What is Tinnitus ?

Tinnitus is a medical term for noises in the ear. Noises can be ringing, swishing, banging or sometimes pounding that seems to originate deep within the ears or sometimes from the head. Experts believe that in many cases, tinnitus is not a serious problem; everybody suffers from tinnitus even once in our lifetime. But some tinnitus sufferers may have ringing in the ears from the moment they wake up and lasts throughout the day.

Dealing with tinnitus in a daily basis is tiring and annoying. Nearly 36 million Americans to date suffer from this condition and in most cases, the noise is undetectable during physical exam, only the patient can hear the noise.

Tinnitus may also be a symptom of an underlying illness. It may also be the effect of medication or from the use of prescription drug. In most cases, tinnitus just goes away on its own without any medical intervention, but if your tinnitus intensifies and gets in the way of your daily activities then it is time to seek help.

Ringing in the ears is evaluated through consulting a specialist. A complete medical history is done as well as physical examination of the structures of the ear. Tests to determine if the patient alone hears the sound is always done and this can be done through a hearing test or an audiogram. Some form of tinnitus may result to hearing loss if not treated soon so diagnostic tests are done. Other tests like the auditory brain stem response or ABR, CT scan or computer tomography scan of the nerves responsible for hearing and brain pathways and an MRI or magnetic resonance imaging are often done to rule out any tumors seated on the nerves for hearing and balance.

After diagnostic evaluation, your doctor may give medications or treatments to reduce tinnitus symptoms plus provide helpful advice on how to prevent tinnitus. There is no cure for tinnitus but there are treatments that can ultimately reduce the symptoms like natural remedies, avoiding triggers like caffeine, smoking and stress, supplements and behavioral therapies to control the irritating ringing in the ears.

Tinnitus is preventable. Keeping away from loud noises which is one of the most common causes of tinnitus can prevent this condition. If loud noises and vibration is inevitable, it is important to wear protective gear like ear plugs or earphones to significantly reduce the loud noise. Even everyday loud noises at home like a blow dryer or operating a lawn mower can cause tinnitus so keep ear protection devices handy.

Aside from protecting your ears, clean ears regularly to avoid impaction which can also lead to tinnitus. Maintain a healthy lifestyle through an ideal weight, eating healthy foods and taking supplements to prevent tinnitus. Avoid medicating unless it is necessary and take medication in specified doses only. If you want to use herbal or natural remedies to treat tinnitus, consult your doctor first. Any health condition or current medication can cause an adverse reaction like headaches, tinnitus and vision problems with herbal remedies so talk to your physician first.