Ear tinnitus is very common nowadays. If you are hearing voices in your ears and people don’t believe you, don’t worry – there are millions of people having the same problem. The condition is ear tinnitus or ringing in ears. Tinnitus sufferers are on a continuous rise with tinnitus making daily headlines throughout the world.

Noise induced tinnitus seems to be the one making the most common type. Expressed concern over how music pods and other music devices promoting loud noise can be contributing to the growing problem. The word tinnitus is derived from the Latin word ‘tinnire’ which means ‘to ring’. It is defined as a ringing, buzzing or whistling sound in one or both ears without an external stimulus.

Ear Tinnitus is not a disease itself but it is a presenting symptom of many local and systemic diseases and according to an estimate about 15 percent of people suffer from tinnitus during their life time.

If you are the only one who is able to hear noises, then you are suffering from subjective ear tinnitus while, if other persons can also hear noises then it is called objective ear tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus mostly results from ear pathology while systemic diseases usually cause objective tinnitus.

You may hear a single noise all the times or in a single attack. Most of the times different noises are heard in different attacks but sometimes different noises are heard in both ears while in extreme cases you may hear different noises in the same attack in a single ear. These are mono and multi-tinnitus. The causes of ear tinnitus can be classified into diseases of the external, middle or internal ear as well as a result of systemic diseases.

The common causes can be summarized as:

  • External ear tinnitus
  • External ear infection
  • Ear wax impact
  • Middle ear tinnitus
  • Middle ear infection
  • Inner ear tinnitus
  • Menier’s disease
  • Inner ear infection

Systemic diseases

  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes
  • Stress-induced

Normally you receive sound waves in the external ear which are then transferred to the internal ear. The internal ear signals are transferred to the brain via nerves. Abnormality can arise in any part of the path, however, most commonly it results from lesions in the brain and termed as central tinnitus. If the abnormality lies is the external ear, you will hear noises ringing in the ears. Before embarking on treatment, a first step is to identify the underlying cause. To find out your underlying abnormality you can search the common causes on the internet, though, I do recommend that you consult your doctor.

Once the underlying abnormality is detected, tinnitus treatment can be treated according to its cause. There are various treatment options available to treat ear tinnitus. These are simple life style modifications and techniques that you can apply without any fear of side effects.

For noise-related tinnitus this is commonly used:

  • Masking
  • Use of electronic devices
  • Use of musical devices
  • Ready made audio tapes
  • Holistic approaches such as describes in ‘Tinnitus Miracle’

You can use a holistic approaches such as Tinnitus Miracle that is intensively researched to treat ear tinnitus as it has fewer side effects and is proven to work.

A holistic approach to ear tinnitus has five steps:

  • Dietary changes & herbal medication
  • Boosting your immune system
  • 4-point tinnitus retraining program
  • Clean your body from toxins
  • Using hypnotherapy to reduce tinnitus
  • Health supplements

Ear tinnitus caused by stress or other systemic diseases is mostly treated by medication.

Most commonly used methods are:

  • Anti-anxiety medication
  • Anti-convulsants
  • Anti-depressants
  • Neuromanics
  • Surgical approach (this is usually reserved for refractory cases)
  • Acupuncture
  • Laser therapy
  • Cochlear implants

However it is advisable to protect yourself from ear tinnitus by minimizing the harmful effect of loud noise by wearing sound masks, listening to soft music and using helmets for bike riding.