What are the first signs of tinnitus?

The sensation of hearing a sound with no external source is known as tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Tinnitus is not limited to ringing noises. You may also hear buzzing, humming, pounding, or cricket-like noises. It may be audible in just one ear or both ears.

The most commonly cited reason for tinnitus is long-term exposure to loud noises. 90% of those who have tinnitus experience some degree of hearing loss brought on by noise. The cochlea, an inner ear organ with a spiral structure, suffers irreversible damage as a result of the noise.

Is tinnitus a disease or a symptom?

In its simplest sense, tinnitus is not a disease but rather a symptom that something might be wrong with your auditory system. 

Your auditory system is composed of your ears, the auditory nerve, and parts of the brain that process sound.

If you think you might be having the first signs of tinnitus, you should see a doctor right away. Longmont Hearing and Tinnitus Center provides professional tinnitus evaluation and management in Longmont, CO.

How to prevent tinnitus or keep it from getting worse?

To keep tinnitus from getting worse, we recommend that you take extra precautions to protect your hearing. 

If you anticipate that you are going to be exposed to loud sounds (i.e., you work with loud and heavy machinery or are going to go to a concert, go hunting, or go to a firing range), you need to wear proper hearing protection to avoid triggering or worsening tinnitus symptoms.

Can anxiety cause tinnitus?

The fight-or-flight response is set off by anxiety. This response puts a lot of stress on the nervous system and raises body temperature, blood flow, and other things. It’s very likely that all this stress and pressure will mess up the way your inner ear works and give you tinnitus.

The link between anxiety and tinnitus has long been studied by medical experts. To date, there is still no exact cause of tinnitus, but stress and anxiety are common culprits.

When discussing tinnitus treatment and management, stress and relaxation techniques are usually included. How a person deals with tinnitus can have a big impact on whether or not they can get rid of the annoying sounds.

Do over-the-counter tinnitus treatments work?

Some over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements are falsely marketed as “wonder cures” or “tinnitus treatments.” 

Unfortunately, there is currently no solid scientific or medical evidence that these products or the ingredients in them help with tinnitus. 

Your best and safest option for tinnitus management and treatment would be to speak with an audiologist. The goal of tinnitus testing is to rule out any possible medical problems. If there are no underlying health problems, it is much easier to come up with a good plan for dealing with tinnitus.

What happens if tinnitus is not treated?

Tinnitus has the potential to lower your quality of life, much like many other hearing-related disorders. Many people who have tinnitus say that it makes it hard for them to think, sleep, concentrate, or even just enjoy silence. If you don’t treat your tinnitus, it can make you irritable, keep you from sleeping, and even make you feel isolated.

Tinnitus Diagnosis and Management – Longmont, CO

Tinnitus can be anything from a mild annoyance to something so bad that it makes it hard to sleep or do other normal things.

Whether you can deal with tinnitus symptoms or not, it is essential to get a correct diagnosis and rule out any serious medical conditions. If you are concerned about your tolerance to noise, let us help! 

Schedule an appointment with tinnitus experts at Longmont Hearing and Tinnitus Center today!