Posts Tagged ‘tinnitus symptoms’

Tinnitus in the Middle Ear

Monday, June 1st, 2009

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.

 middle ear

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.

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

earalloyblacknew1As we now know, the most common cause of tinnitus is exposure to loud sound which damages the ears. This may occur over an extended period of time or after just one particular experience with excessive noise. However, previously excessive noise exposure was a hazard of a few particular jobs, nowadays anyone with a pair of headphones/earphones and a mp3/cd player can become affected by sounds which are too loud for the ear.  Although earphone and headphone makers design the items not to damage the physical structure of the ear, they are restricted from controlling the level of sound output, which is often the culprit in emerging tinnitus. Some manufacturers of portable music devices have attempted to introduce safety circuitry that limited output volume or warned the user when dangerous volume was being used, but the concept has been rejected by most of the buying public, which favors the personal choice of high volume. Koss introduced the “Safelite” line of cassette players in 1983 with such a warning light. The line was discontinued two years later for lack of interest

Most commonly tinnitus appears after prolonged and extreme overuse - such as listening to music for 5-8 hours a day at the loudest settings, although for some just a single blast of noise is enough to damage the ear, causing hearing loss and tinnitus symptoms.  It is suggested that if earphones are used the time exposed to sound should be limited to 1 hour a day to protect hearing.

Doctors do suggest using headphones instead of earphones when possible as most earphones do not block out background noise, often pompting the user to turn up the volume. Those earphones that insert into the ear cannal can be even worse. “Insert earphones can boost the signal by as much as six to nine decibels. That’s about the difference between the sound of a vacuum cleaner and a motorcycle” - Dean Garstecki

 Doctors also suggest that if you expect to visit an area where you will be exposed to prolonged loud sounds, like a concert or a construction site, you should equip yourself accordingly. The best way to do this is with use of earplugs and ear-muffs. There is a wide variety of these available on the market, offering different levels of protection which will block out excessive noise and prevent hearing loss. Protect your ears today so they may serve you well tomorrow.

Tinnitus Relief With A Tinnitus Masker

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

     Tinnitus maskers are devices used to add natural or artificial sound into the environment of an individual suffering with tinnitus. They are used in suppressing or masking the perceived ringing of the patient.

 

     Tinnitus maskers increase the amount and volume of sound in the environment and allow the brain to re-perceive the ringing in the sufferers head with a calming, less intrusive sound. It’s comparable to an individual trying to read or study or even have a phone conversation in a room with another person speaking directly at them, or as in a noisy study hall or airport, club or restaurant. The brain is able to filter out the unnecessary noise when, interestingly, there is more of it.

 

     Tinnitus maskers are most often used when trying to sleep, as the quiet of the environment makes the symptoms all the more noticeable. Commonly a tinnitus masker is a CD/MP3 recordings or a noise generator which produce either natural noises like the ocean or rain, synthetic sounds such as white noise, or in more advanced models a combination of natural and synthetic noises calibrated to suppress specific frequencies of the experienced symptoms.

 

     This method can be used very effectively with sound pillows, as they contain small embedded speakers, which help masking the tinnitus of the individual without causing disturbance to their partner. However, some individuals who have extremely intense tinnitus symptoms require a tinnitus masker which works around the clock. For these cases a wearable hearing-aid type device is available, which will either amplify ambient sound, generate synthetic sound or combine the two.

 

    Tinnitus maskers can be an excellent “first-aid” treatment for tinnitus symptoms, as any alleviation of the buzzing and ringing can be a comfort. It allows the individual to become less tense, and as stress is a huge factor in the emergence and severity of the symptoms, the relaxation too should help to lessen the intensity of the perceived noise. When these maskers are used in tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), especially in a clinical setting, they can be as much as 95% effective in completely masking the symptoms.

 

    However, as phenomenally helpful as these items are, they also may hinder the healing progress. Although it alleviates the symptoms during the time it’s used, the individual still continues to suffer from the tinnitus symptoms, as none of the many root causes of tinnitus are addressed or treated with this method. Some researchers also say that completely masking the symptoms may be counterproductive and may result in the brain beginning to focus the perception on the tinnitus symptoms despite the background noise.

 

   Tinnitus maskers are best used in conjunction with any tinnitus treatment therapy. Whether you opt for the use of supplements like TinnitusDX or medications like tricyclics or lignocaine, cognitive-behavioural therapy or TRT, the maskers can assist with overwhelming symptoms as the therapy starts to work or in the case of an unexpected episode. They can be a tremendous helping hand in the success on tinnitus treatment and therapy by bringing a quick and comforting relief to a patient with little hope.

Tinnitus Symptoms

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

Tinnitus occurs when a person hears a persistent sound in the ears and no sound really exists.  The sound is usually a ringing, clicking, roaring, or hissing.  Tinnitus may be heard in one or both ears.  The sound from tinnitus is never words or melodies.