What is Tinnitus? Get facts on Tinnitus

What is Tinnitus? Get facts on Tinnitus Tinnitus is an audiology condition, and unless you have this problem, you may not understand what it is like. As a nurse, you should understand this condition to prepare yourself in handling a patient who experiences it.

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the perception of a sound, or essentially hearing a sound where there is no physical sound present. It is generally referred to as ringing in the ears. The sounds can differ from person to person, and can include ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling, and clicking. Although rare, some cases involve hearing music continuously. Millions of people in America alone suffer from tinnitus. It is currently one of the most common health conditions in the country. Many people suffer from this condition to the point that it is debilitating.

Related: How Electronic Health Records Change Jobs There are two separate types of tinnitus, subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus is an auditory and neurological reaction to hearing loss, however, can be caused by many factors. 99% of tinnitus cases fall into this category.

Objective tinnitus is audible to people around the person with the condition.

This happens in the body’s circulatory system. This is very rare, and occurs less than 1% of the time.

There is no cure for tinnitus however, there are treatment options. The treatment options have proven to be successful, and can make this condition easier to live with.

The Effects of Living with Tinnitus Tinnitus can be a debilitating condition that negatively affects a patient’s overall health and social well-being. Even moderate cases can interfere with the ability to work and socialize. People with tinnitus often experience: • Distress • Depression • Anxiety • Frequent mood swings • Sleep disturbances

• • •

Irritability or frustration Poor concentration Pain (particularly when tinnitus is accompanied by hyperacusis

Many people are prescribed anti-depressants to cope with the constant sound. Sufferers that developed tinnitus at a young age often do not reason that it is not normal, and just assume it is the same with everyone. There have also been cases that sufferers have attempted to remove their own ear, out of frustration from the tinnitus. Some studies have shown positive results from using biofeedback methods for treatment; however this only works in about 60% of patients.

Causes of Tinnitus • Ear infections – Infections of the inner ear called Acute otitis media or Chronic otitis media • Foreign bodies or wax impaction in the ear • Ear injury caused by loud noises may lead to tinnitus • Meniere's disease - a disease of the inner ear that is characterized by loss of hearing, dizziness and tinnitus • Alcohol, caffeine and certain drugs like aminoglycoside antibiotics (like gentamycin, amikacin etc.), aspirin, loop diuretics, cancer chemotherapeutic agents etc. especially when taken in an overdose • Underlying disease like high blood pressure, allergy, or anemia • Sometimes there may be no cause for the tinnitus wherein it is termed “idiopathic tinnitus” • Presbyacusis – This is basically age related hearing loss. Tinnitus is often accompanied with hearing loss in the elderly.

• A severe head injury, whiplash injury etc.

• Some disease like multiple sclerosis or brain tumors like cerebellopontine-angle tumors • Brain infections like meningitis, syphilis, Lyme disease etc. may lead to tinnitus • Temporomandibular-joint (the joint connecting the lower jaw to the skull at the base of the ears) dysfunction and dental disorders • A rapid change in environmental pressure while travelling to high altitudes • Psychosocial stress and noise exposure Related: Stroke Patients While there are numerous causes for developing tinnitus, anyone that suffers from it, is mainly concerned in how to stop it. One tinnitus patient explains it as this:

“I went through law school at the top of my class and could not wait to begin practicing law. I was working entirely too many hours, and on top of that I developed a cold that took forever to shake off. After the cold cleared I noticed a ringing sound in my ears. I kept asking others what the noise was, however, soon I realized it was only me, no one else heard it. I tried to ignore it, but it did not work. It finally got so bad that I could not argue a case in court. The ringing sound surpassed any talking, and I was unable to stay on task. I finally gave up and quit practicing law. The ringing has improved; I assume the lowered stress factor has made a difference. I still hear the sounds, but not as loud as before.�

Stress can be a factor with tinnitus, which is why certain anti-depressants and anxiety drugs have proven to be beneficial in some patients. If you know someone that suffers from this condition, a good resource is the national tinnitus foundation. Which is easily found online?

Related: Leading Nurse Educator Donna Funk, MN/Ed., Ed.Sp.aded, RN, ONC to be Published in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare as New Member of the International Nurses Association Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter