Tinnitus is a condition in which the person hears a ringing sound in ears that could be temporary or permanent. Tinnitus is not a severe problem, but can be bothersome and irritating.

Tinnitus can worsen with the age and unfortunately in most cases, the cause behind tinnitus cannot be identified.

However, cell damage in the inner ear is one of the most common reasons behind constant ringing sound in the ears. Other causes of tinnitus include chronic health conditions, injuries, and ailments associated with nerve damage in ear or hearing centre in the brain, but most ENT specialists agree that it is tough to zero in on one single cause behind that annoying noise in the ears.

Age, loud noise, gender, smoking, CVD are few other risk factors behind tinnitus. Individuals with tinnitus may hear irritable sound in ears without the presence of external sound.

The signs may include, ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking and hissing sounds and the intensity varies from low to high and can appear in one or both the ears.

In certain cases, the sound can be loud enough to affect the ability to focus on actual sound. The sounds can continue all the time, or it may appear and disappear in short intervals.

Subjective tinnitus is the most common type, caused due to trouble in the inner, middle or outer ear.  Objective tinnitus is a rare type, associated with blood vessel problems, muscle contraction, and bone issues in the middle ear.

Treatment For Tinnitus:

There is no cure for tinnitus, but treatment can reduce the signs. Treatment includes immediate care for an ear infection, discontinuation of ototoxic medication, and treating temporomandibular joint problems.

One can also try acupuncture, acupressure, certain homeopathy medications for relief.