Tinnitus: Common Causes and Diagnosis

Usual Causes of Tinnitus:

1. Sinusitis

2. Ear infection

3. Occluded wax in the ear canal

4. Ageing

5. Otosclerosis

6. Tympanosclerosis

7. High level / long duration noise exposure

8. Meniere's Disease

9. Sudden exposure to loud noise

10. Tumor on the Auditory nerve

11. Side effects of certain medicines taken for long duration

12. Head injury

13. Neck injury

14. General body fatigue

15. Migraine

As seen in the list, if a person has tinnitus due to ear diseases, treating the disease can eliminate tinnitus.

Diagnosing Tinnitus:

Team of diagnosticians include ENT surgeon and an Audiologist. They have to evaluate and find the cause for the tinnitus. Major task is to differentiate the cause is at the peripheral level or central level. Central origin is difficult to manage. Evaluation process involves the following steps:

1. Detailed case history

2. Ear inspection

3. Pure tone audiometry

4. Tinnitus tone and loudness matching

5. Impedance audiometry

6. Otoacoustic emissions recording

7. Electro cochleography

8. Auditory brainstem responses

9. Speech audiometry

10. Tests for central auditory processing disorders

Medical Treatment:

• Removal of Wax

• Treatment for ear infection:

• Tinnitus caused by Medicines:

• Noise induced Tinnitus:

• Anti depressing drugs: