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Tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying disease rather than being a disease itself. It is characterized by various soft or loud sounds in the ears of the patient when there is no such sound in the environment.
Around 15 per cent of people experience tinnitus at some stage of life and it's more likely to occur beyond the age of 60.
Some people are mildly affected by the condition while some are severely affected.
There are two types of Tinnitus: objective and subjective:-
This is usually associated with a blood vessel or muscle related condition. The tinnitus may be pulsatile or in rhythm with the heartbeat.
Symptoms of tinnitus include (1, 2, 3, 4) :–
Patients complain of sounds similar to calling of crickets or cicadas or blowing winds, falling or gushing water, grinding steel, escaping steam, running engines, chain saws, fluorescent lights, etc.
In Meniere’s disease the frequency of the tinnitus may be as high as 125-250 KHz.
If it is heard in the ears it is called tinnitus aurium and if it is heard in the head it is called tinnitus cranii.
Tinnitus may be aggravated with certain postures like lying or sitting down or on turning the head.
The movements cause pressure changes in the nerves and fluids within the inner ear leading to this aggravation.
Some may also find increased sensitivity to other sounds. For example, those with tinnitus find radio or television painfully loud even at normal volumes. This is called hyperacusis.
Prolonged sounds may cause sleep problems and lack of ability to concentrate.
They may lead to anxiety disorders and depression. If it persists for more than 2 years, it is considered permanent and irreversible. This type of tinnitus is difficult to treat.