Tinnitus – Causes And Treatment
What is Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a symptom and not a condition in itself. Tinnitus describes the symptom of being able to hear things which nobody else can, although in a rare number of cases, this isn’ t true. Tinnitus is a very common condition with approximately 10 % of the population suffering from Tinnitus to one degree or another. It is most commonly found in elderly people although it is becoming much more widespread in the younger population. Also, Tinnitus can be found in one or both ears or sometimes it feels like it is coming from the middle of your head.
The Symptoms of Tinnitus Tinnitus is most commonly found in elderly people although possibly due to the different lifestyles it is becoming much more common in younger people now. Maybe this is due to the fact that people are living in noisier environments today.
The sounds which are heard vary from patient to patient. Some patients hear a musical tone, although most patients hear something which sounds more like a hissing or whistling or a buzzing or a ringing noise. For a lot of patients, it is more of an inconvenience and doesn’ t affect their daily lives although for a number of patients, it is so bad that they need some kind of treatment to relieve the symptoms
. The Causes of Tinnitus
Tinnitus is caused by damage to the nerves in the inner ear( cochlea). These nerves transmit electrical impulses to the brain which the brain then interprets as sounds. When these nerves are damaged, the signal becomes distorted. When this distorted signal gets to the brain, the brain interprets it as a noise which is Tinnitus.
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