The Types of Tinnitus

Tinnitus or insistent ringing noises in the ear or sometimes felt inside the head is one of the most common condition of the ears with as many as 36 million Americans suffering from this condition year after year. It is also a hearing condition that most people have felt even once in their lifetime. Some people suffer from tinnitus in just one ear while some may hear the ringing noises on both. Individuals who suffer from tinnitus also complain of ringing that may come from the head which can severely affect everyday life.

Tinnitus has 2 types and understanding each type can help identify the best possible treatment approach for a person suffering from tinnitus.

The first type of tinnitus is known as subjective tinnitus where the person alone can hear the noise. The sound of this type of tinnitus may vary; it may sound like a ringing, buzzing, humming and even hammering sounds. No matter how loud these sounds may be, a physician may not be able to detect it even through using precise diagnostic equipment.

Subjective tinnitus can cause tremendous stress to the individual wherein the irritating ringing noises can even drown out external noises making hearing very difficult. This type of tinnitus may be due to exposure to very loud noises and also due to the deterioration of the nerves for hearing as seen in people with old age. There is no cure for subjective tinnitus but only remedies that can reduce its symptoms.

The second type of tinnitus is objective tinnitus where the sounds within the ears may be heard by an examining physician using precise listening instruments. This type of tinnitus may also be called pulsatile tinnitus with the ringing sounds pounding to the tune of a person’s pulse. Objective tinnitus is often associated with high blood pressure, a clogged blood flow or sometimes due to tremendous stress.

Objective tinnitus can be relieved through reducing the underlying cause. Using antihypertensive medications to treat elevated blood pressure and taking medications to improve blood flow and reduce stress can ultimately remedy objective tinnitus.

If you have been suffering from insistent ringing in the ears on a daily basis or more often than usual, consult an ENT specialist for diagnosis and treatment. A specialist can conduct a series of diagnostic exams to find the true cause of your tinnitus to make possible treatment plans. Alleviating the symptom of tinnitus can be a painstaking task with most tinnitus sufferers trying one remedy after the other to no avail.

Tinnitus treatment is actually simple and easy to do. Start a healthy diet, exercise and control harmful habits like smoking, drinking alcohol and limit taking caffeine that can flare up tinnitus attacks. Control or manage your stressors which are also known to trigger tinnitus as well as intensify ringing in the ears. When you have successfully started your management plan to reduce tinnitus, you may wake up one day with the peaceful quiet that you have been waiting for in years.