Tinnitus: Understanding the Ringing in Your Ears

Have you ever heard a persistent sound in your ear similar to a ringing or hissing? If that’s the case, this internal sound could signal you might be experiencing Tinnitus.

Tinnitus symptoms don’t always mean that you have a permanent hearing problem. But understanding what might be causing the noise by how long you’ve been noticing and other factors can help determine the best way to approach Tinnitus.

So, let’s look at an insight into this condition, understand the potential causes, and discover the best treatment methods to transform your hearing.

What is It?

Tinnitus is a hearing loss condition. Many individuals diagnosed would say that they have a constant ringing, clicking, or buzzing in their ears that isn’t noticeable externally.

Several reasons come into play why someone might show signs of Tinnitus. Some could have to do with underlying health conditions, like having high blood pressure, specific medication you need to take for your ailments, or even experiencing an ear infection.

It may also be caused by loud noises damaging the ears. For example, if you have been to a concert playing loud music, you may notice your hearing affected when you get home. This is generally temporary, as are other reasons you could be experiencing this hearing condition.

Moreover, many individuals with Tinnitus could be of a certain age where hearing loss comes with growing old or having a build-up of earwax in the ear canal.

Are There Different Types?

Yes, Tinnitus can be put into three categories. Still, to be sure, we recommend you speak to a specialist for an evaluation, like one of our team members at Hearing Associates of Las Vegas, to confirm which type you may be experiencing. These types of Tinnitus include subjective, objective, and pulsatile Tinnitus.

• Subjective Tinnitus: Subjective is the most common type out of the three. With this form of Tinnitus, you can hear sound despite no external source of the noise, despite how loud, obnoxious, or visceral it feels. No one else can listen to the sound, too.
• Objective Tinnitus: Objective Tinnitus is less common. Typically, if you’re having an ear examination, the doctor can detect it with a stethoscope. This type of Tinnitus may be caused by your blood flow, muscle spasms, or, worst cases, tumors.
• Pulsatile Tinnitus: Finally, pulsatile Tinnitus means individuals can hear a rhythmic pulsating or throbbing that sounds like their heartbeat. This may be due to blood pressure changes or even blood vessel disorders.

Do You Feel Any Symptoms?

Individuals have noticed other symptoms when describing Tinnitus besides the ongoing ringing, clicking, or buzzing.

• Sound Sensitivity: If you find that normal sounds like cars beeping or alarms going off cause you pain, this may be a reason to check out with a professional if you have Tinnitus.
• Difficulty Sleeping: Another symptom is difficulty falling or staying asleep when you have Tinnitus. The constant sound can disturb your flow of getting into a deep sleep, so this may cause you to feel more tired and even stressed because you can’t rest.
• Struggle Hearing: Some individuals also experience hearing loss because of the damage tinnitus may have caused to the inner ear. For example, let’s say you always use a cotton swab to clean the ears; this may contribute to Tinnitus and damage.

What Are the Best Treatment Options?

If you believe you are going through Tinnitus, firstly, you should speak with a medical professional to confirm your symptoms. You may need to go through your medical history and experiences that have happened that may be affecting your hearing and your diet.

Some treatment options at Hearing Associates of Las Vegas include TRT, sound therapy, hearing aids, medication, and relaxation methods.

• TRT (Tinnitus Retraining Therapy) is one of our most effective treatments. It is an advanced method to help retrain your brain’s sound interpretation. It is a mix of one-on-one counseling and sound therapy. 
• Sound Therapy is a way to forget about the persistent tinnitus symptoms essentially. Your brain will process the noise differently to ultimately not being able to notice it at all.
• Hearing Aids helps you enhance external sounds around you. These can improve your quality of life, especially for individuals with age-related hearing loss.
• Medication typically isn’t the cure for Tinnitus; it may be suggested to patients who wish to relieve some severe symptoms.
• Relaxation will be different for each patient. It would be best to find ways to redirect your hearing focus to improve your perception of Tinnitus. Relaxing may mean meditation or doing things you enjoy to better your mood and lower your attention to Tinnitus.

How to Stop Ringing in Your Ears

Overall, if you think you’re experiencing Tinnitus, to improve your hearing, understanding what type it is, where it comes from, and how it impacts your life is critical.

Whether there is an underlying medical condition that has triggered your hearing, or perhaps you need to change the loud noises you are exposed to, our Hearing Associates of Las Vegas team is glad to help. Why not contact our medical professionals today to book a physical examination?