What can cause tinnitus? There are a number of causes for Tinnitus including medical conditions, noises or earwax just to start.
It can often be difficult to understand the root causes of tinnitus, but, like many ear conditions, it is often associated with hearing loss, particularly in older people. As you age, the delicate hairs in your inner ear can become damaged, affecting how sound is transported to your brain. If the hairs inside your inner ear aren't working as they should, there is a reduction in nerve impulses to your brain.
However, there are many other factors that also cause the condition. We’ve outlined some of the common causes of as well as a few rarer occurrences, which can help you to take appropriate precautions in situations that may affect your hearing.
If you regularly use heavy machinery, listen to music at loud volumes or operate firearms, tinnitus could become a problem. While short-term exposure (such as attending a concert) may have temporary effects, longer-term use without appropriate ear protection can cause permanent damage.
This is the medical term for a stiffening of bones in the ear. Otosclerosis is an abnormal bone growth condition, normally passed down through gentics. This condition can cause partial deafness as well as tinnitus.
Can ear wax cause tinnitus? The answer is yes. Although a healthy level of earwax can help protect your ear canal from unwanted bacteria, compacted or excessive wax can lead to hearing loss or tinnitus. If you experience noticeably high wax levels you should make an appointment with your local doctor, nurse trained hearing healthcare professional to have them professionally cleaned on a regular basis.
As well as these three common causes, tinnitus can also be the result of:
For less usual cases when it affects one ear or much louder in one ear than the other, a medical examination, preferably an ENT Specialist, it is necessary to understand whether it’s being caused by a condition requiring medical or surgical treatment
For more information on how you can help reduce the effects, visit our treatment page alternatively your local expert Amplifon Audiologist will be able to help support.
