ചെവിയിൽ ചിലപ്പോ ഊതുന്നപോലെ അല്ലങ്കിൽ മൂളുന്നതുപോലെ അനുഭവപ്പെടുന്നു ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുക /Dr Umalakshmi

ചെവിയിൽ ചിലപ്പോ ഊതുന്നപോലെ അല്ലങ്കിൽ മൂളുന്നതുപോലെ അനുഭവപ്പെടുന്നു ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുക /Dr Umalakshmi
What is tinnitus?
If you have tinnitus, your head is filled with sound — ringing, whistling, clicking and roaring — that no one else hears. Tinnitus (tin-NITE-us or TIN-ne-tus) can be sounds that are so soft you may not notice them or so loud they block out sounds coming from external sources.

Is tinnitus common?
Tinnitus is a common problem that affects more than 50 million people in the United States. For about 12 million Americans, tinnitus is a constant and noisy companion that affects their daily lives. People who have tinnitus may have trouble sleeping or concentrating. Living with tinnitus can make people feel angry, frustrated and depressed.

What are the first signs of tinnitus?
You may first notice tinnitus because you’re developing hearing loss, have a head injury or an everyday medical condition like an ear infection.

Does tinnitus ever go away?
Healthcare providers may be able to cure tinnitus by treating the underlying condition. When they can’t, they recommend tactics to reduce its impact.
SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES
What causes tinnitus?
Ototoxic medications. There’s a wide range of medications that can damage your ears. If you’re concerned about tinnitus, ask your healthcare provider about medication side effects and alternatives.
Ménière’s disease. This chronic ear disorder affects your balance and hearing.
Allergies. Congestion from allergies can affect your eustachian tube. This tube connects your middle ear and the back of your nose. Congestion that blocks eustachian tube can keep sound from getting to your ear.
Vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma). This benign (non-cancerous) tumor affects the nerves that connect to your brain and manage balance and hearing. People who have neurofibromatosis type 2 often have vestibular schwannomas.
Otosclerosis. This is a growth in your middle ear.
Rarely, you may have tinnitus when your blood rushes through the major arteries and veins in your neck. This kind of tinnitus involves sound timed to your pulse or pulsatile tinnitus.

Pulsatile tinnitus may happen because you have anemia (reduced red blood cell flow) or atherosclerosis (blocked arteries). People who have high blood pressure (hypertension) are more likely to develop pulsatile tinnitus than people who have normal blood pressure.
Tinnitus isn’t a condition or disease. It’s a symptom of other conditions. Here are some steps your provider may take to learn more about your tinnitus:

Physical examination. They’ll check your ears for any obvious problems. They may check for signs of pulsatile tinnitus.
Medical history. They may ask if other family members have hearing loss, if you spend a lot of time around loud noises or a loud noise from a single event. They may ask what medications you take.
Hearing test (audiometry). This test checks your ability to hear a range of tones, displaying your results in an audiogram.
Tympanometry. Your provider checks your eardrum with a handheld device called a tympanometer that shows your results in a tympanogram.
Magnetic resonance imaging. This test produces detailed images of your body without using X-rays.
What happens if I don’t have a medical condition?
If your healthcare provider has ruled out medical conditions apart from hearing loss, their next step is recommending ways to manage the impact of tinnitus on your life. Here are some examples:

Hearing aids. Many people who have tinnitus also have hearing loss. Hearing aids may help provide relief from tinnitus by making sounds louder and the tinnitus less noticeable. For example, hearing aids may increase the volume of soft sound in your environment, like the noise made by your refrigerator. Obviously, hearing aids make it easier for you to hear, which may make it easier for you to ignore tinnitus.
Sound generators. These devices produce and deliver sounds to your ears that mask tinnitus. For example, the sound generator may deliver soothing sounds like a shower or quiet rain. Some people may benefit by using hearing aids that include sound generators.
Environmental enrichment devices. You can create your own way of masking tinnitus. Tabletop sound machines that generate soothing background noise, recordings of music, nature or other sounds or apps for smartphones and tablets can make tinnitus less noticeable.
Relaxation techniques. Tinnitus can be frustrating and stressful. Stress and frustration may make tinnitus more noticeable. Learning techniques to increase relaxation and ease stress can help people better deal with the frustrations of tinnitus.
Counseling options. Some people benefit from mental wellness therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). These therapies help people learn how to pay less attention to tinnitus.
PREVENTION
How can I prevent tinnitus?