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Cause of Tinnitus

You are having dinner with your family and the conversation is delightful. Then it happens, drowning out the talking around you: that ringing in your ear. Or maybe it isn’t a ringing, but a popping, or a hiss, or maybe even a roar. Whatever the type of sound, the source is the same. Tinnitus is a disembodied sound that originates from the ear itself, and it can be a frustrating – or even painful – symptom.

Unlike other hearing loss, the tinnitus is not a condition itself. It is a sign that something is wrong with the ear, or the nerves or bones within the ear. Sometimes the cause of the ringing isn’t known, making it harder to treat. In cases where the source can be found, it is often an overabundance of ear wax, damage caused by exposure to loud noise, damage due to trauma or infection, long term or chronic disorders involving the chambers of the ear, or certain other conditions like thyroid dysfunction or cardiovascular disease.

Treating an underlying condition can often alleviate tinnitus. In cases where it is caused by hearing loss, it may be possible to curb symptoms through the use of medication, surgical procedures, or the fitting of a hearing aid. These devices can use their features to reduce noises coming from inside and outside the ear that interfere with basic hearing.

If you are suffering from tinnitus you aren’t alone. More than fifty million people in the US have some form of tinnitus. Visit HearingDoctors.net to find out more about treatment options that may work for you.