Tinnitus Causes - What Can Cause The Ringing In My Ears?

Feb 3
07:30

2012

Ian Swinnerton

Ian Swinnerton

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Linkedin

Ringing in the ears – Some of you may have recognised that after you frequent a pop show or a raucous night club or public house, your realise that you have ringing in your ears. I am sure you have been in that situation, like me you say to yourself; “It will pass in a few hours or maybe a day or so and everything will be fine….”

mediaimage
Tinnitus Causes

Tinnitus Causes,Tinnitus Causes - What Can Cause The Ringing In My Ears? Articles below are a list of the most common causes of tinnitus, the causes may be lasting but they will not distress and are not oppressive.

Inner Ear Damage

The inner ear can degrade slightly which can be one reason for a cause of tinnitus, the end product can be corruption inside the ear. Fundamentally the process by which sound travels through the ear is from the outer to the inner ear, it is the inner ear that is the vital cog in this process. Here you have the auditory nerve and the cochlea.

The cochlea is best described as a coiled, spiral tube and alongside this are thousands of tiny responsive hair cells. The auditory nerve has an important role to play as it delivers all the sounds that it captures and pings them to the brain. Logically if any minute section of the cochlea is corrupted then the signals that are sent to the brain become distorted and some sections of the brain receive no signals at all.

The cochlea is now working harder to send those signals to the brain and the damaged area of the cochlea is doing virtually nothing so the working areas that are receptive and working have to compensate for the areas that are corrupted.

The working components of the cochlea are then identified by the brain and the normal processes resume but with the sounds of tinnitus (buzzing, ringing, whizzing) in your ear. The signals are then sent by the cochlea as would normally happen to the brain and the noises picked up are due to the sound overload because not all of the cochlea is functioning as it should.

A common problem with older people is tinnitus as hearing loss is a natural process when we get older. Tinnitus will occur and hearing will lessen as the sensitivity of the hearing nerves gradually reduces. Young people also experience tinnitus and the primary tinnitus cause here is the exposure of the hearing to excessive loud noises, for example pop concerts.

A first visit to an ear specialist may not uncover the reason(s) for tinnitus and because of this it can be a very tough and stressful time of your life as you look for answers. Tinnitus causes can sometimes remain un-diagnosed, so we explore our own solutions to help explain the ailment. So what other factors can cause this annoying and embarrassing ailment, here I have listed natural causes for tinnitus:

Earwax can block the ear over time

An infection/inflammation of the middle ear

Glue ear otosclerosis - irregular bone development can be another factor and is often a genetic problem that is passed down from one generation to the next. The bone irregularity is often found in the middle ear and can lead to reduced hearing

Meniere's disease - sufferers experience difficulties in their balance, this problem can be found in the inner ear or as it's commonly known the labyrinth

Paget's disease - if any damage has been caused to the bones in the ear then repair and enhancement are delayed this then lessens the repair cycle

Anaemia-tinnitus, the tinnitus sounds heard can be as a result of less red blood cells and thinner blood. The blood then circulates the ear at a faster pace and the sounds heard are these blood cells speeding past the cochlea and the brain picking the sound up

A perforated eardrum

Other Common Causes of Tinnitus

A bang to the head or injury to the same

Loud gunshot or explosions near to the ear often accountable to tinnitus

Acoustic neuroma - this is illustrated as a rare, non-cancerous degradation that invades the nerve of the inner ear

Adverse reactions to established medications, eg. Antibiotics, diuretics, quinine and aspirin. This is normal if you exceed the correct dosage

Surpassing the advised limits of alcohol and drug mis-use

An out of control thyroid gland or narrowing of the arteries due to high blood pressure can be another factor

Stress is often referred to as a cause of tinnitus but this is incorrect as this only makes he condition worse if not treated and is often the underlying cause for tinnitus. There are methods outlined in a previous article in reducing stress levels, the sudden loss of a loved one is the best example for the on set of tinnitus as this can be a very stressful episode in any ones life.