Tinnitus, a disorder that causes ringing in the ears

Have you ever felt your ears ringing? Have you ever heard a sound over and over again even though there is no source of sound nearby? If you hear a sound and feel ringing in your ears, you most likely experience symptoms of tinnitus.

This condition can actually be experienced by anyone. However, it is most likely to occur in the elderly whose health and function of the hearing organs have decreased. Of course, the sound will interfere with the activity and rest of someone who experiences it.

Facts about ringing in the ears or tinnitus

Tinnitus comes from the Latin which means to ring. The symptoms of tinnitus itself can be interpreted as the sensation of hearing a sound produced from outside the body.

Many people guess that ringing in the ears is caused by sounds that just appear, and without any definite explanation. In fact, the condition of ringing ears that you experience could be due to tinnitus. Some of the sounds that sufferers often hear can vary, such as ringing, buzzing, knocking, or whistling sounds.

The sound that is felt in the ringing ear can occur intermittently or continuously. In fact, voices can also be heard very clearly when there are no other sounds around you. In rare cases, the sound may also sound like it is following the rhythm of your heart.

Most cases of ringing in the ears that only the sufferer can hear. But sometimes, this sound can also be heard using a stethoscope around the ear. Actually, tinnitus is not a serious illness, but it could be a sign of other health problems.

The sound heard by people with this ear disorder has different levels. If severe, sufferers will have difficulty concentrating and resting, causing insomnia and psychological disorders. Watch for tinnitus symptoms if they are accompanied by pain, discharge from the ear, and severe dizziness.

The cause of ringing in the ears

Ringing ears can be caused by several factors. Unfortunately, some people believe that this buzzing will result in hearing loss. In general, this does not mean that you are completely unable to hear.

On the other hand, you can still hear the sound, even if you usually become more sensitive to the noise in the surrounding environment. There are several direct causes that affect the appearance of tinnitus symptoms, such as:

1. Hearing tract infection

The meaning of ringing in each person is certainly not the same. Sometimes, this condition is commonly caused due to a blockage around the auditory canal. The annoying noises will disappear when the infection is treated. Even though the infection has been resolved, these symptoms can still reappear.

2. Noise

Usually over a long period of time or at high intensity, ringing in the ears can continue until hearing is slowly lost. This is what sometimes affects how much damage to the cochlear cells in the inner ear.

Tinnitus or other hearing loss will be more likely experienced by workers in environments with high noise levels. Take musicians, pilots, wood cutters, and construction workers, for example.

What if only one side of the ear was ringing?

There are many myths that indicate the meaning of ringing in the ear based on its location, right or left of the ear. Whereas the meaning of the left ear or the right ear can be caused by the same thing.

In addition, many people ask whether tinnitus in one ear is possible? Actually, the sound heard can have an impact from ringing in the right or left ear. At times, it may even sound as if it is coming from both ears at the same time, or even your head.

Initially an ear buzzing sound may develop in one ear and then develop into the other ear. It should also be noted, that in any ear tinnitus appears, the ringing sound will persist and not disappear. The sound may be rhythmically steady or pulsating, for example, in sync with your pulse or heartbeat.

Acoustic neuroma can be the cause

If you feel ringing in your right or left ear, you may also have an acoustic neuroma. Even if you have done a hearing test and the results are normal, it is possible that the hearing is caused by an acoustic neuroma.

In order to determine where the ringing is in the ear, the doctor can perform testsMagnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI). This test is usually performed on the hearing and balance nerves, by injecting a contrast material called gadolinium.

With the provision of contrast material, MRI tests can be 100 percent effective for diagnosing even the smallest acoustic tumor. Conversely, without an injection of contrast material it can be quite difficult to detect tumors even at very small sizes.

Even so, you should first consult your doctor whether you need to do this test or not. This is because some people cannot do an MRI because they experience certain health conditions.

If this is what you are experiencing, don't be discouraged. Because, CT-scans can be an alternative to other examinations to find out the meaning of ringing in the ears. Indeed, a CT scan may not be as accurate as an MRI.

However, it can diagnose most acoustic tumors. At the very least, it will help to know exactly what ringing in your ears means.

What are the risk factors for ringing in the ears?

Apart from being a result of problems in the ear canal, the appearance of tinnitus can be triggered by various factors, such as:

• Aging factors that cause damage to the cochlea and other parts of the ear, such as the eardrum. Sometimes it can trigger a ringing ear to the right or left. Position can vary from person to person.
• Blockage of the hearing canal due to a tumor in the inner ear can cause the ear to ring on one side or both.
• Otosclerosis, a disease that causes the cartilage in the middle ear to become stiff.
• There is trauma or injury to the head, especially in the neck and jaw.
• Consumption of certain drugs, especially aspirin and types of antibiotics, ibuprofen, and diuretics that give effect ototoxic against the inner ear.
• There is a history of diseases that affect hearing ability such as cardiovascular disease, allergies, anemia, diabetes and thyroid gland disorders.

In addition to the risk factors above, the condition can become worse if the sufferer consumes excessive alcohol, caffeine, and smokes.

How to prevent and treat tinnitus?

The condition of tinnitus in the right or left ear can actually be overcome. You do this by finding out the causes and risk factors for this condition.

Therefore, if you experience trauma to the head, you should immediately do a medical examination. The goal is that tinnitus symptoms can be detected as early as possible. In addition, treating ear infections by avoiding drugs that have ototoxic side effects can also help relieve symptoms.

Ototoxic are medicinal properties that can interfere with ear function. While prevention, can be done by minimizing exposure to noise in the ears. This is one of the best efforts to prevent tinnitus. The reason is, most of the tinnitus symptoms that occur due to noise will be very difficult to cure.

But in fact, most people with tinnitus are adaptable so they can continue their normal activities. The key is to ignore the tinnitus ringing sound. Gradually, the tinnitus symptoms experienced will decrease and feel lighter on their own.

This can also be achieved through methods tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT). TRT is a useful therapy so that sufferers can be more adaptable or accustomed to dealing with tinnitus. On the other hand, people with tinnitus must also be able to control psychological problems such as stress, difficulty concentrating, and insomnia.

Sound therapy to treat ringing in the ears

Sound therapy is a method that is widely used for several specific purposes. Sound therapy for tinnitus is a method that uses external sounds to change the patient's perception or reaction to the ringing sound.

Like other tinnitus treatments, sound therapy does not specifically cure left or right ear ringing. However, this sound therapy can reduce previously annoying ringing sounds.

Sound therapy is carried out in four ways, namely:

• Masking: This method serves to provide the patient with a loud enough volume sound outside, partly or completely, to cover the buzzing sound in their ears.
• Using distraction: This method uses sound from outside to distract the patient from the sound of tinnitus.
• Habituation: This method helps the patient's brain to know which tinnitus sound to ignore and which sound to hear.
• Neuromodulation: This method uses a special sound to minimize overactive nerves, as this is thought to be the cause of tinnitus.

Consult a specialist

You should see a doctor if you hear persistent or frequent sounds such as buzzing, ringing, or humming in your ears. The doctor will then examine your ear to see if the ringing problem may be caused by an easily treatable condition. For example an ear infection or a buildup of earwax.

The doctor will also ask what sound appears when you have tinnitus. In addition, there will also be some simple tests to see if you have any hearing loss.

Continuous, steady, high-pitched ringing in the ears generally indicates a problem in the hearing system. These conditions usually require a hearing test by an audiologist.

If you often hear loud noises at work or at home, it's important to reduce your risk of hearing loss (or further hearing loss). You do this by using protection such as earplugs or the like.

Basic tips for caring for ear health and hygiene

1. Clean the ears in the right way

You may think that cleaning your ears is a must cotton bud. However, this method was wrong. Otherwise, you are not encouraged to enter cotton bud, cotton wool, or something in the ear to clean the ear.

Enter cotton bud into the ear there is a risk of pushing the wax in. In addition, inserting something into the ear cavity also risks damaging sensitive organs in the ear, such as the eardrum. Not infrequently, this will have an impact so that it makes your ears ring.

Then, how do you clean your ears? The ear is a self-cleaning organ. The wax in the ear prevents dust and other harmful particles from getting into the ear.

So, the function of this wax fluid is very important for ear health and the presence of earwax is something normal. If you have excess wax, you can clean the area around the ear cavity with a soft towel. Or, you can ask a doctor for help to clean your ears with a special tool.

2. Protect your ears from loud noises

Not all sounds fall into the safe category for ears to hear. Too often hearing loud sounds, can make your hearing ability decrease.

The source of this loud sound can vary, for example, from work environment, favorite music, and so on. To maintain ear health, you need to do the following:

• If your work environment always creates loud noises, such as when cutting grass, using electric tools that make noise, and so on, it's a good idea to use ear protection.
• If you like listening to music, you should not adjust the volume of your music player too loudly.
• If you listen to music through headphones and people close to you can hear them or you can't hear any other sounds, it means your music volume is too loud and you have to turn it down.
• Don't overuse headphones to listen to music. Music volume limit is no more than 60 percent and do not use headphonesn more than 60 minutes a day.
• Do not listen to two loud sources at the same time, as this can damage your hearing. For example, when you hear a noise fromvacuum cleanerdo not turn up the volume of the television or listen to music aloud.
• If you like to go to concerts or go to a place where music is loud, it's best to use earplugs.

3. Keep the ears dry

Ears that are always wet or excessive ear moisture can allow bacteria to enter the ear canal.

This can lead to an ear infection called swimmer's ear (swimmer's ear) or otitis externa. Swimmer's ear is an infection of the outer ear caused by water trapped in the ear canal, trapping bacteria.

So, make sure both ears are always dry. If you enjoy swimming, it's a good idea to use earplugs for swimming to prevent water from getting into your ears.

If you feel water getting into the ear, immediately tilt your head and pull the tip of the ear to stimulate the discharge of water from the ear. Don't forget, always dry your ears with a dry towel after every swim and also after every shower.

4. Routinely check the ear to the doctor

Checking your ear to the doctor regularly is important, especially when you start to age. The reason is, the older the age, the more prone your ears are also experiencing interference. That's why you need to make sure your ears are in good health at all times.

You will need to do a pre-test hearing so you can measure and take action for any hearing loss you experience.