TINNITUS

Caused by a dysfunction in the auditory nervous system, tinnitus is the annoying sensation of hearing a sound (i.e. ringing, hissing, buzzing, humming, static in the ears, etc.) when no external sound is present.

The auditory system is extremely complex, therefore tinnitus can manifest itself in a number of ways: it can come on very quickly or gradually, it can affect one or both ears, occur all the time or sporadically, and even be perceived in different areas of the head.

Tinnitus affects different people in different ways. For some, it is just a daily inconvenience whereas for others it can present a major problem, such as:

Difficulty to concentrate or sleep
Fatigue, sadness, mood swings
Isolation

Multiple causes of Tinnitus

Tinnitus can result from a number of underlying causes. For example:

• Regular and prolonged exposure to loud sounds
• Ear infections or auditory nerve tumour
• Some diseases (i.e. diabetes)
• Trauma to the head or neck
• Allergies and sinusitis
• Fatigue, stress or depression
• Some medication