Tinnitus Could Be A Sign Of A More Serious Condition If You Don't Concern

Tinnitus Could Be A Sign Of A More Serious Condition If You Don't Concern

Tinnitus, while not a disease at all, can be an indication that you have a more serious health problem. For some individuals who are unaware of such hearing condition, they will immediately conclude that the incessant sound associated with tinnitus is a symptom of another worse sickness. As a condition, those who suffer from tinnitus can hear sounds that are coming from inside of the ear. Sometimes even in silence, tinnitus sufferers can hear whistling or humming sounds. What’s even worse with this hearing problem is when it is accompanied by dizziness and unbearable headaches. Tinnitus gives a terrible feeling as it leads to feeling uncomfortable and uneasy. It’s disturbing and could lead to difficulty doing tasks and routines, and even prevent one from deep thinking. Indeed, one who has tinnitus is known to have bad moods and go through a really bad time.
Even if tinnitus is only considered as a hearing condition and not a disease, it still needs proper treatment and should not be taken for granted. Once you experience it, the best thing you need to do is consult your doctor. For the most part, tinnitus can be a symptom for an ear infection or wax build - up in our ears! If we are not careful in cleaning our ears, there are possibilities of getting them injured. Our ears have their own cleaning agents and protection mechanisms from dust and other foreign particles. But sometimes, the hygiene routines cause problems that could lead to tinnitus – or it simply signifies an onset of something far more serious!
But how does one know that their case of tinnitus is something more serious? A symptom which indicates that what you are experiencing is more than just tinnitus is the presence of unbearable pain from different parts of the body. All our organs are related to one another. If an organ is in a bad condition, other organs will be affected as well. If the ringing sound is accompanied by excruciating pain, it is probably best to consult with your doctor immediately.
Another sign of a serious health condition is the noticeable changes in hearing. Some tinnitus sufferers experience hearing losses, cases with which are easily connected with deafness, although this is not always the case. However, if you feel like you are losing you hearing, schedule an appointment with your physician as soon as possible. If there are tumor-like growths in any part of your body, it is probably a sign that you are not only dealing with tinnitus. It may be a symptom of a more severe health problem with which tinnitus is just a symptom!
Medical experts may not consider tinnitus as a very serious problem, but for the people who experience it, tinnitus is like hell. Almost all of those who suffered from it would say that it is actually very uncomfortable and unbearable to have this hearing condition. What’s more annoying are the side effects that tinnitus brings. The ringing sound can be tolerable to some levels, but the headaches, dizziness and other side effects are just making matters worse. So get help right away! While it could just be a symptom for something worse, it doesn’t mean the discomfort and pain shouldn’t be helped!

Can Cochlear Implants Cure Tinnitus?

Can Cochlear Implants Cure Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is categorized as an auditory condition wherein a person hears or perceives that he hears a buzzing or ringing sensation despite the absence of a real external noise. Tinnitus is often associated as an age-related illness or it can be traced as an effect to frequent exposure to loud, boisterous noises. Other known causes for tinnitus could be as a side effect for prescription or over-the-counter medications, abnormal growth within the middle or the inner ear, or it can be a symptom of an underlying and a more serious condition.

Tinnitus relief can be achieved in a variety of ways although there is still no specified cure for the condition. One of these treatment methods that patients can consider is to get cochlear implants. Cochlear implant utilizes an electronic device that stimulates the cells in the auditory nerved in order to produce sound waves that a person with hearing impairment will be able to detect. Cochlear implants are composed of external and internal parts. The external component of a cochlear implant consists of a microphone and a word processor which is connected to a coil which transmits the sound waves to the ear. The internal component, on the other hand, has a stimulator package which receives the sound waves and translates it as electrical signals. The transmitted signal stimulates the cells in the inner fibers of the auditory system.

Cochlear implants are typically used to provide relief for hearing loss as it produces the sensation of hearing. In cases of tinnitus, cochlear implants are also known to be beneficial. According to a study conducted on six patients who were fitted with the device, the occurrence of tinnitus was suppressed during the periods of stimulation. Additionally, four of six patients observed a reduced loudness of their tinnitus when the device was used on its own. Cochlear implant device, when combined with noise input in the processor, was noted to have successfully suppressed the occurrence of tinnitus among five of six patients. Although cochlear implants are often prescribed among patients with unilateral tinnitus, patients with bilateral tinnitus also found relief as the stimulation of one-ear tinnitus can also lead to suppression of tinnitus when it occurs on both ears.

Apart from that test, another well-known study on cochlear implants for tinnitus relief was also performed in Sao Paulo Brazil during the periods of 2003 to 2005 and in this study 29 adults were involved, all of which have undergone the same hearing condition and received a cochlear implant surgery. According to the study, 21 individuals from the control group were found to exhibit symptoms of tinnitus. Fourteen of the 21 individuals had bilateral tinnitus while the remaining seven patients had unilateral tinnitus. After the activation of their cochlear implants, all patients with unilateral cases experienced relief from the condition and noted that the symptoms were eliminated. Eight patients out of the 14 bilateral cases observed a reduced occurrence in their tinnitus condition. Three patients noted that their condition remained the same while three more patients complained that the cochlear implants actually aggravated their tinnitus. A remarkable observation also showed that one of the patients developed the condition after the device was implanted.
Based on these statistics, there is so much potential in terms of employing cochlear implants as a treatment method for tinnitus. Following this medical research performed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the study was forwarded to the medical laboratories in the United States in order to further develop the research.

Prescription Drugs That Can Cause Tinnitus

Prescription Drugs That Can Cause Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a condition wherein a person might hear ringing, buzzing, hissing or roaring sounds that might take place within intermittent or constant occurrences. These sensations, though, are only heard or perceived by a person with tinnitus and other people within his surroundings will not be able to hear it. According to the American Tinnitus Association, in the United States alone, the population of people who experienced or are currently experiencing tinnitus already reached to 50 million. Among this number, 12 million people have already sought medical advice because of the severity of their condition. The main factors that are associated to tinnitus are often attributed to frequent exposure to loud music and age-related hearing loss.

Currently, there is still no known specific cure for tinnitus and unfortunately, some medications and prescription drugs are said to also aggravate or trigger the condition. For one, there’s some antibiotics like chloramphenicol, vancomycin, erythromycin, bleomycin, and tertraclycin that are known to have a side effect similar to the symptoms of tinnitus. Antibiotics are usually prescribed as a treatment medication for bacterial infections. Tinnitus is often observed when a patient has been on a long-term intake of antibiotics and in cases wherein antibiotics are taken in high doses.

Another drug posing threats to the hearing and ear condition would be aspirin. When taken on a daily basis within twelve doses or more, Aspirin is known to cause tinnitus. According to CNN Health, patients who have overdosed on aspirin use are most likely to lose their hearing ability and develop tinnitus during the process. Then there’s antidepressants which are prescribed to treat depression and anxiety. But these drugs are found to intensify the occurrence of tinnitus and at times, aggravate the loudness of the perceived ringing in the ears. Antidepressants such as lithium, Moban, Prozac, tranquilizers, Paxil and Zoloft are identified to exacerbate tinnitus conditions. Doctors have warned against non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS such as Ibuprofen which is prescribed to relieve pain are found to cause tinnitus as well. The effects of NSAIDs are said to have similar causal effects to aspirin.

There are also certain diuretic medications are typically prescribed to patients with kidney disorders or high blood pressure. When diuretics such as furosemide, ethacrynic acid and bumetanide are taken in high dosage, they can lead the patient to develop tinnitus symptoms. Some studies show that tinnitus only occurs when a patient undergoes diuretic IV therapy in high doses. Health and drug experts came forward with their findings on cancer medications as well. Some are prescribed to treat certain tumor growth and have been found to have side effects which include permanent tinnitus Even malaria medications such as quinine and chloroquinine have raised questions as well. While both drugs are prescribed to be used in high doses in order to treat malaria, there’s notable reports that it can also cause the occurrence of tinnitus symptoms.

The abovementioned medications are prescribed for a major reason- to treat the severity of other health complications. Since different medications can affect every person in a different way, there is a possibility that a person might develop tinnitus during the course of his intake. Cancer medications aside, the occurrence of tinnitus is most likely to subside once the patient has discontinued the use of these medications. However, it is also essential to note that one must not personally decide on his own as to whether or not he should discontinue the use of these prescription drugs. The patient should discuss the possibility of developing tinnitus with his physician and find out if there is a possibility to discontinue or lower the doses of the prescribed medications. The physician might also suggest other alternative treatment medications that might not have the same side effects or he can recommend other methods which can help in relieving the symptoms of tinnitus

Some Ways Tinnitus Is Evaluated

Some  Ways Tinnitus Is Evaluated

The assessment of tinnitus starts when a person pays a visit to an ear doctor or an otolaryngologist. Tinnitus can be evaluated in a number of ways. A person can undergo a series of special tests, physical examination and the doctor could also look into the patient’s medical history to determine the origin of the condition. During the evaluation, the patient has to indicate the severity and the occurrence of the tinnitus in order for the physician to identify which type it falls into. Oftentimes, a patient will be asked to undergo an audiogram or a hearing test. In more severe cases, the doctor may recommend an auditory brain stem response, CT scan or an MRI scan so as to determine whether or not tinnitus is a symptom of a tumor growth.

Audiogram. Commonly termed as a hearing test, an audiogram examines the person’s ability to hear and recognize different sound and speech patterns. The loss of hearing abilities is oftentimes associated with tinnitus, thus an audiogram can be helpful in diagnosing the condition.
Evoked Response Audiometry. Tinnitus can occur in both ears or in one ear alone. This type of test is commonly used to evaluate one-ear tinnitus wherein a painless computerized inner ear examination is being performed.

X-rays. Tinnitus is sometimes caused by ear blockage or because an abnormal vessel growth is developing within the regions of the middle and inner ear. Through an X-ray test, the physician may be able to identify that the tinnitus is caused by physical or structural growth in these areas of a person’s head. Other related examinations that might be recommended would be CT scan or MRI scans in more severe cases.
Pitch Match. A person with tinnitus fails to recognize the different levels of frequency and the pitch that corresponds to it. During a pitch match for tinnitus, the patient will be exposed to a variety of external noises and will be asked to identify which type of noise has the similar pitch to the buzzing or ringing sound that he hears in his inner ear. According to studies, the highest frequency used in a pitch match ranks at 4,000 Hz and majority of patients with tinnitus often recognize a match in the pitch when the frequency reaches 3,500 Hz. At this level, the tone is identified to screeching and unpleasant to the ears.

Loudness Match. Similar to the concept of the pitch match, the loudness match is used in order to identify the level of decibel that a person with tinnitus hears. For people with tinnitus, the inner sounds that they hear are more associated with a whisper, with a loudness of four to seven dB. During the loudness match, tinnitus is evaluated through the use of a loudness scale, with zero being the “no tinnitus” zone and ten as the highest possible sound of tinnitus. Most patients often note that they can match the loudness within the scale of six or higher.

Tinnitus is an auditory system condition that can be brought about by a variety of causes. Although it is a minor condition, the intermittent buzzing in the ears can still affect a person’s lifestyle, as well as his cognitive and emotional well-being. Tinnitus can also be an underlying symptom of a more serious health complication, thus it is essential that the main cause is detected in order for the physician to provide the appropriate care to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of tinnitus.