What can I do about my tinnitus?
Tinnitus can take many forms and seems to be different for most individuals. Tinnitus is sound perceived by an individual and no one else. My patients have reported hearing buzzing, ringing, humming, chirping, pulsating, crickets, knocking and sizzling to name a few of the sounds. Some get a combination of sounds. The cause of it can vary, but the most common cause is damage to the cochlea or inner ear, many times it is damage caused by noise exposure. Since the ear is directly connected to the brain via the 8th nerve, it is believed to originate in the ear/brain connection. When the cochlea is damaged, it can no longer provide the brain the information that the brain expects to receive. The brain then "pumps" the ear for more information, causing the ear to emit an internal noise. That noise can be barely audible or it can be so prominent that some people can no longer cope. Usually it is more noticeable in quiet situations, as external noises can usually mask the internal noise. It is important to see a doctor to make sure it is not a sign of something more serious. A hearing test is usually the first test performed. Most tinnitus sufferers do have hearing loss but not all. Wearing hearing aids helps about 80% of the time. I will discuss other remedies in a future post.