The ability to hear unimpeded is a luxury that escapes millions of people who suffer from tinnitus.
This condition can make it challenging to hear normally. It also may interfere with people’s ability to carry out a regular everyday routine. In many instances, it can be diagnosed and treated at the best ENT clinic in Orange County.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a hearing condition that affects one in five people. It is hallmarked by the perception of constant ringing in the ears. It is often indicative of an underlying condition like age-related hearing loss, an injury to the ear, or a circulatory system disorder.
While tinnitus is often not a serious health condition, it can be annoying and inconvenient with which to live. Further, it can get worse as the sufferer gets older.
What are the Symptoms of Tinnitus?
While the official definition of tinnitus is the perception of ringing in the ears, it actually can present itself with other noises. People with this condition may not necessarily hear ringing but instead hear:
- Buzzing
- Clicking
- Hissing
- Roaring
The volume of these noises can also vary from person to person. For one sufferer, the volume may be high and present in both ears. Another sufferer may hear the noises very softly and in only one ear. Other people may hear the noises intermittently instead of constantly throughout the day.
In fact, there are two types of tinnitus: subjective and objective. Subjective tinnitus is tinnitus that a sufferer can hear and is the most common type of this condition. It is most commonly caused by an injury to the inner, outer, or middle ear.
Objective tinnitus is tinnitus that a doctor at the best ENT clinic in Orange County can hear when he or she examines the patient. This type of tinnitus is rare and occurs because of damages to the blood vessels in the ear. It also may be caused by a condition to the middle ear bone or muscle contractions in the ear.
How is Tinnitus Treated?
When you seek help at the best ENT clinic in Orange County, you may expect to undergo any number of treatments for tinnitus. If your tinnitus is caused by a buildup of earwax, you could undergo a thorough removal of the earwax in your ears.
However, if it is caused by age-related hearing loss, a middle ear injury, or blood vessel damage, you could undergo treatments like:
- The use of white noise machines
- Masking devices that emit white noise directly into the ear
- A change of medications
- Tinnitus retraining
You also may be prescribe anti-anxiety or antidepressants if your tinnitus leaves you anxious and depressed throughout the day.
Tinnitus is a hearing condition that can make living a normal life challenging. This condition responds well to a variety of treatments. Your doctor at the best ENT clinic in Orange County can recommend the best treatment based on the cause of your tinnitus.