One of the most important things you need to know about tinnitus is that it’s not a disease. Tinnitus is a symptom indicating there’s a problem with your auditory system. This includes the auditory nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain and the parts of the brain that process sound, such as the auditory cortex.
When there’s too much earwax in your ears, you might have attempted to clean them with a cotton bud or other object. This is dangerous, risking perforation of the eardrum and increasing the likelihood of infection. Inserting objects into your ear can push the earwax further into your ear canal, causing impacted wax. The pressure from this impacted wax stimulates nerve cells in the inner ear and the brain mistakenly reads these signals as noise.
Next time you’re reaching for the cotton buds, think again. If you’re looking to clean your ears, book your ear wax removal appointment with our nurse Amy who will safely remove any ear wax and carry out a clinical assessment of your ear.
Although tinnitus is commonly caused by excess earwax buildup, it can also be the result of certain health conditions, like:
Infections of the ear and sinus
Hearing loss induced by loud noises
Heart or blood vessel diseases
Ménière’s disease
Brain tumours
Thyroid problems
Hormonal changes in women
A side effect from some medications.
Often, tinnitus is one of the early signs of hearing loss. Those who work in noisy environments, such as construction workers or musicians, can develop tinnitus over time. This is due to an ongoing exposure of noise damaging the sensory hair cells in the inner ear, which transmits sound waves to the brain.
Despite the many potential causes of tinnitus, some people develop the condition for no obvious reason. When the sound is loud and persistent, it can cause fatigue, depression and anxiety. Identifying tinnitus early on can minimise the risk of developing a more serious health condition.
@medicurehearing
What Does Tinnitus Feel Like?
Tinnitus is not exclusively a ringing sensation in the ears, although it is most frequently described as this. Tinnitus can manifest in different sounds, such as buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing or humming. Tinnitus varies in pitch from low roaring sounds to high squeals and can be heard in one or both ears. It isn’t always present either, and in rare cases, like pulsatile tinnitus, the sound is a rhythmic pulsing or whooshing that matches your heartbeat.
Treatment for Tinnitus
Had your ear wax removed and are still suffering symptoms of tinnitus? The first stage of action is to see an experienced audiologist or doctor to determine the cause of your tinnitus. As we’ve established, tinnitus could result from an underlying health condition or a side effect of some medication.
However, many of these health conditions are rare and ear wax removal is a very common cause for tinnitus. We always recommend trying ear wax removal first before investigating underlying health conditions.
Microsuction ear wax removal is the best option for wax removal, as it uses gentle suction (like a vacuum) to remove wax from the ear. This method is less messy than irrigation which uses water to flush out earwax. It also minimises the risk of infection, as the microsuction process is done dry with no direct contact with the skin or ear canal.
Don’t leave tinnitus untreated. Book an appointment with Amy today and find out how we can help you regain your hearing.
www.medicurehearing.com
Balance Health Centre, Tuebrook: 0151 263 6442
mobile appointments Liverpool and St Helens: 07469885616
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