Tinnitus is an incredibly common medical condition. Something like 20 million people regularly suffer from chronic tinnitus so severe that it becomes burdensome. This does not even count the more common types of tinnitus, which for most people can come and go without causing a huge impact on their quality of life.
Tinnitus occurs when you hear a phantom sound–a sound that no one else can hear. This could be a ringing in the ears or a buzzing sound you can’t shake. Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, but that doesn’t mean that one condition will automatically lead to the other.
In fact, there are a significant variety of types of tinnitus. And each one will require a different treatment approach.
What is tinnitus?
So, what is tinnitus and where does it come from? Well, it’s important to note that not all types of tinnitus are the same. The various causes of tinnitus will present with similar symptoms. But identifying the cause can be essential to finding the right treatment approach.
For some people, tinnitus is the result of a neurological issue, such as a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. For others, tinnitus may result from age-related hearing loss. Here are some of the most common types of tinnitus:
- Neurological tinnitus: Tinnitus is not always caused by ear problems. Sometimes, the root cause lies within the brain. Neurological tinnitus is caused by injury to or issues with your baseline neurological functions. In other words, something has gone wrong with the typical ways that your brain and ear communicate. The result is that you hear a phantom sound that may not be there. Neurological tinnitus can be caused by concussion, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and more. In some cases, neurological tinnitus may resolve as the brain heals. For others, it may be permanent.
- Subjective tinnitus: When only you can hear the sound of your tinnitus–which is quite common–hearing specialists will refer to your condition as a subjective tinnitus. (That is, the sound is subjective rather than objective.) This type of tinnitus comprises many other forms of tinnitus as well. For example, neurological tinnitus can also be subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus can present as many different sound types, including ringing, buzzing, squeals, whistles, roars, and more.
- Objective tinnitus: When the sound you’re hearing in your ears is a real, verifiable sound, it’s referred to as objective tinnitus. (Objective tinnitus is not quite as common as subjective tinnitus, but it still occurs.) Most commonly, this means you’re experiencing something called pulsatile tinnitus, which occurs when you’re hearing your pulse or circulatory system. For those with objective tinnitus, that pulsing sound typically seems louder than it ought to.
- Somatic tinnitus: For many people, the sound they hear with tinnitus is relatively constant. (That’s true for both subjective and objective tinnitus.) However, somatic tinnitus is different. This is tinnitus that grows worse with movement. If you have somatic tinnitus, the volume of the ringing or buzzing in your ear may grow worse. Typically, somatic tinnitus is most sensitive to movement of the head or neck areas.
Most of these types of tinnitus are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, you may have neurological tinnitus and subjective tinnitus. Determining the cause of your symptoms can help your hearing specialist determine the best tinnitus treatment options for your symptoms.
Finding tinnitus support
If your tinnitus is here this minute and gone the next, you probably don’t have to do anything about it. But if your tinnitus sticks around or comes back frequently, it may have real and serious impacts on your day-to-day life. That’s when it’s especially important to talk to a hearing specialist to receive specialized care and find some tinnitus relief.
Hearing specialists have several different tinnitus management strategies they may try, depending on the root cause of your symptoms. Several therapies can make the sounds you’re hearing less noticeable. Other treatment options can mask the sound you’re hearing.
Tinnitus can’t typically be cured, but it can be successfully. Your hearing specialist will work with you to create treatments that work for your symptoms. That way, you can more easily ignore the buzzing or ringing in your ears–and get back to the life you love.
Looking for help with your tinnitus? Find an expert near you today.