Tinnitus: Can Somebody Stop the Ringing in My Ears?
Tinnitus is a common subjective ailment that has many underlying causes. Its name, tinnitus, is derived from Latin and is defined as a ringing sound heard in the ear in absence of a corresponding external sound. However, not everyone who suffers from ear tinnitus hears ringing. There are multiple forms of tinnitus that can be caused by a variety of different factors, making tinnitus not so much an illness as a symptom.
Tinnitus can be subjective or objective. Subjective tinnitus has too many causative factors to begin to list but the common thread is that there is no measurable cause and no objective test to measure the degree of tinnitus suffered by the patient. Because we sometimes are able to sharpen our hearing in certain ranges by concentrating on those sounds, tinnitus can become very bothersome if a person focuses on that sound to the exclusion of external sounds. In these cases, the tinnitus can have a serious effect on daily activities and become debilitating.
Pulsatile tinnitus is one example of objective tinnitus. This type of tinnitus can actually be measured and the cause can normally be found. Pulsatile tinnitus is the name for the experience when one is literally able to hear the blood flow inside the ears, usually in time to the pulse. Extreme cases can even sense the ebb and flow of the blood between pulse beats. Causative factors for pulsatile tinnitus are usually not life life threatening, however, there are some exceptions. Certain tumors, an aneurysm in the carotid artery, or other serious conditions in the head and neck can cause pulsatile tinnitus. These conditions are serious and require immediate treatment. Less serious causes include a simple rise in blood pressure, usually following a fright that triggers a fight or flight response.
March 13 2011 | Tinnitus Balance Is There Really A Cure For Tinnitus? | Comments Off