Cause of TinnitusMillions of people have to deal with
some type of tinnitus, but what exactly is the cause of
tinnitus? An exact cause may be difficult to pin down
because there are many things that can be a factor to this
condition. One tinnitus cause is ear damage. Ear
damage can occur from injury, infection, or another medical
problem.
When you wonder what causes tinnitus, you have to think
about those tiny little hairs in your inner ear. Most
people experience a short ringing at some point. This
happens when it becomes damaged or there is a misfiring to the
brain of sound waves.
When these little hairs come into contact with sound waves
they move to send electrical signals though the auditory nerve
to the brain. Your brain then reads these messages as
sounds. When the little hairs are damaged, random
impulses are sent to the brain and they are read as sounds that
don’t normally belong.
Health problems can also be a factor in the cause of
tinnitus. The following conditions could increase your
risk of developing tinnitus:
- Loss of hearing
- Bone changes in the ear (otosclerosis)
Earwax buildup
- Neck or head injuries
- Inner ear disorders (i.e. Meniere’s disease)
- Tumor in the inner ear (acoustic neuroma)
- Muscle spasm
- Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
Another cause of tinnitus can be related to emotions (i.e.
high stress levels, depression). However, many medical
advisors don’t think that emotional factors can cause
tinnitus. They feel that the tinnitus is what causes the
emotional issues.
Medications can also be a tinnitus cause. Some of them
include cancer medications, antibiotics, aspirin, diuretics,
and quinine medications.
When tinnitus creates a pulsating sound, there could be
other reasons why you are experiencing this sound. The
pulsing can be continual or intermittent. The cause of
tinnitus in this case could be related to blood pressure,
atherosclerosis, tumors, malformation of capillaries, and any
other conditions that cause irregular blood flow.
If you are constantly exposed to loud noises you could also
get tinnitus. Loud noises can damage your ears especially
if it is an ongoing thing. For this reason many factories
require their workers to use earplugs. If you like to go
to concerts frequently, you may want to buffer the noise with
some earplugs too.
To help prevent tinnitus you have to think of the cause of
tinnitus. You can do this by staying away from loud
noises, eat right, exercise on a regular basis, and do your
best to protect your hearing. You can lower your risks by
wearing a helmet to prevent neck or head damage in high risk
activities. Taking care of your health can also help.
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