Hearing noises? Blame tinnitus

Tinnitus can occur in any of the following areas: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear and the brain. Some head noise is normal – we are usually not aware of these normal body sounds, because outside noise masks them.

What causes tinnitus?

Any obstruction in the external ear that blocks background sounds will cause us to be more aware of our own head sounds.

Causes of tinnitus are as follows:

• • Fluid, infection or disease of the middle ear bones or ear drum

• • Damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear

• • Loud noise exposure

• • Sinus and allergies

• • Stress, anxiety and traumatic life events

• • Some medications (for example aspirin)

• • Other diseases of the inner ear (for example Ménière syndrome)

• • In very rare situations, it can be a symptom of serious problems such as an aneurysm or brain tumour.

Treatment of tinnitus

In many cases there is no specific treatment for tinnitus. It may simply go away on its own, or it may be a permanent disability that the affected person will have to live with.

Your doctor may find an identifiable cause after a physical examination and evaluation of your medical history. Special tests can help determine precisely where the tinnitus is coming from. Persisting unexplained tinnitus is evaluated with a hearing test (audiogram).

If tinnitus is caused by age or noise exposure, then there is no conventional medicine to completely get rid of the noise. An important part of treatment is your own understanding of what has caused it and your options for treatment.

Prevention of tinnitus

There are several things you can do to protect yourself from excessive noise-related tinnitus:

• • Protect your hearing at work. Wear ear plugs or earmuffs and follow guidelines set by your employer.

• • When around any noise that bothers your ears (concert, sporting event, hunting), wear hearing protection or reduce noise levels if possible.

• • Keep ear plugs or earmuffs handy for everyday activities, such as blow drying your hair or using a lawnmower.

The hearing system is part of the general nervous system and one of the most sensitive mechanisms in the body. To lessen the intensity of tinnitus, it is advisable to:

• • Not use objects such as cotton swabs to clear your ear – this can cause a wax impaction against your eardrum

• • Control blood pressure

• • Decrease salt intake

• • Avoid nerve stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine

• • Reduce anxiety

• • Stop worrying about the tinnitus – the more you worry and concentrate on the noise, the louder it will become

• • Get adequate rest

• • Exercise

• • Use background noise – a competing sound such as a ticking clock, radio, fan or music may help mask tinnitus

• • Avoid aspirin products in large quantities.

Our Employee Wellbeing Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day if you want to know more about tinnitus.