Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) – causes, treatment and prevention

Ringing in the ears (ringing in the ears)

Ringing in the ears or ringing in the ears are also known under the term tinnitus . The annoying sounds in the ear chronically afflict about 10 to 20 percent of the population, but 40 percent experience ringing in the ears at least once in their lives. Curability is limited, but it can be prevented by avoiding certain risk factors.

What is ringing in the ears (tinnitus)?

One speaks of ringing in the ears or ringing in the ears or tinnitus when the affected person hears sounds, although no sound of this kind penetrates the ear from outside.

These sounds are only audible for the person concerned, for example whistling, ringing, humming, hissing or hissing. Ringing in the ears is primarily considered a symptom rather than a real disease.

A distinction is made between objective and subjective tinnitus, both of which have different causes. Ringing in the ears is often an accompanying symptom of many other diseases.

Real noises in the ear must also be distinguished from imaginary noises in the ear. A study has shown that over 90 percent of test subjects with healthy hearing complain of ringing in their ears if they are isolated in a soundproof room for even a few minutes.

In contrast to this imaginary tinnitus, real tinnitus is more intense and bothers those affected even with normal background noise and not only when they consciously concentrate on their hearing.

causes

There are many causes of ringing in the ears. Some ringing in the ears is the result of acoustic trauma or sudden hearing loss . After the bursting of a firework or after attending a loud concert, a noise in the ears is sometimes the result. Even after a long car or train ride, this noise stress sometimes leads to a hum that continues long after the journey is over.There are many disorders of the inner ear and middle ear that can cause ringing in the ears, such as Meniere’s disease, bacterial and viral infections . People who are hard of hearing often complain of tinnitus. In addition, ringing in the ears can be a sign of diseases outside the ear, such as cardiovascular diseases or metabolic diseases.

When to the doctor?

Ringing in the ears is usually temporary and harmless to health. A doctor’s visit is recommended if the whistling, hissing or buzzing persists for more than three days or increases in intensity over time. Even with possible accompanying symptoms, which depending on the cause can range from earache to hearing loss, a doctor must be consulted, who diagnoses the underlying condition and initiates treatment of the ringing in the ears.

First of all, however, it should be ensured that the noises are not caused by other causes such as a plug of earwax or exposure to loud noise. A medical book helps to record the occurrence and type of noise and thus contribute to finding the cause later. Ringing in the ears as a result of a loud bang or a bad cold indicates damage to the ear canals, which must be treated by a specialist in any case.

In the case of ringing in the ears in old age, on the other hand, there is often a natural cause that does not require treatment, provided that the noise itself does notbecome a burden. If ringing in the ears persists, the ENT doctor can clarify the causes and initiate appropriate therapy. If the tinnitus persists or recurs, long-term therapy must be considered.

diagnosis and course

The diagnosis of ringing in the ears is basically quite simple. Those affected actually “hear” him. You hear sounds that others don’t hear. The discussion with the doctor is therefore less about diagnosing the tinnitus and more about finding the cause of the tinnitus. For example, the doctor asks how long the tinnitus has existed and under what conditions it first occurred. Questions about stress at work , serious accidents or known diseases of other organs are also part of the conversation.

In the second step, the audiologist performs an examination of the ear. This series of examinations includes various listening tests with sounds of different pitches and volumes as well as with spoken words. An examination of the outer ear by ear microscopy is also part of this. In addition to these standard examinations, there is also a so-called tinnitus matching, with which the type of ringing in the ears is determined more precisely. There are several other research methods that are part of the overall method series. In some cases, the doctor also refers the person concerned to the ENT departments of the hospitals, where this series of examinations is carried out.

A distinction is made between chronic and acute tinnitus. One speaks of chronic ringing in the ears when it lasts for more than six months. If it lasts up to three months, one only speaks of an acute tinnitus, although a duration of one week is already long. Some ringing in the ears disappears after a few hours or days. Unlike many other diseases, tinnitus is not an illness that gets worse if left untreated. Ringing in the ears either stays relatively constant or gets weaker over time.

complications

In most cases, ringing in the ears is only temporary and disappears on its own. Here there are no further complications and problems. During this time, however, the ears should be protected and not exposed to any unnecessary noise. Ringing in the ears can also be accompanied by earache and headaches. The pain usually spreads from the ears to other parts of the body. Ringing in the ears can cause sleep deprivation and poor concentration . This restricts the patient’s everyday life and leads to stress and minor psychological problems.

Ringing in the ears can also develop into an infection. This can be treated relatively well by a doctor with the help of antibiotics. The ear noise itself can hardly be influenced, since there is no specific therapy for the eardrum. Therefore, it cannot be predicted whether the ringing in the ears will disappear or not. In the worst case, the ringing in the ears can lead to a loss of hearing and thus to a severe limitation in everyday life. If the ringing in the ears goes away on its own, there are no complications.

treatment and therapy

Ringing in the ears can only be cured to a limited extent, especially if it is chronic tinnitus.

Special acoustic stimulations that break the tinnitus rhythm come into question as methods. Electrical brain stimulation and drug therapy are also used. There are also a number of alternative treatment methods such as the stellate blockade.

Another approach is behavioral therapy. The aim here is to reduce the emotional burden of ringing in the ears and to eliminate the fixation on the ringing in the ears.

If the person concerned is more relaxed and their psyche is relieved, this is a good basis for the tinnitus to become weaker or even heal completely.

Sometimes the successful accustoming of the affected person to the noise is also regarded as a cure: the patient learns to live with his ringing in the ears.

outlook and prognosis

The further course of ringing in the ears usually depends on the cause of this complaint. If the ringing in the ears occurs as a result of a short-term heavy load, it usually disappears after a few hours or a few days and does not lead to further complaints or complications. However, if the ringing in the ears has been occurring for a longer period of time or is a chronic complaint, this complaint cannot be treated particularly easily.

In some cases, those affected suffer from the ringing in their ears their whole life and cannot control it. However, spontaneous self-healing can also occur. For this reason, it is difficult to predict the general course of the disease. However, the life expectancy of the patient is not reduced or restricted by the ringing in the ears. In some cases, ringing in the ears can also get worse. This is especially the case if the ears continue to be subjected to heavy loads. In most cases, however, the symptoms decrease.

prevention

You can protect yourself from acute tinnitus by avoiding both psychological stress and loud noise, which stresses the ears. Occupational stress, stress in the household as well as disco noise, machine noise and street noise should be avoided.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *