Tinnitus Health Dictionary

Tinnitus: From 3 Different Sources


A ringing, buzzing, whistling, hissing, or other noise heard in the ear or ears in the absence of a noise in the environment. Tinnitus is almost always associated with hearing loss, particularly that due to presbyacusis and exposure to loud noise. It can also occur as a symptom of ear disorders such as labyrinthitis, Ménière’s disease, otitis media, otosclerosis, ototoxicity, and blockage of the ear canal with earwax. It may also be caused by certain drugs, such as aspirin or quinine, or may follow a head injury.Any underlying disorder is treated if possible.

Many sufferers make use of a radio, television, cassette player, or headphones to block out the noise in their ears.

A tinnitus masker, a hearingaid type device that plays white noise (a random mixture of sounds at a wide range of frequencies), may be effective.

Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association
A noise heard in the EAR without any external cause. It often accompanies DEAFNESS, and severely deaf patients ?nd tinnitus as troubling as – if not more so than – the deafness. Tinnitus is described as ‘objective’ if it is produced by sound generated within the body by vascular tumours or abnormal blood ?ows. In patients with conductive hearing loss, tinnitus may be the consequence of the blocking of outside noises so that their own bodily activities become audible. Even normal people occasionally suffer from tinnitus, but rarely at a level which prompts them to seek medical advice. Present knowledge of the neurophysiological mechanisms is that the noise ‘arises’ high in the central nervous system in the subcortical regions of the BRAIN.

The resting level of spontaneous neuronal activity in the hearing system is only just below that at which sound enters a person’s consciousness – a consequence of the ?ne-tuning of normal hearing; so it is not, perhaps, surprising that normally ‘unheard’ neuronal activity becomes audible. If a patient suffers sensorineural deafness, the body may ‘reset’ the awareness threshold of neural activity, with the brain attempting greater sensitivity in an e?ort to overcome the deafness. The condition has a strong emotional element and its management calls for a psychological approach to help sufferers cope with what are, in e?ect, physically untreatable symptoms. They should be reassured that tinnitus is not a signal of an impending stroke or of a disorder of the brain. COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY can be valuable in coping with the unwanted noise. Traditionally, masking sounds, generated by an electrical device in the ear, were used to help tinnitus sufferers by, in e?ect, making the tinnitus inaudible. Even with the introduction of psychological retraining treatment, these maskers may still be helpful; the masking-noise volume, however, should be kept as low as possible or it will interfere with the retraining process. For patients with very troublesome tinnitus, lengthy counselling and retraining courses may be required. Surgery is not recommended.

Under the auspices of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, the RNID Tinnitus Helpline has been established. Calls are charged at local rates. (See also MENIÈRE’S DISEASE.)

Health Source: Medical Dictionary
Author: Health Dictionary
n. the sensation of sounds in the ears, head, or around the head in the absence of an external sound source. It can occur with any form of hearing loss or with normal hearing. It is thought to be due to a misinterpretation of signals in the central auditory pathways of the brain. The signals that are misinterpreted can arise in any part of the auditory system: the cochlea, cochlear nerve, or within the brain itself. Treatment includes the correction of any underlying condition, counselling, *cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness meditation, acceptance and commitment therapy, relaxation techniques, sound therapy (see white noise instrument), and use of *hearing aids. A unified method of treatment that makes use of several of these components is referred to as *tinnitus retraining therapy. See also musical tinnitus; pulsatile tinnitus.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

What Causes Ear Tinnitus And How To Treat It

Tinnitus in the ear can occur due to ear infections, various infections, perforation of the eardrum, and many other effects. This is a condition that one should especially take seriously. At the same time, tinnitus can also occur in the formation of brain tumors and as a result of an impact on the person. After experiencing these conditions, it is necessary to consult a physician in order to avoid ringing of the ear which has started to occur. If your tinnitus does not seem to be a symptom of a serious illness, and if it is coming up in a short period of time, you can apply the recommendation we will give you. What do you need to do to treat and prevent tinnitus? - regular exercise every day - As far as possible you should stay away from bike and horse riding sports. - Eating a bottle of mineral water every day is a good night to tinnitus. - Avoiding loud surroundings will protect you from the tinnitus problem. - Coffee cigarettes Alcohol and caffeine containing foods should be avoided. - If you have a drug that you use all the time, you should investigate whether the drugs you use trigger the tinnitus. If you think your tinnitus is caused by medications you are using, you can ask your doctor to change the medications. - Consuming one pineapple every day will greatly reduce your tinnitus... what causes ear tinnitus and how to treat it

Musical Tinnitus

a form of tinnitus characterized by hearing snippets of music or indistinct speech, usually seen in association with significant *deafness.... musical tinnitus

Pulsatile Tinnitus

a form of *tinnitus that has a rhythmical quality. It may be synchronous with the heartbeat, in which case a vascular origin is likely. Pulsatile tinnitus that is not synchronous with the heartbeat may have a muscular origin due to *middle ear muscle myoclonus or *palatal myoclonus. Pulsatile tinnitus may be audible to an observer, in which case it is classified as objective pulsatile tinnitus. More often it is inaudible to others and is classified as subjective pulsatile tinnitus.... pulsatile tinnitus

Tinnitus Masker

the former name for a *white noise instrument.... tinnitus masker

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

(TRT) a method of treating *tinnitus that embraces a range of techniques, including explanation, counselling, relaxation techniques, meditation, and sound therapy.... tinnitus retraining therapy



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