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TINNITUS
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the conscious awareness of sound without an external stimulus. It can be a ringing sound, buzzing, rushing and for some people, even musical. Tinnitus can be experienced in the head or in one or both ears. It is one of the commonest physical symptoms and affects men and women equally.
Our ears are only one part of the auditory system. The ear or pinna funnels sound waves from the air, through the ear canal (auditory meatus) onto the ear drum (tympanic membrane), causing it to vibrate. Behind the ear drum are the ossicles, commonly known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup that contract and relax to the vibration of the ear drum. The sound is then transferred to the inner ear. In the inner ear you have the cochlear, which has a special frequency organisation allowing us to hear high frequency sounds differently to low frequency sounds. Sound from the cochlea is then converted into electrical energy that travels up the nerve to then be processed by the central auditory system in the brain for us to interpret.
HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS
What Does Our Anatomy Tell Us About Tinnitus?
Why do we hear a sound that isn’t externally there? Some theories suggest that damage to the cells in the cochlear in our inner ear e.g. through noise exposure or ageing causes the cochlear to spontaneously fire a signal, resulting in an internal sound. When it reaches the central auditory system it is our reaction to the sound and whether we perceive it as a threat that can result in troublesome tinnitus. If we feel anxious because of it, we then focus on it more, resulting in a vicious cycle.
Quite often, people with tinnitus have some hearing loss. The hearing loss can be a result of ageing, through trauma or even work related noise exposure. If there is a hearing loss then managing the hearing loss with a hearing aid would be one of the first steps. Generally, if you can hear sounds around you better, then you are less likely to focus on internal sounds. If you feel you are missing parts of speech or struggling to hear in some situations it is worth having your hearing assessed so that you have an understanding of your hearing levels and how it may affect your tinnitus.
Common Causes Of Tinnitus
Sudden sensorinueral hearing loss
Sudden hearing loss can be due to a viral infection or autoimmune disease. Damage to the cells in the inner ear has a similar effect to that of ageing.
Hearing loss with age
As you get older, usually by the time you are fifty, the cells within the inner ear are damaged due to wear and tear, resulting in hearing loss. This is called Presbyacusis or Presbycusis. This might explain why tinnitus is most prevalent in those over sixty.
Otosclerosis
A condition where there is a bony overgrowth of the stapes bone (also known as the stirrup), in the middle ear. The restricted movement results in a reduction in sound energy and therefore, the sound has to be louder in order to reach the middle ear. Patients can undergo surgery- a stapedectomy. This is a relatively uncommon cause of tinnitus.
Noise Exposure
Prolonged exposure to loud noise either through work or recreation can cause cell damage similar to that of ageing. If the sound is loud and intense enough such as gunshot or bomb blast, hearing loss can be sudden. Hearing tests results usually reveal a dip at 4KHz. You can prevent damage to your hearing and reduce the risk of tinnitus bu using custom ear protection.
Smoking
There is some suggestion that smoking increases the chances of hearing loss and tinnitus. Smoking is linked with cardiovascular disease and can reduce the amount of oxygen delivered to the cells in the inner ear, resulting in cell death. There may also be a link with higher stress levels in smokers.
Meniere's Disease
A balance condition thought to be caused by abnormal levels of sodium and postassium in the inner ear. It may be caused by a viral infection or could be autoimmune, resulting in a low frequency hearing loss which is fluctuating; this fluctuation in hearing eventually stops and the patient is left with a permanent hearing loss. Aural fullness and commonly a low frequency tinnitus sound is the warning sign that the patient is about to feel dizzy.
Acoustic Neuroma
An acoustic neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) growth on the eighth cranial nerve. Patients usually present with unilateral tinnitus and an asymmetry in hearing and can also sometimes feel dizzy.
Earwax
Ear wax or cerumen helps to keep the ear healthy and provides lubrication. If it builds up it can cause a blockage of sound so that you hear internal sounds much more, resulting in tinnitus, though it is uncommon.
Drugs
Tinnitus can be a result of medication such as anti-inflammatory drugs like Aspirin (in high doses) or Ibuprofen. Quinine (an anti-malarial drug), some antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs may also result in tinnitus.
What Are The Treatment Methods For Tinnitus?
At PinnaClear we offer breathing and relaxation sessions along with mindfulness behavioural therapy for tinnitus. The initial assessment involves taking a through history along with a hearing check to establish the effects of tinnitus on your daily life. The results and suitability of onward care will then be discussed with you.
Tinnitus is usually linked to anxious and negative thoughts. Breathing well stimulates the activity of our vagus nerve resulting in a calmer you and being more mindful can help you to change the relationship you currently have with tinnitus.
20 Years of
clinical experience
Licensed and certified with First Class BSc (Hons) in Audiology
Trained in microsuction earwax removal & behavioural therapy for tinnitus
Experience working within the NHS and private sector
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Very professional service, I had a lot of ear wax and also a funny sensation in one ear which Hafiza took the time to explain and show me what was going on. Professionally cleaned, my ears and I are very happy 🙂
Raneesha Manoharan
Rated Excellent
Great service, well explained, well delivered, very pleased with outcome. I would recommend to anyone.
Lee Goulden
Rated Excellent
Very happy with the service at Pinnaclear. Hafiza was absolutely lovely and explained everything clearly before, during and after the treatment. Extremely pleased with the result and can now hear clearly again. Thank you
Tracey Carey
Why our customers choose us
An PinnaClear we aim to provide an audiology service that offers a personalised and holistic approach to hearing health. We combine cutting-edge technology with experienced professionals to provide accurate treatment plans to empower individuals to fully engage in their daily lives with optimal hearing clarity.