Photo by Monstera Production.

Approximately 30 million Americans are hearing things. Sounds described as ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing or humming are heard, sometimes intermittently, sometimes constantly, and no one else can hear what you’re hearing. Crazy making? Yes, but a sign that you’re crazy? Probably not.

Tinnitus is the name of the condition that has a wide range of causes, can appear out of the blue and disappear just as mysteriously, and has no known cure, unless its cause can be definitively discovered. 

Causes

Tinnitus can be the result of damage to the stereocilia, tiny hairs inside the inner ear.

Often the result of ordinary aging, tinnitus can be the result of damage to the stereocilia, tiny hairs inside the inner ear. Located within the spiral-shaped cochlea, these hairs gather vibrations and convert them into nerve impulses that send messages to the brain that are then interpreted as sound. When damaged, the hairs cannot send the proper messages to the brain, and the resulting random electrical impulses are heard as ringing, buzzing, etc.

Besides normal aging, the most common causes of tinnitus are prolonged exposure to loud noise, which also damages the stereocilia. People in occupations ranging from musician to construction worker may have a predisposition to tinnitus.

Medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (like aspirin and ibuprofen), diuretics, cancer drugs, certain antibiotics, anti-malarial drugs, and antidepressants are all known to cause tinnitus. It usually goes away when the medication is no longer being taken, but not always.

Injury to the ear or an upper-respiratory infection can cause tinnitus. Build-up of ear wax or the presence of foreign material can cause abnormal pressure in the inner ear, leading to tinnitus.

Head or neck trauma may damage the nerves or the parts of the brain involved in hearing, sometimes leading to one-sided tinnitus.

Less common causes include Meniere’s disease (a malfunction of inner ear pressure), temporomandibular joint issues, structural malformations of the inner ear or eustachian tube, blood vessel disorders, diabetes, thyroid issues, migraine headaches, anemia, and autoimmune disease. 

Getting help and managing symptoms

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, noise-canceling devices, and even hearing aids can help.

Some people are not bothered by tinnitus, but others find it distracting or annoying to the point that it affects quality of life. It can interfere with sleep, concentration, and memory, and can lead to depression, headaches, anxiety, fatigue, and irritability. While there may be no cure for tinnitus per se, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms associated with it, you may get some relief by treating those symptoms. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, noise-canceling devices, and even hearing aids can help.

About half of the 30 million Americans who suffer from tinnitus can be reasonably assured that it will go away on its own, either because the exposure to loud noise has ended or the associated health issue has resolved. 

For those who have had tinnitus for at least three months, it is considered chronic, regardless of the cause, and is less likely to resolve. Knowing when to see your provider and get a referral to an audiologist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist is important to rule out any serious causes of tinnitus.

Make an appointment if you experience dizziness or sudden hearing loss associated with your tinnitus, or if it comes on during a cold or other upper respiratory infection and does not resolve within a week, or if it is interfering with your quality of life.

Ann Constantino, submitted on behalf of the SoHum Health’s Outreach department.