Cause of Tinnitus: A Brief Overview of the Reasons For Tinnitus

Ex tinnitus sufferer and medical researcher reveals the real causes of tinnitus in this article.

When sound waves from outside hit the pint-sized, sensitive hairs located in the inner ear, these hairs react to the pressures of these waves. As a result, electrical signals are emanated, and they are transferred to the brain. The signals are then recognized by the brain as sound. However, in case these hairs suffer any significant damage or mutilation, faulty signals are transmitted to the brain and it generates weird whistling, ringing or whooshing sounds. Since these sounds reach the ears of the affected person, even in the absence of any source of noise, (s)he gets to hear these unusual sounds. Tinnitus is the medical term given to these situations afflicting a person.

We would here be delving into some factors that are not, in themselves, basic causes of tinnitus. Rather, they are the triggers that can initiate the causes of the ailment. Doctors need to have the proper mindset while dealing with tinnitus cases, since the disease is caused by a combination of factors. As an example, problems related to sinus are not among the direct reasons for tinnitus, but are among the triggers. However, if a person leads a wasteful lifestyle, is exposed to too much strain or anxiety, or has a high blood pressure, these factors can directly bring about tinnitus problems in him/her. Since these are causes of the ailment, holistic methods of treatment should be opted for to ensure a quick relief.

Cause of Tinnitus – Do You Know The Reasons?

• Acute depression and excessive stress: If hearing tests do not show any abnormality, and the ear appears to be properly functioning otherwise, stress-related anxiety may be the problem affecting an individual. A healthy way of life, coupled with holistic approaches to treatment, can do away with these problems.

• Benign Tumor: Also known as Acoustic Neuroma, these tumors often result in tinnitus as well. The cranial nerve that connects the inner ear with the brain, and helps people hear as well as maintain a perfect balance, usually bears these tumors. They cause tinnitus in one of the ears of patients, and the condition is also known as Vestibular Schwannoma.

• Maniere’s Disease in the inner ear: When this ailment affects the ear, tinnitus can be caused. This medical condition is generally brought about by the pressures of a fluid that is present in the inner ear.

• Accidents affecting the head and/or neck: If these accidents affect the nerves, patients can experience severe neurological problems. The proper way of working of the brain is also affected, and tinnitus problems can result.

• Advancement in age : As a person goes beyond 60 years of age, (s)he usually becomes progressively more and more senile. This phenomenon is also known as Presbycusis, and can rob the affected person partially, or even totally, of his/her hearing abilities.

• Listening to shattering sounds: Tinnitus is extremely likely to affect people who are exposed to deafening noises continuously. A case in point is the workers of forging mills and stamping factories, who often hear ringing noises, even when they are not at work. Guns having bores of heavy weights, which are shot from the shoulder, can also bring about tinnitus. Tinnitus is also a likely medical condition affecting those employed in night clubs, since they are exposed to loud music too often.

• Amount of ear wax : There is a maximum limit till which ear wax can accumulate within the ears. When the deposits of ear wax go beyond this limit, tinnitus is a likely outcome.

• Narrower blood vessels : Also termed clinically as Atherosclerosis, this change in the shape of the blood vessels in the middle or the inner parts of the ear can be brought about by excess accumulation of cholesterol. This can, in many cases, result in tinnitus. When affected in this manner, blood vessels cannot account for the sounds. As a result, noise impulses like hissing and whooshing can be heard, along with other pulsating sounds.

• Blood pressure related issues : The level of blood pressure can go up considerably due to the presence of excessive amounts of cholesterol in the arteries. In a logic similar to the one discussed above, these deposits bring down the supply of blood to the neck and the head, thereby causing tinnitus. However, holistic treatments can solve these problems at an early stage.

• Tumor formation in the neck and/or head : The blood vessels of the human neck and head (i.e., the vascular neoplasm) experience an increased pressure due to these tumors. As a result, tinnitus problems may come up.

• Malformation of the Arteriovenous system : If the connecting channels of the arteries and veins are not right, the problem is called AVM (Arteriovenous Malformation). Tinnitus caused due to this factor generally affects one of the ears of individuals.

Cause of Tinnitus – A Look at Some Medicines With Adverse Effects

Medicines of a certain variety can, in fact, give birth to tinnitus problems. The situation can be considerably worsened by consuming some types of drugs as well.

Let is now look into some of the types of drugs that can probably be blamed for tinnitus problems:

• Antibiotic medicines (e.g. Vancomycin, Erythromycin, Tetracycline, Bleomycin and Chloramphenicol).

• Cancer-treating drugs (e.g. Vincristine and Mechlorethamine).

• Diuretic medications (e.g., Furosemide, Bumetanide and Ethacrynic acid).

• Formulations for treatment of malaria and certain similar ailments (e.g. Quinine drugs).

If a person consumes large quantities of Aspirin, over a long time, (s)he is also likely to hear ringing noises in his/her ear.

The term ‘multilateral disorder’ is associated with tinnitus precisely due to the fact that, it can be caused by many factors. All the underlying reasons of the problems have to be properly detected so that a cure from the disease can be obtained. However, conventional modes of medications seldom reach deep enough to detect the chief problem-creating factors. Only the symptoms of the disease are treated, accounting for the extremely low rate of success. Unlike these methods, the holistic mode of treatment considers the entire body to be a single unit, and suggest medicines accordingly. Wholesale lifestyle changes as well as the application of products derived from herbs are recommended. Since the holistic way of treating tinnitus tries to locate the major causes of the problem, and then treat them accordingly, it has met with widespread success.