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Tinnitus

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Contents of this page:

Illustrations

Ear anatomy
Ear anatomy

Alternative Names    Return to top

Ringing in the ears; Noises or buzzing in the ears; Ear buzzing

Definition    Return to top

Tinnitus is the medical term for "hearing" noises in your ears when there is no outside source of the sounds.

The noises you hear can be soft or loud. They may sound like ringing, blowing, roaring, buzzing, hissing, humming, whistling, or sizzling. You may even think you are hearing air escaping, water running, the inside of a seashell, or musical notes.

Considerations    Return to top

Tinnitus is common. Almost everyone experiences a mild form of tinnitus once in awhile that only lasts a few minutes. However, constant or recurring tinnitus is stressful and can interfere with your ability to concentrate or sleep.

Causes    Return to top

It is not known exactly what causes a person to "hear" sounds with no outside source of the noise. However, tinnitus can be a symptom of almost any ear problem, including ear infections, foreign objects or wax in the ear, and injury from loud noises. Alcohol, caffeine, antibiotics, aspirin, or other drugs can also cause ear noises.

Tinnitus may occur with hearing loss. Occasionally, it is a sign of high blood pressure, an allergy, or anemia. Rarely, tinnitus is a sign of a serious problem like a tumor or aneurysm.

Home Care    Return to top

When to Contact a Medical Professional    Return to top

Call your doctor if:

What to Expect at Your Office Visit    Return to top

The health care provider will perform a physical examination, which will include looking in your ears. You may be questions, such as:

The following tests may be done:

If your doctor can determine the cause, fixing the problem (for example, removing ear wax) may make your symptoms go away.

Many medicines have been used to relieve symptoms of tinnitus, but no drug works for everyone. Medications may include anti-arrhythmics (usually used for irregular heart rhythms), antidepressants, vasodilators, tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, and antihistamines.

A tinnitus masker is a device worn like a hearing aid. This helps some people. It delivers low-level sound directly into the ear to cover or disguise the ear noise that is bothering you.

A hearing aid may help reduce ear noise and make outside sounds louder.

Sometimes, counseling may help you learn to live with tinnitus. Your doctor may recommend biofeedback training. This method helps you learn to control body functions by monitoring specific responses (such as tightness of a muscle group) and altering this response through relaxation.

Some people have tried alternative therapies to treat tinnitus. These includes:

However, such methods have not been entirely proven. Talk to your doctor before trying any of these alternative therapies.

The American Tinnitus Association is a good resource center and support group.

Prevention    Return to top

Wear ear protection in any situations where ear damage is possible (such as loud concerts or jackhammers). If you have hearing loss, avoid further damage to your hearing by avoiding excessive noise.

Make sure your blood pressure is normal by maintaining proper body weight, exercising regularly, and seeing your doctor for yearly check ups.

References    Return to top

Heller AJ. Classification and epidemiology of tinnitus. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2003; 36(2): 239-248.

Sismanis A. Tinnitus. Advances in evaluation and management. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2003; 36(2): xi-xii.

Update Date: 2/19/2007

Updated by: Alden J. Pearl, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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