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Causes For Ringing Ears
and Tinnitus
To understand causes for ringing ears and tinnitus, it's important to know a little bit about the ear itself. The main mechanism of hearing is the cochlea, located in the inner ear. The cochlea is lined with
thousands of tiny auditory
hair which maintain an electrical
charge. Microscopic hairs form a fringe on the
surface of each auditory cell, and these hairs, when stimulated by sound waves, send electrical signals to the brain that are then translated into sound.
In the hearing impaired, these hair cells are damaged, bent
or destroyed, causing partial or total hearing loss, and may also be one of the causes of ringing in the ears. As we age, we lose hair cells, which is why the elderly are often hard of hearing. Trauma to the cochlea from loud noises or accidents can also cause hair cell damage. The most frequent tinnitus causes and causes for ringing ears are related to hair cell damage.
Some other possible causes for ringing ears include the following:
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- Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) occurring
usually around age 60 can cause ringing in the ears.
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Trauma-related damage to the inner ear (could
result from excessive exposure to loud sound is a possible tinnitus
cause.
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- Long-term use of
medications and Ototoxic drugs are causes
of ringing in the ears--Many prescription and over-the-counter drugs may cause tinnitus and/or hearing loss that may be permanent or may disappear when the dosage is reduced or eliminated.
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- Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) is a painful condition of the jaw joint, often caused by tension. There is a fairly common association between TMJ and tinnitus
leading medical authorities to consider TMJ as one of the causes for
ringing ears, however the exact mechanisms for this are not clearly understood.
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- Otosclerosis (stiffening of the bones in the
middle ear) is one of the possible causes of ringing in the ears.
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- Trauma or injury to the head or neck can be a tinnitus cause.
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- Buildup of
excess wax in the ear can reduce your ability to hear outside
noises, and has been known to cause ringing in the ears.
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Ear infection –
can be a tinnitus cause.
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- Atherosclerosis – buildup of cholesterol and
other fatty deposits causes the middle and inner ear to loose its
elasticity and may lead to causes for ringing ears.
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- High blood pressure and
factors that increase the blood pressure such as stress, alcohol and
caffeine may be causes of ringing in the ears.
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-Noise exposure -repeated exposure to such loud noises as guns, artillery, aircraft, lawn mowers, movie theaters, amplified music, heavy construction, etc., can cause permanent hearing
damage and are causes for ringing in the ears.
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-Food -specific foods may
cause tinnitus. Problem foods include red wine, grain-based spirits, cheese, and chocolate.
Causes for ringing ears may also include foods rich in salicylates (the same ingredient as in aspirin, which also
can cause tinnitus when taken in large amounts).
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-Lyme disease -a parasitic, tick-borne disease, which
is most commonly seen in eastern United States. In some cases,
Lyme causes ringing in the ears.
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-Growths/tumors--Acoustic neuromas, glomous tumors, otosclerosis may all cause tinnitus. Surgery may be recommended.
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-Vascular abnormalities--Arteries may press too closely against the inner ear structures or
nerves and can be a tinnitus cause.
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-Dental procedures--Strain on the temporomandibular joint during any dental work
has been one of the causes for ringing ears.
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-Meniere's Disease is a serious disease of the inner ear, resulting in recurrent attacks of vertigo, hearing loss, and
probable causes of ringing in the ears.
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-Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is pain in the
the muscles, tendons, and ligaments and definitely is one of the
causes of ringing in the ears.
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