ. A few of these techniques can minimize the intensity of your symptoms making them less apparent. Other treatment solutions can mask the sound you’re hearing.
Generally, there’s no cure for tinnitus, though it can usually be successfully treated. We will help you customize the best treatment for your particular situation. That way, you can more easily disregard the buzzing or ringing in your ears, and get back to the life you enjoy.
