What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is most commonly referred to as “ringing in the ears”. It can be defined as the sound felt in the ear without any external sound stimulus. The sound felt by the individual may be loud or soft, high-pitched or low-pitched, in one or both ears. Depending on the nature of the sound, patients may also experience it as "humming", "whirring", "noise", "scratching", or "buzzing". can be described by. It is known that one in every three to ten people complains of tinnitus at some point in their life.
What are the causes of tinnitus?
Tinnitus is not a disease in itself, it can be caused by many different reasons. It is a symptom that can be created. It may indicate a problem somewhere in the hearing system. The parts of the auditory system are the outer, middle and inner ear; It can be defined as auditory nerve, brainstem and brain. The cause may be as simple as thickened ear secretion (earwax, clutch) in the external ear canal, or such as tumors of the auditory nerve. It can be complicated. Tinnitus is frequently observed in some clinical situations. These include hearing loss, ear - nose - nasal - sinus diseases, cardiovascular diseases, inner ear and brain tumors, thyroid gland diseases, hormonal changes and diseases such as Meniere's.
Some individuals may first notice that they have hearing loss through tinnitus. The incidence of tinnitus is also higher in the elderly, where hearing loss is more common. It is known that many drugs cause tinnitus secondary to their effects on the inner ear and the cardiovascular system. Since the rate of drug use is higher in the elderly, this situation increases the frequency of tinnitus.
Long-term exposure to noise above a certain level (such as working for a long time in noisy workplaces) or very Sudden exposure to loud noises (such as gunshots or explosions) can cause hearing impairment. may cause burns. The reason for this situation is that noise damages the sensory cells in the inner ear. Tinnitus is a common symptom in individuals with Noise-induced hearing loss.
In addition to tinnitus that only the individual notices, in rare patients, the sound felt by the individual can also be heard by others. This condition is called objective tinnitus. The causes are usually related to muscle or vascular diseases.
Although there are dozens of different causes of tinnitus, of which we have only mentioned a few examples above, no cause causing tinnitus can be found in most patients. Depending on the severity, duration, pitch or pitch of tinnitus, no idea can be obtained as to whether it is caused by a serious illness. Tinnitus is rarely caused by a life-threatening cause.
Tinnitus can reduce individuals' quality of life. Paying too much attention can lead to burnout, depression, anxiety and panic attacks in the individual. Some individuals with tinnitus may have difficulty hearing, concentrating on what they are doing, and sleeping.
What should an individual with tinnitus do?
An individual with tinnitus must first It would be appropriate to be examined by an Ear Nose and Throat Diseases specialist. In this way, it is immediately determined whether there are some causes of tinnitus that can be easily diagnosed only by examination, such as earwax, external ear canal infection, middle ear infection, perforation of the eardrum. Questions your doctor will ask you about your general health, medications you use and your habits will also give insight into many causes of tinnitus. By performing a complete ear, nose, throat and head and neck examination, all possible causes that may arise from the nose, nasal passages, sinuses, mouth, pharynx and larynx can be reviewed. Hearing-related tests that can be performed after the examination, if needed, will also provide guidance about the cause of tinnitus.
Can tinnitus be treated?
As we mentioned above, tinnitus It is not a disease in itself. It is a common symptom that can occur for many different reasons. A specific cause can be identified in most patients. In this way, the treatment of this cause Tinnitus will also be treated by treatment (such as drug treatment for external otitis media or surgical treatment for chronic otitis media). In individuals who do not have any cause for tinnitus, many individuals can cope better with their tinnitus by using the following methods alone or together with more than one method.
Drugs: Increasing blood flow to the inner ear, muscle The use of medications from many different groups, in the correct dosage and duration, that reduce spasms, change the individual's perception of a particular problem, and reduce anxiety and depression, can be useful in coping with tinnitus.
Hearing aids: Hearing. They provide significant benefits in the treatment of tinnitus accompanied by ear loss.
Sound sources used with headphones: Listening to some sounds that suppress or change the tinnitus sound through headphones can provide relief from tinnitus.
Sound sources that can be listened to remotely: Different sounds or sound-producing devices or programs can suppress tinnitus sound or make it easier to accept. In this way, relaxation and easier falling asleep can be achieved.
Although these approaches are the basic methods used for tinnitus, herbal treatments, magnetic wave application, Many different methods such as laser application, biofeedback, matching and adaptation of tinnitus sound, and lifestyle changes can also be used as alternatives in the treatment of tinnitus.
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