Care For Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of corresponding external sound. Tinnitus is not a disease, but can result from a wide range of underlying causes including abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even brief periods (but usually with some duration), ear infections, wax build-up, nasal allergies that prevent (or create) fluid drain, or foreign objects in the ear. Withdrawal from a benzodiazepine addiction may cause tinnitus as well. Inear headphones, when the volume is set beyond a moderate level and not deflected or absorbed elsewhere, is also a common cause of tinnitus. Although the condition is most commonly the result of noise-induced hearing loss, tinnitus can also be caused by natural hearing impairment (eg. in aging individuals), from congenital (genetic) hearing loss, or as a side effect of some medications.

Tinnitus is difficult to measure using objective tests (such as an audiometric test), as it is usually a subjective phenomenon. The condition is often rated according to the practical difficulties it imposes, such as interference with sleep, during quiet activities, and during normal daily activities on a simple scale of "slight" to "catastrophic".