Where does tinnitus come from and what to do with it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Blood pressure knocks, otitis media crushes with low frequencies, and spasm clicks mysteriously. Life hacker found out what the phantom sounds are talking about.

Where does tinnitus come from

According to statistics, at least 10% of the world's inhabitants regularly suffer from tinnitus. Some doctors believe that the problem is even wider, and call it victims of one in five Tinnitus Overview.

At the same time, all researchers emphasize that tinnitus (the so-called phantom sounds in all their various manifestations) is not an independent diagnosis, but a symptom. It can be caused by several reasons.

Inflammation or foreign body

Liquid trapped in the ear, a foreign object, some kind of bug or a banal sulfur plug - all this can cause tinnitus. Also, it can be caused by enlarged adenoids, all kinds of inflammation, including developing otitis media (which, however, is difficult to miss due to another symptom - shooting pain). All this causes constant irritation of the eardrum. Most often, such problems are accompanied by noticeable pressure, low-frequency buzzing in the ears.

If the noise is accompanied by dizziness, you have a direct path to the ENT: an inflammatory process in the inner ear is possible.

Spasm of the throat or middle ear muscles

With a spasm, the muscle attached to the auditory tube contracts sharply - and you hear a click. And perhaps not one, but several rhythmic ones. Spasms like these are a kind of nervous tic that occurs inside the body. As a rule, it manifests itself during conversation, chewing, swallowing and does not make itself felt at other times. This situation is not a serious problem. But if the clicks are unpleasant to you, you can fight them quite well.

Cardiovascular problems

High blood pressure or atherosclerosis (plaque in blood vessels) is often "heard" as a pulsating sound that mimics a heartbeat. Pulsation should be taken seriously: circulatory disorders can cause a stroke.

Osteochondrosis and other changes in the cervical spine

Such problems often lead to impaired blood flow. The auditory nerve and the back of the brain react to a lack of blood supply, and you begin to hear something like a clank.

Age-related changes in hearing

Tinnitus in all its forms - clicking, throbbing, buzzing, noisy - is often the first symptom of impending hearing loss in older adults.

Stress

Although researchers admit that little is known about the effect of stress on the development of tinnitus, nevertheless, this factor is considered one of the possible provocateurs of tinnitus.

Other reasons

Here are a number of less common, but no less harmful causes of hum in the ears:

1. Endocrine Disorders.
2. Hormonal changes in women.
3. Iron-deficiency anemia. Lack of iron impairs the supply of oxygen to the brain, with all the ensuing noisy problems.
4. Overly strict diets or unbalanced diets, such as high salt or sugar.
5. Otosclerosis is the growth of bone tissue in the middle ear, accompanied by hearing loss and often audio effects.
6. Abuse of certain drugs that are toxic to the auditory nerve. Among them are some antibiotics, diuretics, salicylates.
7. Tumors and other brain disorders.

How to treat tinnitus

The good news is that most cases of tinnitus go away on their own and do not require special treatment. Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus). If phantom sounds haunt you regularly, do not act at random, but contact a therapist: he will help or direct you to a narrower specialist.

At the appointment, the doctor will ask you questions that need to be answered as fully and truthfully as possible. In particular, questions may relate to medications and dietary supplements that you are taking, lifestyle and nutrition, the health of your older relatives (the same otosclerosis is often a hereditary disease), and so on. You will most likely also need to take a series of tests for hearing and jaw and neck mobility. Sometimes a doctor may order a CT or MRI.

Most likely, based on the results of your visit, you will be recommended:

1. Anti-cold drugs and manipulations designed to relieve you of inflammation and swelling in the nasopharynx.
2. Rinsing the ear in order to remove sulfur plug, excess water, foreign objects from it.
3. Relaxants are drugs that relax the muscles. They will help get rid of clicks caused by muscle spasms. In some cases, surgical intervention may also be required.
4. Drugs that improve blood circulation in the inner ear and brain. These "noise medications" will restore the necessary tone to the vessels, relieving you of pulsating problems.
5. Physical and psychotherapy. For example, Tinnitus helps a lot: What’s That Noise? compact instruments are sources of white noise that blocks clicks, hum and pulsation.
6. Change of diet.
7. Massages. These manipulations, firstly, help relieve stress, and secondly, improve blood circulation, including in the cervical spine.

It doesn't matter in which ear it buzzes. If the noise is repeated, be sure to see a doctor. Because an untreated primary disease can result in the most unpleasant consequences, including hearing loss and stroke.