Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
By Ellen Mc Laughlin

Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a condition that quite often accompanies some form of hearing loss. Characterized by a ringing or buzzing in the ears, and sometimes a combination of both, tinnitus, while incredibly annoying and distracting, is not generally a serious condition. Approximately ninety percent of those who suffer from tinnitus also have some form of hearing loss.

Tinnitus will often accompany sensorineural hearing loss, since such a hearing loss is caused by some form of damage to the nerves of the inner ear. With this kind of hearing loss tinnitus is usually the result of damaged nerve cells still sending signals to the brain through the auditory nerve, which the brain will interpret as sound even though it’s really not. Often, wearing a hearing aid will help two conditions at once, both the hearing loss and the tinnitus, as it will “mask” the constant ringing and buzzing sounds.

Tinnitus may occur long after the onset of the hearing loss, and can be quite frightening at first. In these cases, an adjustment to the hearing aids worn by the person suffering from both hearing loss and tinnitus will often greatly reduce the tinnitus-induced noises.

Tinnitus is not, however, solely the result of hearing loss and is not always accompanied by hearing loss. There are several other conditions that can result in tinnitus. For example, any disease or disorder of any of the five parts of the hearing system can cause tinnitus. Meniere’s Disease, a disease of the inner ear which causes abnormal pressure on the ear resulting in extreme dizziness

and hearing loss, will often cause tinnitus otosclerosis, a disease of the bones of the middle ear, may also cause hearing loss and tinnitus, as can damage to the inner and/or middle ear caused by certain drugs such as aspirin and some types of antibiotics. Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome, or “TMJ”, affects muscles of the head, jaw and face and may also cause tinnitus, although, in this case, hearing loss doesn’t usually result.

Trauma and injury, especially proximity to explosions and sudden, extremely loud noises at close range, may also cause tinnitus, and usually hearing loss as well. Unfortunately, in these cases, both the hearing loss and the tinnitus are usually permanent.

Several diseases not normally related to hearing loss may also cause tinnitus. These include anemia, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and hypothyroidism, or low levels of thyroid hormone. In these cases, the tinnitus exists without any type of hearing loss; the tinnitus, however, may affect hearing ability in many circumstances.

While in many cases tinnitus cannot be completely “cured”, especially when it accompanies sensorineural hearing loss or age-related hearing loss, there are a few treatments that will often at least reduce symptoms and make everyday life a bit easier. These include masking devices, which mask the tinnitus noises with more “natural” noises or with “white noise”, and adjustments in hearing aids for those with both tinnitus and hearing loss.

 

Ellen Mc Laughlin is a prolific writer and has been active in the field of hearing loss and tinnitus for a number of years.