Causes of Ringing in the Ears – Learning the Culprits

Tinnitus is a disturbing ear ringing condition that affects millions of people around the world. If you notice a high frequency tone or a strange noise in your ears without apparent source, suspect you have tinnitus. Well, the best way to deal with this is too seek medical help, during which instance the causes of ringing in the ears will be identified and explained to you.

There are two general types of tinnitus depending on whether it is audible or not to an inspecting person. The first is objective tinnitus, which is also called pulsatile tinnitus, and is characterized by thumping sensation within the ears. Such rhythmic noise can accompany the pulsing pace of heartbeat as if the person hears his heartbeat inside his ears. It is a rare type of tinnitus though and is accompanied by blood circulation problems.

The second type of tinnitus is the more prevalent occurring in most of the cases. Medically referred to as subjective tinnitus, this kind of ringing ear malady is only perceptible to the sufferer himself. Thus, making the diagnosis sort of difficult. The causes of ringing in the ears in this case involve a number of underlying conditions ranging from acoustic trauma to tumor, the latter being a rare occurrence.

A leading cause of tinnitus is noise exposure. When people are regularly exposed to excessive noise, say traffic noise and loud speakers, the delicate regions in the inner ear wear away.

The cochlea houses the hair cells bathed in fluid. These cells respond to vibrations and transmit signals to the brain via the acoustic nerve. These cells are so delicate that they get injured by exposure to loud noises. Once damage occurs, these cells begin to send random impulses, which the brain pick up and perceive as tinnitus noise. Cochlear trauma sue to noise is irreversible and is usually, if not always, associated by hearing loss.

Infections in the ears may also affect the auditory pathway. Any fluid build-up and swelling that blocks the proper transmission of sound waves through the hearing system may cause hearing loss accompanied by tinnitus. Experts believe that when external hearing is cut off, the brain compensates with the loss of auditory sensation by tuning in to the internal sounds. This why people with earwax build up and eardrum perforation, who suffer from deafness, experience tinnitus.

Another possible cause would be frequent exposure to stress. Stress is an unavoidable circumstance in our lives and it would help to be familiar with the definition of stress to find ways to avoid it as well as avoid the risk of developing a ringing in the ears.

Other causes of ringing in the ears are Meniere’s disease, head injury, jaw misalignment, allergies, and aging. Fortunately, doctors can identify the cause of tinnitus in some patients. However, lots of patients get by with their tinnitus whose cause remains to be unidentified.