Tinnitus

Health and Nutrition > Diseases > T Reviewed by Dr Robert Mills, consultant otolaryngologist

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is when you hear a sound that no one else can hear. Different people hear different things such as ringing, buzzing or more complex sounds.

Tinnitus can vary in intensity and be constant or intermittent. In some cases it can be described as a pulsating sound. Tinnitus usually occurs in association with hearing loss.

What causes tinnitus?

Any ear disorder can cause tinnitus. Some of the most common examples of these are given below:

- a disease in the inner ear - damage caused by extreme noise, age-dependent hearing reduction or Ménière's disease.
- an obstruction in the ear canal - a large amount of earwax or a foreign object.
- a pierced eardrum.
- a disease in the middle ear - inflammation of the middle ear.

Other causes:

- high blood pressure
- some medications may cause tinnitus as a side effect, especially when the dose is exceeded, eg aspirin.

A rare cause:

- a benign tumor on the acoustic nerve.

Can tinnitus be treated?

There is no cure for tinnitus caused by extreme noise but it can be treated.

- One way to help decrease tinnitus is to use a hearing aid, especially when hearing is impaired.
- A tinnitus masker which masks the tinnitus with 'white noise' may be helpful.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy helps people cope with the noise.
- In some cases, tinnitus disappears without treatment.

What can be done?

- A hearing specialist will often be able to determine the cause of the tinnitus. They will do this by examining the ear canal and eardrum and by testing the hearing.
- A psychologist can sometimes help to lower awareness of tinnitus.
- Hearing therapists use tinnitus retraining therapy to make it less intrusive.
- It may also help to listen to appropriate background noise, such as soft music when falling asleep.

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