The German Society for Tinnitus Therapy said that the term “tinnitus” includes all forms of noise in the ear, such as whistling, buzzing, squeaking, buzzing, hissing, rattling, clicking, and knocking, noting that tinnitus becomes chronic if it continues for longer than 3 months.
The association explained that in up to 54% of cases, no clear cause for tinnitus is found during the initial examination or later, and doctors then talk about “tinnitus of unknown cause.” In about 34% of patients, tinnitus is due to noise.
Hearing loss and tinnitus are often linked together, and it is estimated that about two-thirds of people with hearing loss also suffer from tinnitus. Likewise, tinnitus is often one of the first symptoms of hearing loss.
Possible causes of tinnitus also include high blood pressure and disorders in the jaw joint area caused, for example, by muscle tension or teeth grinding.
Treatment methods
The earlier tinnitus is treated, the better, since tinnitus raises the risk of sudden ear loss. If the real cause behind tinnitus is determined, treating this cause represents the most important element in confronting tinnitus. For example, hearing loss can be treated by wearing a hearing aid.
In the case of high blood pressure, antihypertensive medications are used, while disorders in the jaw joint area can be treated with orthodontics.
Sometimes treatment is done with psychiatric medications, which can reduce the severity of tinnitus through their effect on the central nervous system. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also help patients deal with chronic tinnitus.