Characteristics
Noise in tinnitus can:
• Feel in the form of ringing, whistling, buzzing or buzzing;
• Start suddenly or gradually;
• Occur constantly or intermittently;
• be barely distinguishable or very loud;
• have different intensity;
• accompanied by a violation of sleep and attention;
• cause psychological problems (depression).
With subjective tinnitus, no one but the patient can hear the noise. Extremely rare extraneous sounds can be heard by others - this phenomenon is called objective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus is caused by a disruption of the process of sound transmission to the brain. The labyrinth of the inner ear - a system of fluid filled cavities - forms the organ of hearing and balance. The sound is transmitted to the cochlear part of the labyrinth through the tympanic membrane and three small auditory ossicles of the middle ear. The sound is perceived by special hair cells, which respond to the change in pressure by the formation of nerve impulses transmitted to the brain. The cause of tinnitus may be the death of cochlear hair cells, which is accompanied by the inability to conduct sound normally and causes organic changes in the brain.
Risk factors
The development of tinnitus can lead to:
• Hearing loss - 90% of people who feel noises in their ears suffer from a degree of hearing loss; 85% of patients with hearing impairment note the symptoms of tinnitus. Aging - age-related hearing impairment is often accompanied by noise in the ears.
• The impact of very loud sounds, such as firearms.
• Perforation of the tympanic membrane.
• Accumulation of earwax, which exerts pressure on the tympanic membrane.
• Otosclerosis (fusion of ossicles), leading to deafness in adults.
• Ménière's disease (fluid accumulation in the cavity of the inner ear), as a result of which
in patients the hearing is reduced, and there are attacks of tinnitus and dizziness.
• Some medications.
• Acoustic neuroma is a tumor of the auditory nerve.
Objective tinnitus
The cause of objective tinnitus is the internal body noise that the doctor can hear with a very sensitive microphone through a stethoscope attached to the head or neck of the patient or directly at his ear. Such noise include:
Abnormally loud heartbeats;
• abnormal blood flow, eg due to edema of the arterial wall;
• Muscular spasms of the middle ear;
• pathological discharge from the auditory nerve.
The doctor collects a detailed anamnesis and assesses the physical and mental health of the patient. It is recommended to assess the severity of hearing and examination from an ENT specialist. In the case of unilateral tinnitus, an X-ray and / or magnetic resonance examination is performed to exclude the tumor.
Morbidity
Tinnitus is quite common, in most cases characterized by a rare appearance of symptoms, especially in conditions of complete silence. Most often occurs in the elderly, but young people, and even children can feel a strange noise in the ears. There is no specific drug treatment for noise in the ears. Most often, the doctor's involvement consists in examining and clarifying the cause of the condition. However, the sulfur plug can be successfully removed by rinsing the ear, and the perforation of the tympanic membrane in most cases heals independently. Some patients are shown to have an interference on the ear, and in Meniere's disease they are prescribed treatment with betahistine. Patients with other causes of tinnitus may be offered the following measures to relieve the condition:
• Relaxation - Yoga and meditation can sometimes help.
• Exercise - strengthens health and improves well-being, making noise in the ears less annoying.
• Hobby - hobby for some interesting activity, for example drawing, will help to distract from tinnitus.
• Diet - some patients are helped by low-salt diet. The exclusion of red wine, caffeine and tonic drinks for a test period of two weeks can help to find out whether this factor is the cause of noise in the ears.
• Sound therapy - the presence of a sound background, for example the noise of a working hair dryer or radio, distracts the brain from extraneous sounds in the ears. Wearing a hearing aid that emits a constant quiet sound can have a positive effect for several months.
• Patient education programs that involve changing the perception of tinnitus, which ceases to be a problem for them.
• Classes in groups "help yourself".
The prognosis depends on the cause of the condition. However, many people eventually adapt to the sensation of constant noise in the ears and cease to pay attention to it. For the treatment of tinnitus, a number of techniques have been proposed, although not all of them can be suitable for a particular patient. Most patients choose for themselves how to solve this problem. Avoid exposure to loud sounds, for example, in the workplace or rock concerts. Other preventive measures include:
• healthy food with an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits;
• elimination of smoking and alcohol abuse.