{"id":289,"date":"2020-02-24T16:39:14","date_gmt":"2020-02-24T22:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chsstl.fm1.dev\/tinnitus\/"},"modified":"2020-11-11T13:15:39","modified_gmt":"2020-11-11T19:15:39","slug":"tinnitus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chsstl.org\/hearing\/hearing-loss\/tinnitus\/","title":{"rendered":"Tinnitus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tinnitus is a widespread condition that affects an estimated 50 million Americans. Some people describe it as a hissing, roaring, whooshing, ringing or buzzing sound. It may be sporadic or constant, and is a symptom of an underlying condition rather than a disease itself. Although bothersome, tinnitus usually isn’t a sign of something serious. Although it can worsen with time, for many people, tinnitus can improve with treatment. Treating an identified underlying cause sometimes helps. Other treatments reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Are the Causes of Tinnitus? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The exact cause of tinnitus is still unknown. Research has been trying to identify the source for many years. One current theory is that tinnitus is caused by damage to the tiny hair cells of the inner ear. In a healthy ear the pressure of sound waves trigger the cells to release an electrical signal through the auditory nerve to your brain. The brain then interprets these signals as sound. However, in an ear where the cells are broken the signal is misfired, causing a distortion of the sound perceived as tinnitus. There are definite patterns as to when a person might experience the symptom of tinnitus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tinnitus associated with health conditions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Co-morbid common health conditions include: age related hearing loss, exposure to loud noise<\/a>, earwax blockage, ossicle (ear bone) changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Less common conditions when a person may experience tinnitus are: Meniere\u2019s disease, TMJ disorders, head or neck injuries, and acoustic neuroma, and eustachian tube dysfunction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In rare cases, tinnitus is associated by a blood vessel disorder such as: atherosclerosis, head and neck tumors, high blood pressure, turbulent blood flow, or malformation of capillaries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tinnitus as a side effect of Medication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many medications list tinnitus as a potential side affect. For some people this means a worsening of their already present tinnitus and for others this may mean a new onset. Generally, the higher the dose of the medication, the worse the side effect. For some individuals when the medication is stopped the noise disappears, but for others it remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medications known to cause or worsen tinnitus include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n