Ever hear a random ringing in yourearsthat youre certain is all in your head?
Medicine actually has a name for this annoying phenomenon: tinnitus.
But whatistinnitus, exactly?
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Why does it happen?
And is there anything you could do about it?
Heres what you should know about this strange auditory experience.
Tinnitus usually means youre hearing a noise that doesnt exist.
The exact nature of the sound can vary from person to person, though.
It can be present in one or both ears; constant or intermittent; temporary or permanent.
Tinnitus often happens due to age- or noise-related hearing loss.
I see it in a lot of elderly patients, Dr. Georgopoulos says.
But long-term exposure to loud noises can cause permanent ear damage that leads to tinnitus.
Tinnitus is also relatively common among service members and veterans, theNIDCDexplains.
Tinnitus is also a known side effect of going on or off of over 200 medications, per theNIDCD.
These drugs can range fromantibioticsto chemotherapy treatments, according to theMayo Clinic.
Although medication-induced tinnitus often goes away, it can stick around in some cases.
Lastly, theres a handful of people who have tinnitus with no apparent root cause, according to theNIDCD.
Scientists arent exactly sure how to explain tinnitus.
Thats why its viewed as a symptom, not a condition all on its own.
The most established theories venture to explain tinnitus associated with loss of hearing.
This is clearly the more common form of tinnitus, experts say.
(TheATAestimates that less than 1 percent of tinnitus cases are objective.)
Objective tinnitus often recedes when the underlying problem is treated.
Other treatment options targeting the tinnitus itself do exist, though.
There are a few ways to attempt to find relief from tinnitus.
The more burdensome a persons tinnitus is, the more they may benefit from seeking treatment.
Hearing aids are a prime option for those with hearing loss-associated tinnitus, according to theNIDCD.
The better youre able to hear external sounds, the less apparent your tinnitus may be.
Thats the reasoning behind trying cochlear implants for severe hearing loss associated with tinnitus, too.
These implants communicate directly with the auditory nerve, using external sounds to mask tinnitus, according to theNIDCD.
Sound therapy can help with objective and subjective tinnitus.
This is why tinnitus is sometimes linked with mental health issues such asdepressionandanxiety, theNIDCDexplains.
In these cases, counseling likecognitive behavioral therapycan be helpful in addition to some of the above measures.
Honestly, were still trying to figure out a really good way to treat it, Dr. Georgopoulos says.
Its so common and can be quite debilitating.
