Tinnitus is the perception of noise in the ears and is often just called ‘ringing in the ears’, and effects about 15-20% of people. Tinnitus isn’t a condition itself, but a symptom of an underlying condition such as hearing loss due to age, or an injury in the ear canal.

The symptoms of tinnitus are hearing a sound when no sound is present. Sounds can include, a buzzing, ringing, hissing or humming. The sound can vary in pitch or volume and at times can be so distracting it can affect concentration. It may come and go or be a constant presence.

There are two types of tinnitus, subjective, when only the patient can hear the noise. This is the most common type of tinnitus and it caused by problems in the inner, middle our outer ear. It can be caused by problems on the nerves or the part of the brain that interprets the nerve signals.

The second type of tinnitus is objective tinnitus. This is much rarer, and your doctor will be able to hear the noise during an examination. It is caused by muscle contractions, middle ear bone condition or damage in the blood vessels.  

It is thought that some medications can cause tinnitus, such as antibiotics, cancer medications, diuretics, quinine medications or aspirins when taken in high doses. The higher the dosage the worse the noise may be and will generally disappear when you stop taking these drugs.

To treat tinnitus, our doctor will need to diagnose the cause of your tinnitus. If caused by a physical condition, treating the blood vessel, ear wax removal or changing any other medications you may be taking may help the tinnitus. In other cases, hearing aids or white noise machines will help to reduce or mask the perceived noise.

Medications such as alprazolam or tricylic antidepressants may be prescribed to help with the severity of the symptoms. Tinnitus can’t always be cured, and other methods such as counseling or support groups are recommended to help the patient cope with their tinnitus day to day.