| Almost everyone experiences ringing in the ears at | | | | cause of the tinnitus. A complete audiological exam |
| some point during his or her life. Sometimes, excess | | | | (hearing test) is also administered to see if the patient |
| noise can be a sign of something more serious. | | | | suffers from any hearing loss. |
| Tinnitus, pronounced "TIN-a-tus" or "tin-EYE-tus," is a | | | | During the exam, a patient should be able to describe |
| condition characterized by a constant excess sound in | | | | the sound that he or she is hearing. The sound itself, |
| the ears. This sound is typically a ringing in the ears, but | | | | whether it is ringing, clicking, or something else, is usually |
| can also be described as hissing, roaring, booming, | | | | an indicator of what is the cause of the sound and can |
| clicking, whistling, pulsing, or chirping sound. These | | | | be a symptom of other illnesses, such as vertigo, high |
| sounds can vary in volume and pitch and can be heard | | | | blood pressure, or a tumor. |
| in one or both ears. | | | | In most cases, the cause of the tinnitus is not found, |
| Types of Tinnitus | | | | especially if the patient is the only one who can hear |
| There are two types of tinnitus: subjective and | | | | the noise. Most often, doctors can recommend coping |
| objective. | | | | strategies to reduce the severity of the noise or to |
| Subjective tinnitus is a condition in which the patient is | | | | prevent the tinnitus from interfering with everyday life. |
| the only one who can hear the ringing or excess | | | | According to the University of California - San |
| sound. This is the most common type of tinnitus, which | | | | Francisco Medical Center, there are no medications |
| is often caused by some kind of problem in any part | | | | that will work for a large majority of tinnitus patients. |
| of the ear, the auditory nerves, or the part of the brain | | | | Sometimes, certain antidepressants or anti-anxiety |
| that concerns hearing. | | | | medications can be helpful, but UCSF says that more |
| Objective tinnitus, the more rare form of the condition, | | | | research is needed in this area before it is proven |
| is a form of tinnitus in which a doctor can hear the | | | | whether or not this treatment will be useful to more |
| sound during an examination. Objective tinnitus is often | | | | patients. |
| caused by a problem with blood vessels, bones in the | | | | The main forms of treatment include some kind of |
| middle ear, or muscle conditions. | | | | therapy, either by retraining a person to hear things |
| Causes for ConcernFor most people, a case of | | | | besides the ringing or other noise, or to reduce stress |
| tinnitus is not something to worry about. Sometimes, | | | | and other environmental factors that could intensify the |
| ringing in the ears is sometimes a result of another | | | | condition. |
| condition or illness, such as an upper respiratory | | | | Other treatments include hearing aids or tinnitus |
| infection or a cold. If the excess sound lasts for more | | | | maskers, devices that are worn like a hearing aid but |
| than a week, says the Mayo Clinic, then it should | | | | produce a white noise that cancels out the noise the |
| become a cause for concern. | | | | patient hears inside his or her ears. Doctors may also |
| Other causes for concern are other symptoms that | | | | recommend support groups, proper nutrition, or |
| may appear with the excess sound. If someone | | | | alternative medicine to alleviate the symptoms. |
| becomes dizzy or has other hearing loss in addition to | | | | Tinnitus, although a seemly simple problem, can |
| the tinnitus, it is time to have the symptoms assessed | | | | become a complex condition if there are other |
| by a doctor. | | | | underlying problems associated with the condition. If not |
| Diagnoses and TreatmentsTinnitus is usually diagnosed | | | | assessed by a doctor, tinnitus can be another |
| by examining the patient's ears, head, and neck to rule | | | | symptom of a very serious disease or condition that |
| out any other conditions and to look for a possible | | | | can be hazardous to a person's health. |