19 Facts About Tinnitus: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Researchers of tinnitus have been trying to find out why there are so many individuals who experience a ringing sensation in their ears with no surrounding causes, in addition to the methods of how to stop it. There have been new advances in genomics, cognitive psychology, and MRI technology.

Here are some of the latest facts, understandings, and developments:

Fundamental Facts About Tinnitus

• Those who suffer from tinnitus tend to hear a high-frequency ringing sound, in addition to their loss of hearing. When your ear has less sensitivity and transmits less information to the brain, it is believed that the brain tries to replace the missing sounds, which lead to people experiencing tinnitus.​

 

• "Tinnitus" is derived from the Latin word tinnītus, which means "a jingling" or "ringing". Not all who have tinnitus have described it as a ringing. There was a survey conducted on 5,000 people who have tinnitus, and the respondents characterized the noises as beeping, buzzing, cicada noises, clicking, hissing, humming, music, roaring, sizzling, singing, strumming, voices, whining, whistling, and whooshing.

 

• One third of adults who are over the age of 55 and live in North America have had tinnitus. Approximately 10-15 percent are bothered by it, to the point where they would get examined by a professional.

 

• About 12 percent of men and 14 percent of women are affected by tinnitus. This is the most common illness among elderly people. There are rare instances when young people are affected by tinnitus. The exception to this include those who are serving, or who have been in the armed forces and developed issues with their hearing due to being exposed to very powerful sounds. It has been reported that all soldiers who were in the vicinity of an explosion in Iraq and Afghanistan, have been affected by tinnitus.

 

• Besides noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), tinnitus may also simultaneously arise with anxiety, depression, ear infections, ear wax, heart disease, Ménière's  Disease, stress, head injuries and musculoskeletal issues in the head and neck.

 

• A very rare type of tinnitus can be heard through a stethoscope. This is known as pulsatile tinnitus. It is caused by the sounds of an individual's own pulse, muscle movements and blood flow. 

 

• If one of your parents or a relative suffered from tinnitus in both ears, there is a chance that you may have that problem too. Bilateral tinnitus has a tendency to be hereditary, particularly in men.

 

• Some who have tinnitus, may be able to alter how intense their tinnitus symptoms are simply by turning their head, shifting their eyes back and forth, clenching their jaw, etc.  

​​Research on MRIs

MRIs have been very helpful in researching tinnitus. New information, and suggestions show that there may be answers to how tinnitus is caused, and the possibility of treatment. 

• The brains of individuals who have tinnitus look different in MRI scans than those who do not have tinnitus. It's been discovered that the brain of those with tinnitus have significantly smaller subcallosal areas. This is one of the areas of the brain that is associated with the limbic system (the fight-or-flight part of your brain). Researchers have concluded that activity in the subcallosal part of the brain might aid in suppressing tinnitus, therefore weakened limbic areas might lead to chronic tinnitus. 

 

• Depression has bee associated with tinnitus. The amygdala, known as the emotional hub in the brain, has been shown to have a more distinct look in those who suffer from tinnitus. The amygdala were shown to be smaller and less active. Two other brain structures connected to emotions - the parahippocampus and the insula - were studied. They were fuller and much more alert in the brains of individuals who suffered from tinnitus.           

Patients who have tinnitus had the component of their brain that is identified with emotions restructured. It was discovered that these individuals process emotions differently than those who have normal hearing abilities.                   
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• Analysts on brain MRIs from the University of Illinois have discovered that the brains of patients with tinnitus experience a feeling of being on high alert when the condition acts out. These studies confirm that tinnitus is present in patients, and demonstrate how meditation and rest can be beneficial.

Methods to Treat Tinnitus
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• Routine treatments for depression, such as, better nutrition, exercise, speaking to a therapist and going through cognitive behavioral therapy, have been shown to diminish tinnitus symptoms in the majority of patients. Advanced treatments, such as magnetic therapy (this delivers magnetic pulses to the brain), have also been shown to lessen symptoms of tinnitus.

 

• Refrain from taking antidepressants, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), which have actually been shown to make tinnitus symptoms worse. Serotonin tend to provoke the ear ringing.

 

• Relax and practice attentive meditation on a daily basis to lessen or alleviate tinnitus.

 

• There are no supplements, or FDA approved drugs that are known to relieve tinnitus.

 

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of counseling that encourages you to form new routines and practices that have been confirmed to be helpful for those who have tinnitus. 

 

• Sound therapy has been shown to alleviate or reduce tinnitus symptoms in some patients. Analysts from UC Irvine have successfully used a continuous, low-pitched, pulsing sound for tinnitus patients. It can only alleviate the symptoms as it is playing. When you turn it off, the ringing sound returns. There is a need for tailor-made stimulation. Instead of masking the noise, there is a balance in the stimulation.        ​

Those​ who have tinnitus can use hearing aids, which can stimulate the ear with sound. Over time, symptoms of tinnitus can be relieved.

Additional Information 

• Lack of sleep is also related to tinnitus. Researchers found that those with severe tinnitus had difficulty with sleep.

• Tinnitus can be temporary, it can be caused by excessive ear wax, or an inner ear infection. It may also be caused by side effects of drugs such as aspirin (this weakens the brain and ears' neural signals) or drugs used to treat cancer. Some who have normal hearing have been shown to suddenly develop tinnitus when put in a silent location. Researchers believe that this is due to a reaction of the auditory cortex to the unusual lack of every ambient sound. Most people who have chronic symptoms develop this in addition to hearing loss.

If you, or a loved one, suffer from tinnitus, contacts us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for a free consultation on tinnitus relief.

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