That Ringing In Your Ear - Understanding Tinnitus

20 October 2014

Jaime Allen

Some people feel a throbbing sensation in their ears while others report a ringing sound. A few people say they hear a "whoosh" sound that corresponds with the beat of their heart. These are the typical symptoms of a condition called tinnitus. Learn more about the causes of this condition and how it can be treated.

Acute and Chronic Tinnitus

You may experience ringing in you ears at some time. A loud concert or construction equipment can temporarily cause a temporary pulsing in the ears. This acute form of tinnitus usually goes away after a few hours. This is a normal reaction by your ears to loud sounds and is not a sign of chronic tinnitus.

People with chronic tinnitus experience a ringing or pulsing in the ears all of the time. While some people may become accustomed to it, others experience it so severely that it impacts their daily life. The Mayo Clinic says that 20 percent of the population develop some form of tinnitus. Depending on the cause, some forms can be treated while others can only have the symptoms reduced.

Two Types of Tinnitus

Subjective tinnitus occurs when the sound in the ear can only be heard by you. This is the most common type and is the result of an irritation of the nerves in the ear. The objective type produces a sound that can be heard by you and others, such as a physician when they are doing an ear exam. This type is caused by pressure on the small bones that make up the middle ear.

Causes of Tinnitus

With aging, the bones in your middle ear become rigid causing a ringing sensation when they vibrate. This is the typical cause of subjective tinnitus. Other factors causing this include:

• damage to the ear drum
• an ear infection
• a bony growth in the middle ear
• a neurological illness

The causes of objective tinnitus are issues with the bones and muscles in and around your middle ear. These can include:

• muscles spasms in the neck
• swelling of the Eustachian tubes
• tumors in the middle ear that irritate the nerves
• bone fractures around the ear
• high blood pressure
• hyper or hypo thyroidism

Diagnosing Tinnitus

An audiologist will start with a hearing test followed by a complete audiology examination. Blood tests, x-rays, a CT scan, an MRI and neurological tests will be used to pinpoint the cause. A more extensive neurological examination may be done if the symptoms occur in only one of your ears.

Treatment of Tinnitus

Surgical treatment may be required to repair tiny fractures of the bones in and around your ear, or removal of tumors. Medication is used to relax the muscles and nerves in your ear. Antibiotics are used for ear infections. Tinnitus that is caused by high blood pressure is treated by long-term medication therapy.

People that experience persistent tinnitus can find it difficult to concentrate or sleep. They may have difficulty being in social situations. They can have a mood shift with symptoms of depression and withdrawing. If you experience this, you may need psychological help along with the treatment of the medical condition.

Any ringing or pulsing in your ear that lasts more than a couple of days should be seen by an ear specialist. Chronic tinnitus rarely goes away by itself so early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent it from becoming more of a problem.

For more information, contact a local hearing clinic, like RI ENT Physicians Inc DBA Hearing Centers of RI.

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