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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