| Have you experienced sudden ear ringing? You are | | | | People normally start having hearing problems when |
| probably suffering from a condition called tinnitus. This | | | | they reach around 60 years old. |
| involves the annoying sensation of hearing a distinct | | | | - Outer ear blockage caused by too much ear wax - |
| sound coming from within the ear or the head. Aside | | | | accumulation of ear wax is the body's defense |
| from sudden ear ringing, some of the phantom noises | | | | mechanism against bacteria and dirt. Wax also |
| include hissing, buzzing, clicking and whistling among | | | | protects the ears by trapping dirt. When there is too |
| others. The noises would vary from low to a high | | | | much impaction, hearing outside sounds becomes |
| squeal and can possibly be heard in both ears. | | | | difficult so the brain focuses on the inner sounds more |
| Sometimes, the sound can become too loud that it | | | | causing tinnitus. |
| interferes with normal living because of lack of | | | | - Too much exposure to loud noise - not surprisingly, |
| concentration to hear normal outside sounds. Tinnitus | | | | the ability to hear properly can possibly be damaged |
| can become a chronic condition or it may come and | | | | by exposure to loud noise. Excessive sounds from |
| go depending on the situation. | | | | heavy equipment or firearms are usually the main |
| There are two kinds of tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus is | | | | sources of harmful sounds. Long term exposure to |
| sudden ear ringing that only the patient hears and is | | | | bad noise, even just loud music coming from earplugs, |
| the more common type of condition. This type may be | | | | may cause permanent damage. |
| caused by ear problems in the inner, middle or outer | | | | - Abnormal ear bone growth - this can be a genetic |
| ear. An example is when there is hearing impairment | | | | occurrence where the bones in the middle ear get stiff, |
| caused by infection in the auditory nerves so the brain | | | | thus normal hearing becomes difficult. |
| interprets nerve signals as a sound. Objective tinnitus, | | | | Tinnitus can get bothersome. When that happens, it is |
| on the other hand, is the ringing sound that even your | | | | best to consult your general practitioner and ask |
| doctor could hear during an examination. Objective | | | | whether you will need to see an ENT. A visit is |
| tinnitus is rare having blood vessel problems, a | | | | necessary specially when you have an existing upper |
| muscular issue or inner ear bone infection as causes. | | | | respiratory infection and the sound does not go away |
| These are the common causes of tinnitus: | | | | within a week. When you feel dizzy and you think your |
| - Hearing loss that comes with age - the medical term | | | | hearing is impaired because of sudden ear ringing, see |
| is presbycusis for this kind of hearing impairment. | | | | a doctor. |