• Tinnitus:

Tinnitus is the sensation of sounds by ears in the absence of any external source. Sound quality can vary from person to person. It may be the sound of roar, wind, whistle, tick, or pulse. Usually only the person himself can hear this sound, but sometimes, especially when it is like a stream of water or a pulse, other people can hear it when they are closed to the patient’s ear. In dealing with tinnitus, visiting an otolaryngologist (ENT specialist) is necessary to find out the cause and treatment.

The important points that you should discuss with your ENT specialist include:

• Is the tinnitus accompanied by hearing loss in one or both ears?
• Is the sound is heard only in one ear or in both ears?
• Is the tinnitus permanent or occasional?
• Is it repeatable?
• Is it accompanied by vertigo?
• Does it disturb sleep or daily activities?
• Is it a cause of anxiety and tension in the person?
• Is it like a pulse or in sync with the pulse?

What is the cause of tinnitus?

Although in many cases the cause is unknown, it can occur for the following reasons:

• Hearing loss
• Exposure to unusual loud noise
• Hit on head
• Side effects of medications
• Changes in blood pressure
• The presence of a mass in the ear canal and the inflammation of the outer ear
• The presence of fluid behind the eardrum
• Cardiovascular diseases, cervical spine problems, temporomandibular joint or teeth problems
• In cases of pulsatile tinnitus: vascular or neural tumors at the skull base
• Meniere disease

As can be seen, it is necessary that the ear should be examined by a physician, and sometimes auxiliary tests, such as audiometry and brain imaging, should be performed to find out the cause of tinnitus.

Treatment:

Detecting the cause of tinnitus, if possible, is the most important step of treatment. In some cases, medication or surgery is not an effective treatment; and therefore, a treatment package is provided.

Some treatments include:

• Hearing Aids. In case of a hearing loss, the use of hearing aids will help the patients better hear the sounds of people and surroundings; and thus, the tinnitus is covered.
• Sound Generators. Cool sounds like the sound of rain, sea, can be provided to the ears at broad frequencies using a series of devices. These sounds make the person pay less attention to the noises (tinnitus), and slowly get used to them to the extent that they forgot those annoying sounds.

Even today, easier and more accessible methods, including listening to favorite music or making sounds by apps on the smartphones, can be used to create them in the surroundings of the person as the background sounds.

• Techniques leading to relaxation

Many people, based on experience, know that under stress, tinnitus increases, so any activity that makes them relaxed is applicable.

Treatment of associated diseases:

Treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression is necessary for the treatment of tinnitus, so it is sometimes necessary to benefit from a psychiatrist. If there are problems with the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint), visiting a dentist is necessary. In people with tinnitus, cervical vertebrae problems and arthritis should be checked by the physician.

Some behaviors and habits can exacerbate tinnitus, such as:

• Smoking or using other tobacco products
• Alcohol consumption
• Exposure to loud noise such as industrial and factory sounds or musical instruments, especially in concerts
• Obviously, the main treatment for tinnitus depends on its cause; and the surgical and pharmaceutical treatment of infectious diseases of the ear plays a very important role in this regard. Surgery of the ear and tumors in the skull base is a key to eliminating the tumor-related tinnitus. As you can see, tinnitus is a sign, not a disease. It is a warning sign to find the cause which can sometimes be life-threatening.