More Than Just a Ringing in the Ears
A very common complaint of patients visiting the Ear-, Nose and Throat Specialist or an Audiologist, is that of a ringing noise in the ear that they don’t seem to know the origin of, or how to get rid of it.
The type of sound and intensity varies from patient to patient. It is usually a subjective sound which implies that it is not audible to anybody else, except the patient. This obviously makes the diagnosis more challenging as it is not as if one can do an X-ray or draw blood to make a definitive diagnosis.
Tinnitus can sound like ringing, buzzing or sound like crickets or a pulsating sound which follows the beat of the heart. It could also be a clicking sound. Tinnitus can be present in one or both ears and can fluctuate in intensity at any given time.
It is so common, that it is present in between 10% to 19% of the population, and it is reported in all age groups, however it is more common in adults.
The single most prevalent cause of tinnitus is a high tone hearing loss. The hearing loss can be minimal to the extent that the patient does not even notice it.
Tinnitus is not a disease. It is a symptom of an underlying condition, and in most instances, it is the brain’s reaction to a problem in the hearing system. Most people suffering from tinnitus are not unduly perturbed by this noise, as they can quite easily ignore it, even if it is constant. There are however patients that find the noise in the head or the ears to be at a level that is extremely troublesome. It can actually be destressing and debilitating in certain individuals, and have an extremely negative impact on personal, social and work life experiences. It can even interfere with the enjoyment of leisure activities. These are obviously the patients that present to healthcare professionals for advice.
As mentioned, it is a subjective experience and the diagnosis is based on eliminating functional or physical problems which can cause tinnitus. From the doctor’s point of view, the causes are divided into:
Local, i.e in the ear itself like a perforation of the eardrum, foreign body in the external ear canal, overuse of cotton buds to clean the ear, fluid in the middle ear etc. This can usually be diagnosed by a physical examination by the doctor.
The next category is causes in the vicinity i.e in the brain and the neck. Tumours in the brain and in the nerve of hearing can sometimes cause tinnitus. Neck vertebral problems are also culprits.
The last category is not related to the head, neck or ear but to certain medications, such as antibiotics etc.
The first category can usually be diagnosed and remedied with good effect. The second category requires special investigations like audiology and possibly an MRI-, or C.T-scan of the brain and temporal area or the neck vertebrae. The last cause can be eliminated by determining what medication the patient is taking that could possibly induce tinnitus.
A suitable tinnitus management option, which is provided by some Audiologists is called Cognitive Behavioural Intervention. This is based on the cognitive theory of tinnitus. This theory states that the thoughts we have regarding situations or events, influence how we feel emotionally. In other words it is not the event that creates the emotional distress, but the content of the thoughts concerning the tinnitus that creates the distress.
Cognitive Behavioural Intervention aims to alleviate anxiety caused by tinnitus by using special techniques to help the individual modify their thoughts and unhelpful avoidance behaviours. This approach has been found to provide significant reduction in tinnitus-related distress. It is not the aim for the cognitive behaviour therapy to clear tinnitus as no cure has yet been scientifically proven to be effective. It is however the treatment modality that will help the individual reduce the distress caused by the tinnitus.
The aim of treatment sessions by an approved and qualified Audiologist assist in developing alternative ways of cognitive reaction to tinnitus which will reduce the stress produced by hearing tinnitus.
The Audiologist that Dr. Rossouw uses has been qualified in this regard and therefore can be of assistance.
In Summary:
The last word has not been spoken as far as treatment of tinnitus is concerned, however, this is an important development in achieving relief for tinnitus sufferers.
Your Health Starts Here
call — +27 (0) 11 839 4418 / 9
Recent Comments