Tinnitus and Hearing Loss
Know More About Tinnitus
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ears or head when no external source is present. It is a symptom but not disease. Tinnitus characteristics varies, it can be intermittent or persistent, with single or multiple tones, loudness can range from subtle to shattering or changes according to the surrounding background noise. Besides, it can occur monaurally, binaurally or centrally in the head.
Tinnitus could co-exist with hyperacusis which is an abnormal oversensitivity or discomfort when exposed to loud sounds commonly encountered in daily life.
Causes of Tinnitus
1. Hearing Loss
Causes of Tinnitus
2. Another cause
Besides hearing impairment, ear wax occlusion, ototoxic medication, cold, ear and/or sinus infections, Eustachian tube dysfunction, nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), Meniere’s disease, acoustic neuroma, head and neck trauma, jaw injury, sleep apnea, migraine (accompany by dizziness, mainly in female), gastroesophageal reflux etc. are possible causes of tinnitus.
In addition to the abovementioned physiological or pathological causes, tinnitus could have psychological underlying relating to negative emotions and stress. Some theories suggest the link between tinnitus and emotions. Some people experience tinnitus when stressed, while depressed and/or anxious individuals may also have tinnitus. Since tinnitus and emotion are interrelated, stress could make tinnitus sounds louder, while a loud tinnitus make one even stressed. In view of this, tinnitus rehabilitation usually includes stress management as one of the element.