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Tinnitus
Overview:
Tinnitus, a sensation of ringing in the ears or the head, can be extremely annoying. Sometimes the noise is so disturbing that the person cannot sleep or carry on a normal conversation.
Signs and Symptoms:
* A noise in the ears, such as buzzing, ringing, roaring, whistling, or hissing
* It may come and go or be continuous, and may be so soft that the person can hear it only when trying to sleep, or so loud that it is audible at all times
* Occasional hearing loss
Causes and Organs Affected:
The most common cause of tinnitus is over-exposure to loud noise. (You only have to be exposed to a loud concert to experience tinnitus instantly - the noise can last for days afterwards).
There are many other things which can also cause tinnitus, including:
* Too much wax in the ear
* Ear infection
* A hole in the eardrum
* Certain medications
* High blood pressure
* Allergy
* Anaemia
* Interruption of the cerebral blood flow (i.e. the blood flow to the head area)
Risk Factor:
Anyone can get tinnitus, but you might be at increased risk if:
* You've been exposed to loud noise without ear protection, especially on an ongoing basis
* You're an older adult. Tinnitus is most common in people over 65
* You have age-related hearing loss
* You're a man
* You're Caucasian
* You have post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Tinnitus is especially aggravated by loud noises in people with PTSD.
Treatment:
Avoid loud noises. If you are exposed to industrial noise pollution, always take protective measures.
Avoid alcohol, smoking, and caffeine, and reduce the salt in your diet. All of these can further impair cerebral blood flow.
Lifestyle Management:
To improve blood circulation to your ears, reduce the saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet, and keep eating a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, with 6-8 glasses of filtered water each day.
Regular exercise that increases blood circulation to the head may help bring some relief from tinnitus.