Tinnitus is a common condition that affects nearly one in five people and is usually not serious. It can be caused by exposure to loud noises, aging, certain medications, cholesterol buildup, earwax buildup, neurological damage, stress, and disorders of the temporomandibular joint.
Tinnitus is classified as a ringing sound in the ears. Quite common, tinnitus affects nearly one in five people and typically occurs as people get older. While generally considered annoying, tinnitus is usually not serious and can be resolved. Causes of tinnitus often include exposure to loud noises, reactions to certain types of medications or diseases, and the normal aging process.
The causes of tinnitus are often related to touching loud sounds. When an individual is constantly exposed to loud noises, the tiny hairs inside the ear can bend or even break. When this occurs, the tiny hairs arbitrarily send electrical impulses to the brain even though no sound has been detected. After receiving these signals, the brain deciphers them as ringing.
Another common cause for ringing in the ears is aging, medically referred to as presbycusis. As we age, neurotransmitters called glycine are lost, wreaking havoc with the body’s neurons. This chaos causes neurons to fire unexpectedly, resulting in tinnitus. Presbycusis often begins around age 60.
The causes of tinnitus can also be associated with taking various medications. Medications that can cause tinnitus include aspirin, quinine, diuretics, anticancer drugs, and antibiotics. Typically, the higher the dose, the more intense the tinnitus becomes. Ringing in the ear usually stops when an individual stops taking the medications.
Tinnitus can occur when cholesterol builds up in the body, particularly around major blood vessels near the middle and inner ear. The accumulation of cholesterol and other deposits near the ear decreases the flexibility of the surrounding blood vessels. This causes blood flow around the ears to become more vigorous, causing the individual to feel a pulse.
The causes of tinnitus can also be related to the ear. Sometimes earwax builds up and when too much of it gets trapped in the ear, it becomes difficult to remove naturally. This buildup of earwax causes hearing loss or irritates the eardrum, producing a ringing sound. Also, when the bones inside the ear become abnormally stiffer, it also affects hearing and can cause tinnitus.
Some medical conditions can also cause tinnitus. Neurological damage caused by a head or neck injury can affect the auditory nerves, inner ear, or hearing-related functioning, and produce a ringing sound in the ear. This usually causes tinnitus in only one ear. Stress and depression are also conditions that typically exacerbate ringing in the ear. Disorders of the temporomandibular joint, located in the jaw, can also produce muscle spasms resulting in tinnitus.
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