Tinnitus is a very common hearing disorder that more than 50 million Americans deal with every year. It can be treated with a variety of techniques depending on the cause of your tinnitus, and your symptoms could range from mild to severe. When your symptoms are significant, you notice them right away and you will find that your daily life is affected. The symptoms of tinnitus can come in the form of sounds, but it can be both mental and physical for some people. It’s not a comfortable condition to cope with, and its why people seek the help of an audiologist the as early as possible so, that they don’t have to live with it for too long.

The signs of tinnitus

There is a long list of symptoms that can tell you that you are experiencing from tinnitus. Once you understand the signs, you can recognize the problem and book an appointment with an audiologist to help you to get to the stage of treatment. The symptoms of tinnitus include:

  • Ringing
  • Clicking
  • Buzzing
  • Whooshing
  • Roaring
  • Ticking
  • Pulsing
  • Humming
  • Hearing loss in some cases
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Irritability as a result of all of the above

Different types of tinnitus

The different kinds of tinnitus have various symptoms. So, it’s essential to know that there are a few types of tinnitus out there to help you to identify your own. 

Objective tinnitus

This is the tinnitus that you can hear, some of the signs above can point toward this condition. 

Subjective tinnitus

This usually results from inner ear damage, and you will be the only one to hear the tinnitus sounds because of that damage. 

Vascular/pulsatile tinnitus

Usually, this is the type of tinnitus that results from hearing loss, hoarseness and swallowing issues. It can also develop as a result of the carotid artery thickening.

Muscle spasm tinnitus

Lastly, your audiologist should be able to tell you whether your tinnitus type is muscle spasm tinnitus. Two muscles that are usually there to protect your middle ear against loud sounds start to contract spontaneously; this causes a clicking noise in the ear and a muscle relaxant can help.

It’s vital that you are aware that there are underlying conditions of which tinnitus is a symptom, and this includes growths and tumors. It’s also possible that you notice you have been grinding your teeth, can lead to tinnitus. If you are aware that you have some of the signs listed above, then it’s important that you call your audiologist and have a conversation with them about it. They will be able to talk to you about what you are feeling and experiencing and explain what you should do about it. Tinnitus can be managed and you can find the right help, all you need do is ask.