What Causes Tinnitus?

Was it something you did, which triggered your tinnitus?

In the small hours of the morning as you lie awake listening to the whistling in your ears, you may wonder what caused the problem in the first place.

The truth is that tinnitus has different causes, some of which are avoidable whilst others aren’t. While tinnitus may impact on different aspects of your life, it’s also important to recognize that it may be a clue to another health problem that requires action.

Ear infections

An ear infection makes you feel decidedly unwell. From a fever to a banging headache, the signs of an ear infection are difficult to ignore. However, the symptoms can be so severe that the last thing you notice is a residual ringing in the ears.

The unhappy consequence of a middle ear infection can be residual tinnitus. Hence, if you have an earache or the early warning signs of a possible infection, seek medical attention. By treating the problem early you may dodge the long-term complication of tinnitus.

Medical conditions

Tiny blood vessels pass through the inner ear, which are very sensitive to blockage or high blood pressure. Increased blood flow or greater turbulence in those small vessels, may manifest itself as tinnitus. Likewise, Meniere’s disease, with its associated balance loss and nausea, is often accompanied by tinnitus.

If your develop tinnitus seemingly for no reason, take this as a clue that you may have a health problem that needs checking out.

Excessive earwax

Happily, sometimes it’s a simple problem that causes tinnitus, such as a build-up of earwax in the ear canal. This should become evident at a medical exam (or hearing test) with the good news that syringing the ears may correct the problem.

Side effect of medication

It’s estimated around 200 different prescription drugs have the potential to cause tinnitus as a side effect. This doesn’t mean it happens in every case because the risks are usually low, but it may be a possibility.

Some drugs such as chemotherapy agents and certain strong antibiotics carry a higher than usual risk. In these cases, your audiologist will carefully weigh up the benefits versus the risks and discuss them with you. In some cases, this may mean balancing the benefits of a potentially life-saving cancer medication against a risk of developing tinnitus.

Noise damage

A sudden loud noise such as an explosion or gunshot may be enough to trigger tinnitus. In some cases, the effects wear off in time, while for others it may become permanent.

Head injury

A knock or blow to the head can trigger tinnitus. Trauma is the cause for around 10 percent of long-term tinnitus sufferers. Unfortunately, these patients tend to experience louder intrusive noises, than other sufferers, which can interfere with sleep and concentration.

Seeking early help is essential.

Whatever the cause of your tinnitus, seek help from an audiologist in order to overcome it.