What causes tinnitus in the ears?

Tinnitus may be a symptom caused by diseases in the auditory system or other systems of the body. Some people experience unilateral tinnitus, while others have bilateral tinnitus. Tinnitus may occur intermittently, while for some people it may persist without stopping. The resulting psychological emotions such as irritability and anxiety can increase the patient's psychological stress. When dealing with tinnitus, one should maintain an objective attitude, seek medical attention promptly to identify the cause, and actively cooperate with treatment.

Causes of tinnitus

1. Auditory system diseases

(1) Cerumen blockage, tumor or foreign body in the external auditory canal.

(2) Various types of otitis media and otosclerosis in the middle ear.

(3) Inner ear Meniere's disease, sudden deafness, trauma, noise-induced deafness, presbycusis, etc.

2. Systemic diseases

(1) Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, hypotension, etc.

(2) Autonomic dysfunction, mental tension, depression, etc.

(3) Endocrine diseases: abnormal thyroid function, diabetes, etc.

(4) Others: neurodegeneration (such as demyelinating disease), inflammation (viral infection), trauma, drug poisoning, cervical spondylosis, temporomandibular joint disease or malocclusion, etc.

Clinical manifestations of tinnitus

Generally speaking, it is diverse and can be unilateral or bilateral, or it can be head tinnitus, it can exist continuously or appear intermittently, and the sound can be of various kinds and have different pitches.

1. Relationship between tinnitus and hearing

Some tinnitus patients have hearing loss, while others have normal hearing. However, tinnitus does not cause or aggravate hearing loss.

2. Relationship between tinnitus and psychological factors

Long-term tinnitus can cause patients to experience irritability, anxiety, tension, fear or depression, and negative emotional states can aggravate tinnitus, creating a vicious cycle between tinnitus and negative emotions. Psychological factors play an important role in the onset of tinnitus.