What Is Tinnitus?

That ringing, buzzing or hissing feeling is often not caused by something in your environment, but rather caused by hearing loss or other health issues. Understand the symptoms, causes, and treatment options.

More than 50 million Americans experience tinnitus for a number of different reasons. To determine how to best treat tinnitus, it’s important to understand its symptoms and causes.

Symptoms Of Tinnitus

There are a number of different symptoms for tinnitus, but the most common include hearing the following sounds:

Ringing
Buzzing
Whooshing
Hissing
Clicking

These sounds are heard only by the person experiencing the tinnitus, but can sometimes be detected by a hearing professional. Some individuals experience issues sleeping when they have tinnitus because they feel as though their brain never “shuts off.”

Causes Of Tinnitus

There are several factors that can cause tinnitus, including the following:

Exposure to loud noise
Medications
Trauma to the ear
Hearing loss
Ear infection
Earwax buildup
Meniere’s disease
Vascular disorders

It’s possible that tinnitus can be caused by one or more of these conditions and some can be resolved easily if the cause is temporary, such as an infection or a buildup of earwax.

Tinnitus Treatments

There are a number of different treatment methods available to help you find relief depending on the cause of your tinnitus. After your hearing care provider assesses the severity of your tinnitus, symptoms, how it impacts your daily life and possible causes and treatments. Here are a few options