Tinnitus is a type of irritating problem in the ears. It is a swishing, ringing or other type of noise which seems to come from inside the head or the ear. Though not a serious problem it can be very irritating and can be resolved eventually. In most cases only the patient will be able to hear the noise. It arises in various areas like the inner ear, middle ear, the outer ear or due to some abnormalities in the brain. Tinnitus is usually caused due to infection, fluid, or disease of the middle ear bones or your ear drum. Tinnitus treatments depend on what is causing the condition.
The most common cause of this condition is damage to the microscopic ends of the hearing nerve of the inner ear. Aging also is accompanied by some amount of nerve impairment. Loud noise can also cause tinnitus and impair hearing. People are not actually concerned about the various harmful effects of loud noise caused by music systems, alarms, horns and various other common noises in the environment. Some diseases of the inner ear and medications like aspirin can also be responsible for tinnitus.
Tinnitus treatments will be decided by your doctor by looking into the cause of the condition. Some of them include keeping the stress levels low, doing regular exercise, using relaxing techniques like meditation, keeping background noise low and by joining a local group which offers support.
If the condition is caused by an infection the doctor may prescribe some antibiotics. People suffering from anxiety or depression can have an aggravated tinnitus and some of them may be suffering from it for quite a long time. People experiencing pain can get relief by using low doses of amitriptyline, which is an antidepressant.
Using hearing aids can also be helpful for people who cannot hear properly. By using the aids the external sounds will be louder and mask the internal sound. Patients with normal hearing will be given some noise generators which produce background sound lower than the tinnitus. Such devices can be used as a stereo, like a radio or even be part of your hearing aid. If the condition is caused by a tumor, the doctor may recommend a surgery to remove it. There are several other tinnitus treatments which include electromagnetic stimulation, dietary supplements and medications.
The best way to prevent this situation is to protect your ears. Protect them at the workplace by wearing ear plugs to reduce any kind of loud noise. If you feel that any kind of noise is bothering you use the muffs or plugs to reduce the noise levels. By taking care of the ears in the proper way you can be safe from developing tinnitus.
