Tinnitus - Symptom, A Ringing in Your Ears

Do you have a ringing in your ears? Almost everyone has experienced at least a brief ringing in their ears at one time or another. Usually it goes ways within a few seconds but some people have a constant ringing in their ears that almost never goes away. This condition is known as tinnitus. But, a ringing in someone’s ear can also be associated or a symptom of other afflictions.

There are many know causes for the condition communally known as tinnitus. You have to diagnose what is causing the ringing or other sounds in your ears. Many doctors miss diagnose the actual cause. People afflicted with tinnitus can have very different causes.

A ringing in the ears might be a symptom of anxiety. There are many different symptoms of anxiety. People who experience anxiety or have panic attacks experience these symptoms in many different ways. Ringing in the ears can be a symptom experienced by certain people. Although, a ringing in your ears might not mean you have anxiety.

Ringing in the ears is also a symptom of a problem with an individual’s blood pressure. When was the last time you had your blood pressure tested? If you suffer from high blood pressure this could possibly be the cause of tinnitus for you.

A ringing in the ears can result from having higher than normal cholesterol levels. As cholesterol gathers in blood vessels and more specifically the blood vessels near the ear, the blood pressure can become more unstable in its effort to force through some of the deposits. If you are hearing a ringing in your ear, a simple test would be to check your cholesterol level.

Hearing a ringing in the ear can also be a symptom of allergies or sinus problems. Typically medications like antibiotics and antihistamines are used to treat these conditions. These medications can make the mucous in the ear difficult for the body to drain leading to pressure build up, ear infections and ringing in the ears.

Conditions like presbycusis (loss of hearing at any age) or an age-associated loss of hearing, muscle tension, temporomandibular joint (the joint of the jaw and is frequently referred to as TMJ) vitamin B12 deficiency and a thyroid disorder could also produce symptoms like hearing a ringing in the ear.

Although, the most common cause of ringing in the ear is tinnitus. There are several different forms of tinnitus. Atherosclerosis (Arteriosclerotic Vascular Disease or ASVD) is a rare form of tinnitus.

Most people have the form of tinnitus that produces a ringing in the ear that only the individual can hear. Because atherosclerosis is indicative of some sort of structural problem within the individual, a doctor can hear the ringing in the ear as well. They do this by placing a stethoscope around the ear and the side of the patient’s neck. Atherosclerosis is a more serious medical condition. This type of tinnitus cause more of a pulsing or a rushing sound which is the individuals own pulse that they can hear pulsing or rushing through the ear.

In most cases the ringing in the ear leads to the other form of tinnitus that only the individual can hear. It is more common but less understood. Plus, the noise hear within the ear is not limited to a ringing sound. It can be a buzzing, whining, popping or even a static sound. The sound can be in both ears or just one ear.

The treatment for this condition varies with the individual. Unfortunately in most cases, there is no treatment for tinnitus although, some people have found alternative treatments for tinnitus. These individuals have turned to natural homeopathic treatments, acupuncture, hypnosis and even implants.