How Do You Define Tinnitus?
By Samantha Kortley

Tinnitus is the name of a little known medical condition where
an individual hears sound in their ears. People with this
condition describe hearing a ringing sound; however, others hear
a whistling sound, a humming sound, the sounds of crickets,
songs, beeping noises, tunes, whining noises, whizzing and other
odd sounds. Some people even experience a roaring sound in their
heads which can become very annoying as well as distracting.

So I guess the best Tinnitus definition would be a condition
that at its mildest is an annoying ringing in your ears that
comes and goes, all the way up to a full blown crisis with
painful, constant, nagging noise that takes over your quality of
life and makes it miserable.

Tinnitus can become a lot more than just annoying, it can
change your life. Some patients suffer from Tinnitus to such a
degree that they can no longer live a normal life. These sounds
can be heard quietly, like background music, or it can be so
loud that it interferes with your hearing of normal external
sounds and can be extremely painful. It goes on and on and
sometimes it gets so bad you just want to scream.

Tinnitus can sometimes be heard by a doctor, in other words,
the sounds can be heard outside the patient's body. This type of
Tinnitus is usually due to an unrelated outside medical
condition. Tinnitus can be a symptom from other medical
problems, and it can help diagnose those problems you don't know
you have. Tinnitus can also occur or become more prominent when
an individual has a fever or a non-ear related medical
condition.

The most common causes of Tinnitus start with infections of the
ear (both inner and middle ear infections), the placement of
foreign objects within the ear, excessive wax build up, nasal
allergies which affect the amount of fluid in the ear and taking
too much of some medications, such as aspirin. Interestingly, a
low Serotonin (hormone) level can cause Tinnitus, as well as
major depression.

Tinnitus can also be caused by Cochlea damage. The Cochlea has
this tinny hair like things that help send sound to the brain,
and it helps keep us upright. Swimming accidents, sports
injuries, dental surgery, allergies and sinus infections can
cause it as well. Tinnitus is more common than one might think.
A study has been done on a group of Tinnitus-free individuals
that showed that almost 95 percent were able to hear a pulsing,
buzzing or whistling noise when placed in a silent chamber.

There is an epidemic of hearing damage in the US due to
exposure to high levels of noise, and noise is the second most
common cause of Tinnitus. The noises can come from many
different sources, like your favorite concert, or musical act.
It can come from a noise source on the job, like in Industrial
occupations. Thanks to OSHA, the Occupational Safety & Health
Administration, most industrial work places furnish some form of
ear protection, but not all. Just guard your hearing, it's
important.

About the Author: Samantha Kortley, now cured, enjoys helping
others find relief from Tinnitus. Her new book, Ear
Ringing...Tinnitus Answers, enlightens sufferers with everything
they need to know about Tinnitus and the ear ringing that for
some has yet to stop. Catch her at;
http://earringingtinnitusanswers.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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