Tinnitus: What it is and how to manage it

Several promising therapy options exist to help sufferers

Q: What causes tinnitus, and is there anything that can be done to get rid of it?

A: Tinnitus — the sensation of hearing a sound when no external sound is present — often is described as a ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking, humming, pulsing, or hissing sound, or any combination of these sounds. You may hear it in one or both ears. The sound may be present all the time, or off and on.

If you have tinnitus that doesn’t go away, a hearing evaluation is recommended. In most cases, tinnitus can be managed fully. But, for some, it’s a chronic condition that can affect sleep and everyday function. Fortunately, there are options to reduce its effects.

The cause of tinnitus is unknown. One idea is that tinnitus results from damage to the cells of the inner ear. This stems from the fact that about 90 percent of people with tinnitus have some hearing loss caused by noise.

The tiny, delicate hairs in your inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This movement triggers the release of an electrical signal through your auditory nerve to your brain. Your brain normally interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are damaged, bent or broken, they may release random electrical impulses to your brain, resulting in tinnitus.

In many people, tinnitus has been linked to

hearing loss — both age- and noise-related. It can occur from earwax blockage, from bone changes in the middle ear (otosclerosis) and as a side effect of a number of medications. Other conditions associated with tinnitus include head trauma or a concussion; inner ear conditions, such as Ménière’s disease or an acoustic neuroma; head or neck injuries; or problems with the joint where your lower jawbone meets your skull (temporomandibular joint). High blood pressure and factors that increase blood pressure, such as stress, alcohol use and caffeine consumption can make tinnitus more noticeable.

Although there’s no known cure for most cases of tinnitus, many people can manage it. For most, the goal is to lessen their awareness of tinnitus. If tinnitus is due to a health condition, your health care provider may be able to recommend steps that could reduce the noise.

In addition, there are several promising therapy options for management of tinnitus. These include music therapy devices and methods for managing tinnitus; tinnitus retraining therapy, which involves using devices to “train the brain” to ignore tinnitus; and cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on replacing negative thoughts with positive ones to change your reaction to tinnitus.