Tinnitus is the perception of sound coming from one or both ears without an external source. Medical researchers still do not fully understand what the causes of tinnitus are, but what is well documented is that there are a number of medical conditions and emotional states which can trigger ringing in the ears. With the recorded possible causes,a handful of
effective tinnitus treatments have also been developed.
One of the leading causes of tinnitus is noise induced hearing loss. Exposure to dangerous levels of noise has the effect of killing or damaging the tiny hair cells in our inner ear which turn sound waves into electric signals for our brain to perceive as sound. The erratic signals sent by damaged hair cells is what medical experts theorize causes the ringing sound tinnitus produces.
Tinnitus is not considered to be a disease in itself. Rather, it is seen as a symptom of some other underlying medical condition. There are several medical conditions which have been known to trigger tinnitus. These include but are not limited to ear wax impaction, ear infection, allergies and sinusitis, migraines, cardiovascular diseases and disorders involving the circulatory system, diseases and disorders affecting the body’s metabolism, head and neck trauma and Meniere’s disease. This is why the standard procedure in choosing a
new tinnitus treatment also involves identifying and resolving the existing medical condition which is triggering tinnitus. In a lot of cases the curing of the medical condition leads to the disappearance of the tinnitus, or at the least, an abatement in its intensity.
Ringing ears can also be triggered by the consumption of certain medications and substances. Medications which harm the ears or affect the hearing are called ototoxic drugs. These drugs are still prescribed by doctors when the risk of its side effects are outweighed by the necessity to use them to save the patient’s life from some life threatening disease or when the chances of suffering from these side effects are very small. Examples of such drugs are the ones doctors use for chemotherapy to treat cancer and some antibiotics. Nevertheless there are over the counter medication which have been known to trigger tinnitus too such as aspirin. Let your doctor know when you suspect your medication to be the one triggering the ringing in your ears and ask for an alternative if necessary. Usually, in these cases, a
herbal treatment for tinnitus is recommended.
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