Tinnitus: Causes and Treatment

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a condition that causes a person to hear sound in their ears even though no external sound is present. The sound can be a ringing, buzzing, hissing, or clicking noise, and it can be intermittent or constant.

Causes of Tinnitus

Tinnitus can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Exposure to loud noise: Prolonged exposure to loud noise can damage the hair cells in the inner ear, which can lead to tinnitus.
• Earwax blockage: Earwax can block the ear canal and cause tinnitus.
• Meniere's disease: Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause tinnitus, as well as dizziness and hearing loss.
• Acoustic neuromas: Acoustic neuromas are tumors that grow on the nerve leading from the inner ear to the brain. These tumors can cause tinnitus, as well as hearing loss and balance problems.
• Medications: Some medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and quinine, can cause tinnitus as a side effect.

Treatment for Tinnitus

The treatment for tinnitus depends on the underlying cause. If the tinnitus is caused by an underlying health condition, treating the condition may relieve the tinnitus. In other cases, there is no cure for tinnitus, but there are a number of treatments that can help to manage the condition, such as:

• Hearing aids: Hearing aids can amplify sound and make it easier to hear over the tinnitus.
• Tinnitus maskers: Tinnitus maskers are devices that produce a white noise or other sound to help mask the tinnitus.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help people to change their thoughts and behaviors about tinnitus, which can reduce the impact of the condition on their lives.