What Is Tinnitus?

For millions of Americans, the world is never totally quiet. If you hear a ringing or buzzing in your ears—whether it is a faint and distant sound, or a constant annoying presence—then you may be among the 15 to 20 percent of people who suffer from tinnitus. But what is tinnitus? What are its symptoms, and what causes it? How can we go about treating the symptoms of tinnitus? Here are the answers you need.

Tinnitus Symptoms

Tinnitus is any kind of ringing, buzzing, or other “phantom sound” in your ears. Tinnitus is not just one condition—in fact, it’s not really a “condition,” so much as it is a symptom caused by some other underlying condition. As a result, tinnitus does not sound the same to all people. Some people hear a high-pitched ringing, while others hear a low buzzing sound. And there are dozens of other possible sounds that fall in between the two extremes. All of them are tinnitus.

The different sorts of tinnitus can be broadly lumped into two groups: subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus. Objective tinnitus is a type of tinnitus that your doctor can hear, too, by using certain types of equipment to listen in on things like your ear’s rushing blood vessels. Subjective tinnitus cannot be detected in this way, but it is no less real.

What causes tinnitus?

Tinnitus is better described as a symptom than as a condition. So what is the underlying condition that causes the symptom of tinnitus?

Well, actually, there are a lot of different conditions that could cause tinnitus. Among them are hearing loss, which itself could be one of several different conditions, including age-related hearing loss, and noise-related hearing loss. You could have obstructions in your ear, or you could have sinus pressure on your ears. Tinnitus can even be caused by a traumatic brain injury.

What can you do to treat tinnitus?

The first thing you should do, if you believe that you have tinnitus, is to talk to your doctor. Your tinnitus is most likely not caused by a serious underlying condition, but it could be, and you need to take your health seriously. With the help of your doctor and other medical professionals, you may be able to address your tinnitus by treating the underlying condition causing it.

Of course, tinnitus is often caused by fairly inevitable, or innocuous conditions, and it can sometimes be hard to tell what is causing it at all. In many cases, the best move is to just treat the symptom itself. A medical professional could clean your ears and clear the obstruction causing the condition, or help you get hearing aids that restore your hearing, and end your symptoms.

Even if these aren’t options for you, you can do certain things to reduce the impact of your symptoms. One of the best and most effective ways to treat tinnitus is to simply use a white noise machine to make the tinnitus less noticeable. Many people only hear their tinnitus when things are quiet, and white noise can be a big help for those people (and can ease the degree of tinnitus annoyance among other people, too).

There are also supplements and pills that are designed specifically to address tinnitus. Tinnitus sufferers should consider options such as tinnitus911. For some people, treatments like this can be extremely effective.

Tinnitus is an annoying condition, but it is also a very common one. You are not alone, and you have options for treating your situation. Work with your doctor and consider simple home remedies like noise machines and pills to counteract the ringing, buzzing, or clicking that you’re hearing.