Are you going mad with that tinnitus in your ears? Find out what causes tinnitus and whether you might have inherited it.
Tinnitus, what exactly is it?
Tinnitus is the term referring to a person’s perception of a ringing, droning, or buzzing in the ear with no external stimulus present to explain this sensation. The direct translation of the word tinnitus is”ringing like a bell”.”
How will tinnitus affect my daily living?
Tinnitus can interrupt personal connections in many aggravating ways. It isn’t a disease in and of itself, but it’s a symptom of other conditions or conditions in your life such as hearing loss or injury. You might hear tinnitus in one ear or both ears and it can hinder your ability to concentrate.
Regardless of how you’re experiencing tinnitus, it is always disruptive. Sleep loss, anxiety, and even depression can also be triggered by tinnitus symptoms.
What are the causes of tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be persistent or temporary. Sustained exposure to loud sound, like a rock concert, is normally the cause of temporary tinnitus. There are a number of medical conditions that tend to go hand-in-hand with tinnitus.
A few of the conditions that might play host to tinnitus include:
- Meniere’s Disease
- Excessive earwax accumulation
- Bruxism, generally referred to as teeth grinding stemming from temporomandibular joint problems, or TMJ disorder
- Head or neck injuries
- Depression or anxiety
- Extended exposure to loud noise
- Inner ear cell damage and irritation of the fragile hairs used to conduct sound, causing random transmissions of sound to your brain
- The ear bone has changed
- Inner ear infections
- Hearing loss related to aging
- Numerous medications
- Injuries that impact nerves of the ear
- Acoustic neuroma where a benign tumor grows on the cranial nerve running from the inner ear to the brain
Could I have inherited this ringing in my ears from my parents?
Tinnitus isn’t directly hereditary. But the symptoms can be influenced by your genetics. For example, ear bone changes that can lead to tinnitus can be inherited. Irregular bone growth can trigger these changes and can be handed down through family genes. Here are a few other conditions you could have inherited that can trigger tinnitus:
- Being prone to inner ear infections or wax build-up
- Certain diseases
- Being predisposed to depression or anxiety
The ringing in your ear isn’t directly inheritable, but you might have been genetically predisposed to the disorders that are breeding grounds for tinnitus.
If your family has a history of tinnitus, you should certainly come in for an evaluation.
