Tinnitus can drive you crazy- unending ear ringing, hissing, buzzing or whooshing noises that just don’t stop is enough to send you to the madhouse.  Tinnitus and depression often go hand in hand, especially if tinnitus symptoms keep you from getting enough sleep, performing job duties, or having a moment’s peace and quiet.  In some cases, antidepressants may be the cause of tinnitus, creating a vicious circle of anxiety, sadness, and despair.

Tinnitus caused by Ototoxicity

Many factors may contribute to tinnitus symptoms, including noise-induced ear damage, chronic ear infections, Meniere’s disease, and age-related hearing loss.  One of the most treatable causes of tinnitus is ototoxicity (ear poisoning) which occurs when certain chemicals cause a toxic reaction in your ears.  Many over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription drugs may cause tinnitus ear ringing, including antidepressants for depression and anxiety.

Which drugs cause tinnitus?

Here are some of the most common medications that may cause ringing in the ears from tinnitus.  Please do not stop taking a medication without first speaking to your doctor.

• Zoloft (Sertraline), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class of antidepressants.  About 1-10% of Zoloft users experience tinnitus symptoms.
• Celexa (Citalopram), also an SSRI antidepressant, causes tinnitus while weaning off the drug.
• Aminoglycoside antibiotics
• Anti-neoplastic (anti-cancer drugs)
• Loop diuretics
• Environmental chemicals like carbon monoxide, xylene, and mercury
• Lipitor (Atorvastatin), a cholesterol-reducing medication
• Zyrtec (Cetirizine), an antihistamine
• Nexium (Esomeprazole), a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) used for acid reflux
• Prilosec (Omeprazole), also a proton pump inhibitor that may cause tinnitus
• Aspirin is a common cause of tinnitus ototoxicity
• Quinine

So, depression or tinnitus?

If weaning off drugs that cause tinnitus is the cure for ototoxicity, does that mean that you should stop taking Zoloft for anxiety?  First, nobody considering weaning off antidepressants should attempt to do so without first consulting in a physician.  It’s possible that your doctor will be able to prescribe a different antidepressant that doesn’t cause tinnitus.  More importantly, you need to weigh your options.

Which notion bothers you most- the idea of suffering from ringing in the ears, possibly for the rest of your life, or having to cope with depression.  If your depression causes you to contemplate suicide, then the answer should be clear.  While long-term tinnitus may result in severe depression and, in rare cases, suicide attempts, the majority of tinnitus patients learn how to cope. Bottom line, if your doctor says to stay on the meds, take his advice.

Stress Less to Prevent Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

Alternative treatments for tinnitus

Given that many factors may be causing your tinnitus, it makes sense that there exist many possible cures.  Some popular alternative treatments for tinnitus are becoming more mainstream, including:

• Acupuncture
• Hypnotherapy
• Natural supplements for tinnitus, such as ginkgo biloba, black cohosh, and zinc

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If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends.  Do you have anything you’d like to add? We’d love to hear from you!

Read more about tinnitus causes:

11 Signs and Symptoms of Tinnitus caused by Teeth Grinding

How Loud is Too Loud? Prevent Tinnitus Now

Thrill Rides and Scuba Diving: Summertime Activities that Cause Tinnitus

Sources:

Drugs and Medications that Can Cause Tinnitus

VEDA – Vestibular Disorders Association – Ototoxicity

Tinnitus- the constant ear ringing is enough to drive you mad.  What causes tinnitus symptoms like buzzing ears, whooshing noises, ear pain, and never-ending ringing noises in the background?  Surprisingly, there are dozens of factors that contribute to tinnitus disorder- things like drug ototoxicity, loud noises, health conditions, and lifestyle habits.

Here are 21 most common causes of tinnitus:

1) Smoking: Smoking cigarettes isn’t only bad for your lungs, your heart, your throat, your pancreas…well, you get the picture.  Studies prove that cigarette smoke- both inhaled and secondary- is harmful for your ears.  Toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke have been linked with chronic ear infections and…you guessed it…tinnitus.

2) Your iPod: Really!  Anybody who spends his leisure time with a pair of iPod earbuds stuck in his head is inadvertently giving himself ear damage.  Unless you wear a ear-safe noise cancelling headphones, you are exposing your delicate eardrums to dangerously high noise decibels that will ultimately lead to ear ringing caused by tinnitus.

3) Earwax: Doctors say that earwax is a good thing, that it protects your eardrums from foreign matter.  This is true.  However, it is possible to have too much of a good thing, and this is certainly true in the case of earwax.  Some people just naturally produce more earwax than their bodies need. Over time, as earwax builds up, you are left with a solid mass of waxy residue that clogs up your ears- biological earplugs, if you will. If you think this might be the cause of your tinnitus, then a simple trip to the pharmacist should suffice.  Buy an ear-cleaning kit, and see if that helps.

4) Q-Tips: Warning- Do not, under any circumstances, insert cotton swabs into your ears!  Sure, it feels good, but the damage you may cause to your ears is irreversible. Plus, it may worsen your tinnitus.  The same message goes for other foreign objects like twigs, rocks, knives, pencils, fingernails, toothpicks, ear candles, cuticle cutters, and letter openers.

5) Firearms: Are you an avid hunter?  Do you enjoy going to rock concerts just for the fireworks and the loud music?  If so, then you are among the most likely to suffer from tinnitus.  It only takes one loud explosion to cause serious trauma to your inner ear cochlea, the part of your ear responsible for transmitting and receiving sound messages.  So, before you go to the shooting range to fire off a couple rounds, make sure to wear noise-blocking earplugs.

6) Occupational noise: If you work in any of the following fields, then you are regularly exposed to dangerous noise decibels that may cause tinnitus:

• The army or air force
• The police force
• Movie sets
• Airline pilot
• Machinist
• Welder
• Construction worker
• Fed-ex delivery
• Truck driver
• Wedding singer
• And the list goes on…

7) Anxiety: Stress is a common contributor to tinnitus, believe it or not.  Many people who suffer from anxiety disorder, panic attacks, depression, or just high stress levels are prone to ear ringing caused by tinnitus.

8) Anxiety medications: Well, here’s a “Catch 22.”  Anxiety causes tinnitus, and so do popular drugs for anxiety, such as Zoloft (Sertraline).  This is where you get to choose which condition is the most intolerable- chronic anxiety or chronic ear ringing.

9) Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disorder that causes severe chronic pain where no sign of injury or inflammation is evident.  Fibromyalgia patients also suffer from tinnitus, in addition to gastrointestinal disorders, intense fatigue, and vitamin deficiency.

10) Thyroid disorder: Scientists have noted a high occurrence of tinnitus symptoms in people who have either hypothyroidism (underproduction of thyroid hormone) or hyperthyroidism (overproduction of thyroid hormone).

11) Hypertension: High blood pressure is another common cause of tinnitus.

12) Heart disease: Tinnitus is one of the many symptoms experienced by people who suffer from cardiovascular disease.

13) Antibiotics: In addition to lowering your immunity to infectious diseases, frequent use of antibiotics may result in chronic tinnitus.

14) Diuretics: If you take diuretics on a regular basis, then you should stay on the lookout for mysterious ear ringing, buzzing, chirping, whooshing, or clicking sounds in your ears caused by tinnitus.

15) Quinine: Used for treating malaria and other illnesses, quinine may cause tinnitus ear ringing.

16) Aspirin: Excess and prolonged usage of aspirin tablets is a common cause of tinnitus.

Ear bones

17) TMJ disorder: Temporomandibular joint disorder affects the workings of your jawbones, at the point where they meet by your temples.  Any defect that occurs in this area interferes with the smooth functioning of your jaws, and causes symptoms like headaches, nighttime jaw clenching, facial pain, and tinnitus ear ringing.

18) Head and neck injuries: If you have suffered any kind of trauma to your head or neck, then you might experience tinnitus symptoms.

19) Tumor: A head or neck tumor may also cause tinnitus.

20) Lyme disease: Often misdiagnosed, Lyme disease symptoms are similar to fibromyalgia.  Lyme disease spread by tick bites may cause tinnitus.

21) Getting older: Sad, but true.  Tinnitus is one of the many symptoms that people experience as they age. A large majority of tinnitus sufferers and hearing loss patients are senior citizens.  Tinnitus is not a cause of hearing loss, but a symptom that may accompany early onset hearing loss. For some, investing in a hearing aid is a worthwhile remedy for tinnitus and hearing loss.

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We welcome your comments below!

Read more about tinnitus causes:

11 Signs and Symptoms of Tinnitus caused by Teeth Grinding

How Loud is Too Loud? Prevent Tinnitus Now

These 4 Vitamins are Tops for Treating Tinnitus

Sources:

Tinnitus Causes- Mayo Clinic

ATA’s Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions- American Tinnitus Association

Prevalence and Characteristics of Tinnitus among US Adults

Drugs and Medications that Can Cause Tinnitus

Roller coasters, deep sea diving and other activities can cause tinnitus.

Planning on trying out some new roller coasters this summer? Maybe you’re looking forward to going scuba diving by some remote coral reef this summer. If you suffer from tinnitus, you might want to check your vacation itinerary again.

What is ear barotrauma?

A common cause of tinnitus is ear barotrauma, otherwise known as inner ear discomfort caused by extreme air pressure changes around the eardrum. Barotrauma occurs when the air pressure inside the middle ear is not equal to the air pressure outside the body.

Everybody has experienced minor barotrauma at one time or another; anybody who has ever driven up a steep mountain trail has experienced inner ear comfort known as “ear popping.” Sometimes barotrauma is caused by allergies or sinus infections. Other activities, if done frequently, can cause severe barotrauma and tinnitus symptoms; these include roller coaster rides, scuba diving, air travel and exposure to loud explosives.

It’s no myth that chewing gum relieves the effects of changes in air pressure. Some other good methods are yawning, holding your breath, sucking on candy and, for infants, nursing or sucking on a bottle. If on an airplane, avoid falling asleep during landing.

Why roller coasters are a red light for tinnitus sufferers

As pointed out in a study by Kathleen L. Yaremchuk, MD, at Henry Ford Hospital, you have no opportunity to utilize any prevention tactics for avoiding severe ear damage while on a roller coaster; taking into consideration the velocity of the average thrill ride and its jerky movements, there is simply no time to yawn, chew gum or even hold your breath between screaming and whooping. In her study, Dr. Yaremchuk notes a case of particularly harmful ear damage which was caused when a young roller coaster rider turned his head as the speed increased to 120 mph.

Symptoms of barotrauma are:

• Dizziness
• Slight hearing loss
• Tinnitus
• Feeling of fullness in the ears
• Ear pain
• Ear pressure likened to the feeling one gets underwater
• Nosebleeds

If you think you have ear damage, please see an ENT doctor.

A physician can tell you if your tinnitus symptoms are being caused by barotrauma; a quick examination of the ear drum will indicate if there is any lasting damage.

Also read:

5 Mistakes Tinnitus Sufferers Make

The Many Causes of Tinnitus

Sources:

PubMed Health,EMaxHealth

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) is a painful condition which causes tension in the jaw; tinnitus is a hearing disorder which causes constant ringing in the ears. Tinnitus sufferers hear varying levels of ringing, buzzing, roaring or clicking sounds in either or both ears; pitch and volume may be different, according to the severity of inner ear damage. In many cases, TMJ and tinnitus go hand in hand.

The Many Causes of Tinnitus

 

While there is no confirmed cure for tinnitus, there are some exercises you can do to help release jaw tension and reduce some of the symptoms of TMJ and tinnitus:

1. Pranayama: Pranayama is a yoga breathing exercise; according to Dr. Andrew Weil, pranayama exercises are beneficial for relieving the symptoms of tinnitus and TMJ. To begin, sit on the floor with your legs crossed or in the lotus position. Breathe in slowly through your nose while expanding and pushing your stomach out.  Exhale while gently releasing the air from your stomach. Breathe into your stomach and exhale through the lungs, expanding your rib cage and pushing all air out of your nose, stomach and lungs. Take a deep breath in, filling your abdomen, lungs and chest. Exhale.
2. Aerobic exercise: According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults and senior citizens need at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week for maximum health and relieving symptoms like tinnitus and TMJ.
3. Resisted Opening: Resisted opening is an exercise which renews flexibility in the jaw joints and releases tension. Rest your chin on your palm while keeping your mouth closed. Slowly open your mouth by applying gentle pressure against your palm. Close mouth.
4. Midline Exercises: Midline exercises train you to open your jaw correctly and require some practice. Stand facing a mirror with your mouth closed. Focusing on your jawline, slowly open your mouth while keeping your bottom teeth in line with your top row of teeth. Resist the impulse to slide your jaw in either direction sideways. Close mouth.
5. Massage: Some gentle massage exercises like stretching your jaw muscles or rubbing the point where your upper and lower jaws connect are beneficial for releasing jaw tension. Stress Less to Prevent Tinnitus and Hearing Loss
6. Tracking Exercises: Tracking exercises are effective for keeping your joints in line. Press your tongue against the top of your mouth. Press your index finger against the area of your jaw where TMJ is most bothersome. Place your other index finger against your chin. Gently lower your jaw, using your index finger as a tracking guide. Raise your jaw, again with the index finger. Now place both fingers on the jaw while slowly opening and closing your jaws.
7. Strengthening Exercises: A good jaw strengthening exercise can relieve TMJ symptoms and tinnitus. Place your tongue against the roof of your mouth in a “clucking” position. Using your index finger, apply pressure on the jawbone for 2 seconds without moving the jaw. Repeat on the other side of the jaw. Next, using your thumb, press your chin upwards towards the ceiling.

Also read:

20 iPad Apps for Hearing Loss

Tinnitus: Why am I More Likely to Suffer Ringing Ears than Others?

Sources:

Livestrong, Love To Know, Dr. Andrew Weil, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ABC of Yoga

Many is the number of times a tinnitus sufferers has asked himself, “What did I do wrong? How did I cause this tinnitus, and how do I get rid of it?”  Although noise-related damage is the #1 cause of tinnitus, there are other known triggers.

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus (ti-NIGHT-us or TIN-i-tus) is a hearing loss related condition which affects 50 million people in the US alone, although only 12 million seek medical help for their tinnitus. The symptoms of tinnitus are mild to loud whooshing, buzzing, clicking or ringing noises in the ears of varying pitch, duration and frequency. Some individuals have mild enough symptoms of tinnitus that it doesn’t interfere with their lives; they might not even notice it. Chronic tinnitus sufferers who have severe symptoms find difficulty concentrating on even small tasks, become extra-sensitive to extraneous noise and are often woken up in the middle of the night by tinnitus ringing in the ears; many experience anxiety and depression because of their tinnitus symptoms and even begin to contemplate suicide.

Here is a list of many medications and conditions which could be causing your tinnitus:

• 90% people diagnosed with tinnitus have suffered inner ear damage due to prolonged exposure to dangerously loud noises; many tinnitus patients are musicians, actors, stunt men, job shop workers and individuals who have served in the army or the military. There is evidence that listening to your iPod excessively while wearing ear buds can also create irreversible ear damage.

Are iPods Ruining your Ears?

• Sometimes tinnitus can be caused by excess ear wax or an ear infection; rarely tinnitus symptoms could signal a benign tumor in the ear. See your pharmacist about choosing a safe ear wax removal kit, and visit your doctor to find out if you have an ear infection.  You’ll be glad you did.
• Some medications have been proven to cause tinnitus over an extended period of time; aspirin is one widely recognized culprit, in addition to certain antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, tranquilizers, antidepressants and quinine medications. Tinnitus symptoms have been linked to approximately 200 prescription and nonprescription drugs and medications.
• Sometimes tinnitus is a symptom of  hearing loss due to old age; as we age, our cochlea in the inner ear begins to deteriorate, significantly reducing our hearing abilities and often producing the ringing noises associated with tinnitus.

20 iPad Apps for Hearing Loss

• Meniere’s disease causes damage to the inner ear and is a common cause of tinnitus.
• Otosclerosis affects the bones in the middle ear, causing hearing loss and tinnitus.
• Medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, bad circulation, anemia, allergies, diabetes and underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) may contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus symptoms, as they restrict blood flow to the ears.
• In some cases tinnitus is caused by Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ), which may be caused by teeth grinding, excessive gum chewing, stress, jaw damage or dental problems.
• Head or neck injuries can also cause tinnitus symptoms.

Sources:

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, MedicineNet, Medicine Plus, Wikipedia, WebMD, American Tinnitus Association

Does hearing loss eventually lead to tinnitus? Or are the nagging symptoms of tinnitus, the constant ringing, buzzing, ear fullness, an omen for the onset of partial deafness or high frequency hearing loss to come?

Which came first- the chicken or the egg?
 

A German study was conducted in an attempt to answer that very question, and the results indicate that hearing loss directly causes tinnitus.

Here are the details of that study:

• German scientists included 531 chronic tinnitus patients for this research, which was designed to identify the link between hearing loss and symptoms of tinnitus.
• Out of the 280 female and 251 male participants, 83% suffered from high frequency hearing loss as a result of ear damage caused by exposure to dangerously high noise decibels.
• Scientists found a direct correlation between the severity of the tinnitus symptoms and the noise decibels endured.
• The patients who suffered chronic tinnitus to the extent that it caused emotional stress and interfered with their lives also had a higher degree of hearing loss than tinnitus patients who were not overly affected by their condition.
• Scientists concluded that the patients who were exposed to the loudest noise suffered the most hearing loss, experienced severe chronic tinnitus and had difficulty concentrating on work, coping and hearing casual conversation.  Patients who suffered mild to medium ear damage tended to have less severe symptoms of hearing loss, less intrusive symptoms of chronic tinnitus and little or no difficulty managing their lives.

What can you do to prevent hearing loss and tinnitus?

The best way to prevent tinnitus or hearing loss is by simple avoidance; avoid listening to dangerously loud noise decibels. Wear earplugs if you work in a loud environment.  Wear volume-control headphones instead of earbuds, which are known to cause damage to the inner ear. Finally, avoid stress; research indicates a high correlation between high stress levels and increased incidences of hearing loss and tinnitus.

For more info read:

Stress Less to Prevent Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

Gear Up to Prevent Hearing Loss: Five Things you should Buy Now

Are iPods Ruining your Ears?

Source:

Hear-It.org

Tinnitus and hearing loss are on the rise, and researchers are attempting to prove that stress is one  cause of partial deafness, high to low frequency hearing loss and tinnitus.

Scientists agree that many of the symptoms of tinnitus, the characteristic buzzing or high pitch ringing noise in the ears, are often age-related or a result of overexposure to dangerously high noise decibels.  New research has been presented that secondhand smoke (passive smoking) might also be a cause for tinnitus, hearing loss and ear infections among children.  Scientists concede that half of all cases of hearing impairment are preventable.

Another theory which some scientists believe is that stress, the common denominator in all illness, might also play a factor in causing hearing loss and tinnitus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a report stating that 80% of all individuals who have a hearing impairment live in low-income to middle-income living areas in developing countries. Researchers conducted a study to prove a link between stress levels in less affluent countries and escalating cases of hearing-related disorders such as tinnitus.

• Researchers in Sweden conducted a 120-question survey designed to determine the impact of stress on one’s health.
• Participants answered questions about their physical and psychosocial work environment, home environment, physical health and mental health.
• Participants were also questioned about the symptoms of tinnitus, such as continuous ringing in the ears, and their ability to hear and carry out conversations.
• Scientists found a direct correlation between stress and hearing ability; the participants who suffered the most stress were more likely to become ill, have difficulty sleeping and suffer hearing-related illnesses such as partial deafness and tinnitus.
• Women were just as likely to suffer from stress-induced hearing loss as men.
• Scientists also noted a direct correlation between high stress and lower tolerance to infections, another possible cause of tinnitus.

Read Finding Tranquility with Tinnitus: Relax the Mind

If you think you might be suffering from tinnitus or any other hearing impairment, a visit to an audiologist or ENT is necessary in order to prevent any further damage.

For more information about preventing tinnitus and hearing loss, read:

Gear Up to Prevent Hearing Loss: Five Things you Should Buy Now

Are iPods Ruining Your Ears?

Sources:

Healthy Hearing, World Health Organization (WHO)

Think the dangers of secondhand smoke are limited to lung cancer and cardiovascular  disease? Guess again. Exposure to secondhand smoke has been linked in countless studies to hearing loss, tinnitus and other hearing-related health issues experienced by non-smokers.

As published in the Tobacco Control journal,  nonsmokers who are constantly in the proximity of somebody who smokes regularly has a higher risk of suffering from hearing loss than somebody who isn’t, due to the toxins which he passively inhales from secondhand smoke.

Some of the various ear ailments associated with secondhand smoke include low-mid frequency hearing loss, ear infections in small children and tinnitus, which is characterized by a constant buzzing or ringing sound inside one or both ears.

So somebody who lives with a smoker, though not a smoker of cigarettes himself, is nevertheless at risk for many of the illnesses associated with smoking, including lung disease, increased risk for heart attack and, according to this study, hearing loss.

Hearing Loss and Baby Boomers: Is Anybody Listening?

• In this study, health information was collected from a survey which included over 3,000 adults.
• Hearing tests were administered, in addition to blood screening for cotinine, a hazardous derivative of nicotine which is ingested through secondhand smoke.
• At least 9% of all of the non-smokers included in this study suffered from hearing loss.
• Non-smokers who were regularly exposed to secondhand smoke were at a 14% higher risk of experiencing hearing loss than non-smokers who did not share any regular space with smokers.
• Former smokers who continued to be exposed to secondhand smoke were 46% more likely to suffer high-frequency hearing loss than other non-smokers.
• Health experts believe that when secondhand smoke penetrates the ear it interrupts blood flow, causing oxygen levels to plummet while leaving traces of dangerous toxins.

Also read Tinnitus: Why am I More Likely to Suffer Ringing Ears than Others?

Sources:

Fox News, Web MD, AOL Health, Science Daily, Wall Street Journal

Researchers are striving to prove theory that tinnitus ringing in the ears is more of a brain disorder than a hearing problem.

 

What causes tinnitus, that annoying ringing in the ears which seems to never want to go away? Scientists have been wondering about that for ages.  Experts agree that tinnitus is usually a result of damage caused to the ear by excessive noise decibels. But if that is the case, why do statistics show that only 1/3 of individuals who have experienced hearing loss will also experience the ringing in the ears common in tinnitus?

The NIDCD, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), have developed this theory as to why certain people are more susceptible to tinnitus than others:

Hair Cell of Inner Ear

The brain’s limbic system, which regulates emotion, long-term memory and behavior, is also responsible for keeping tinnitus signals from accessing the auditory cortex, which regulates our ability to hear sounds consciously. Individuals with tinnitus have no such safeguard in their limbic systems, meaning that the auditory control sections of their brains are open to receiving tinnitus stimulus, according to Neuron, January 13, 2011.

• Josef Rauschecker, Ph.D., D.Sc, of the Department of Neuroscience, the Division of Audiology, and the Department of Otolaryngology at Georgetown University, noted in a study that tinnitus patients have less brain tissue in a section of the frontal lobe of the brain which regulates sensory information such as sound.
• Other researchers account for the limbic system’s involvement with tinnitus as a reflection of depression, which is also regulated in the limbic system, and a likely side effect of tinnitus in individuals who are having difficulty coping with the constant ringing in the ears.
• Across the board, scientist agree that the ear ringing associated with tinnitus happens when the brain tries to hear sounds which have been compromised; the resulting ringing sounds are actually a result of the brain “turning up the volume” in nearby frequencies.

Sensory information has to be approved by the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) of the brain before it is delivered to the auditory cortex.  Explains Dr. Rauschecker, “We have a lot of unwanted noises that we don’t want to pay attention to and that we want to filter out.” The TRN prevents any unwanted noises from reaching the auditory cortex. Tinnitus patients have fewer neurons to regulate the TRN, and are thus more likely to receive these unwanted noises, explains researchers.

Sources:

Healthy Hearing, Neuron, Helium, MedicineNet, WebMD, Hubpages, Healing.About.com

Image Source:

Flickr

Tinnitus can emerge in any of the four sections of the hearing mechanism: the outer, middle and the inner ear, and the brain. Some tinnitus or head noise is normal for all individuals, so if one is placed in a sound proof booth, or is wearing very effective earplugs, he or she will become aware of these sounds. Tinnitus of course works on a different level of volume, which is the reason why it is so particularly bothersome. It is nearly impossible to drown out and/or ignore and it gets even louder when things quiet down.

The outer ear is not often the culprit in emergent tinnitus but some conditions are associated with this section of the ear and the buzzing symptoms. The two most common causes of the tinnitus symptoms due to outer ear problems are:

1) A build-up of earwax, or cerumen, in the ear canal which may irritate the hearing mechanisms

2) A narrowing or poorly shaped ear canal, which may affect the perception of sound

There are methods to deal with both of these types of causes making outer-ear tinnitus one of the most physically treatable. The middle ear, however, can harbor the roots of a much more complex tinnitus symptomatology, some of which may require the attention of your health care provider and possibly even further steps in terms of treatment, surgery not being entirely out of question. In most cases all of these causes may be resolved with adequate medical attention.

The Middle Ear Tinnitus Causes

1. Serous otitis media with fluid in the middle ear:

Otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear, or middle ear infection , it occurs in the area between the ear drum and the inner ear, including a duct known as the Eustachian tube. Otitis media is very common in childhood, with the average toddler having two to three episodes a year, almost always accompanied by the common cold. The rhinoviruses (nose viruses) that cause the common cold infect the Eustachian tube that goes from the back of the nose to the middle ear, causing swelling and compromise of pressure equalization, which is one of the normal function of the tube. The other main function is the lateral drainage of fluids from tissues on either side of the skull

2. Perforation of the ear drum

Perforated eardrum is a rip or perforation (hole) in the eardrum. It can occur due to an infection, trauma (by trying to clean the ear with sharp instruments), explosion, loud noise or an accidental surgical mistake. Flying with a severe cold can also cause perforation due to changes in air pressure and blocked Eustachian tubes. The perforation may heal in a few weeks, or up to a few months. Some perforations require intervention – this may be a simple procedure which uses a paper patch to promote healing, or surgery. In some cases the damage is unable to heal naturally and may require surgical attention.  

3. Fixation or dissociation of the ossicular chain (the bones in the middle ear)

Ossicular chain dislocation may happen due to a fracture, tympanic membrane perforation, or trauma. The most common presentation of ossicular discontinuity is separation of several joints. Ossicular fixation may occur several months after the temporal bone fracture if exuberant growth of new bone at the fracture line fuses the ossicular chain. Treatment in any case is middle ear exploration and ossicular chain reconstruction.

4. Cholesteatoma (a pocket of the eardrum growing in the middle ear as a result of chronic ear infections)

Cholesteatoma is a destructive and expanding keratinizing squamous epithelium in the middle ear and there are two types: congenital and acquired. Acquired cholesteatomas is the more common and can be caused by a tear or retraction of the ear drum. Sometimes the disease may be congenital, when it grows from birth behind the eardrum.

5. Glomus tumor (a vascular tumor arising in the middle ear space)

A glomus tumor is a rare benign neoplasm, is a specialized arteriovenous anastomosis usually found in the skin of the extremities, arising from the glomus body. Research has indicated that there are at least four genetic mutations that lead to a glomus tumor. If there is no underlying inherited condition, then the tumor is considered “sporadic” or random. They are usually solitary and small, and can be found under the fingernail, but they can also be found on the tympanic membrane, which in turn causes middle ear damage and tinnitus. These lumps are often painful and tend to have a bluish discoloration, although sometimes they can present as white.