Tinnitus means “tinkling or ringing like a bell” and is experienced as a ringing in the ears when no ringing noise is present. Generally Tinnitus is caused by a fault in the hearing system, and is a symptom, not a disease in itself.

Every individual's Tinnitus noise is specific to them, but ringing, buzzing, whistling, roaring and humming noises are common in Tinnitus sufferers.

Causes of Tinnitus

There are numerous causes, in fact almost anything that can go wrong with our ears can produce Tinnitus as a symptom. Anything from wax against the eardrum through to a tumour or even Meniere’s disease. A significant cause of Tinnitus is acoustic trauma or exposure to excessive noise either in the work place or even at home, from loud music.

About 5% of Tinnitus is caused by the jaw joint, which is treatable. This occurs when jaw muscles spasm and the ear reacts by pulling the eardrum too tight. See your dentist if you suspect this is happening.

The actual mechanisms of Tinnitus are not yet fully understood. We know that it is real and not imagined, and is a symptom of a malfunction usually in the hearing system, either ear or brain. In many cases the cochlear is involved.

Severe Tinnitus is recognised as a serious affliction, although most of those affected have it in a milder form.

Millions of people from around the world are affected and it is estimated that around 18% of Australians have Tinnitus. Many countries have self help groups, including Australia.

What Makes Tinnitus Worse?

• Loud and excessive noise: Sudden or long term noise can damage your hearing and result in hearing loss. People working in factories, transport or even when gardening or listening to music through earphones or attending a rock concert. Protect your ears; reduce the noise source to your ears.
• Stress and tiredness: These make Tinnitus worse. Stress and tiredness will undermine any attempts to reduce Tinnitus. Rethink your work life balance or lifestyle and try some form of relation therapy.
• Medication: Some medications can make Tinnitus worse or even a side effect, so keep your doctor informed. Medications for arthritis, and certain Rheumatic diseases, as well as antibiotics and anti-depressants can all make this worse. Ask your doctor for alternatives.
• Reduce your caffeine intake; this includes coffee, tea and cola’s as well as alcohol. Also avoid Nicotine and smoking, even marijuana. These cause constriction of the blood vessels which supply vital oxygen to the ears and their nerves.

Does Tinnitus Mean I'm Going Deaf?

Treat Tinnitus as a warning signal that there is something wrong. See your doctor and avoid excessive noises of any type until at least you have clarification on the cause and the treatment.

I Think I Have Tinnitus

See your doctor immediately and have your hearing checked by a certified audiologist.

Tinnitus Treatment Options

Common treatment of Tinnitus includes:

• Hearing Aids: They remove the strain associated with listening and distract you from the ringing by letting in more sound from the environment.
• Therapeutic Noise Generator: This looks like a hearing aid but has been developed for people without hearing loss. The noise generator produces a range of sounds which stimulate the fibres of the hearing nerve, which helps deviate attention from the Tinnitus.
• Retraining Therapy: Helps reduce and eventually eliminate Tinnitus perception. Combines hearing aids with therapeutic noise generators to provide the brain with environmental sounds to reduce Tinnitus perception. Counseling then helps change beliefs and distract from the Tinnitus and stress.
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: This treatment helps change the affected persons approach to Tinnitus and helps focus attention away and achieve control over the stress. Usually provided by clinical psychologists
• There is generally no specific surgery; however surgery to deal with certain other ear problems can help alleviate or eliminate Tinnitus.
• Depending on the cause of the Tinnitus, and we cannot stress enough the importance of seeing a health professional, Vitamin B12 and certain other herbal remedies can help, but these should be taken at all times under medical supervision

Key Points - Tinnitus

• Tinnitus is complex and specific to each individual
• Tinnitus can range from mild to very severe and will fluctuate with stress and fatigue

What To Do

If you think you have Tinnitus, contact your doctor immediately to get the right diagnosis and treatment. Catch it early.