Ringing one ear, or unilateral tinnitus is also identified with other names such as tinnitus in one ear or buzzing in one ear. There is also the bilateral ringing in ears which means that the buzzing sound is heard in both ears. In unilateral ringing in the ear, the victim hears the disturbing noise only on one ear – usually the left ear. The distressing sound or noise is usually hissing, buzzing, roaring or ticking in nature.
Both ringing in one ear and bilateral tinnitus are subjective in nature, and normally, only the patient hears the distressing sound. If a second person must hear the sound, a medical gadget such as stethoscope is used. This is usually the case when the physician is trying to diagnose and identify cases of tinnitus in the affected person. But in the pulsating type of tinnitus, a nearby person hears the noise also; however, this is rarely occurring.
Why Does Ringing in One Ear Occur?
Ringing one ear, as well as other type of tinnitus could be caused by either serious or mild factors. For instance, impacted ear wax can result to tinnitus as simple as it may seem. This is why a lot of people are usually checked first for impacted ear wax when they complain of being affected by ringing in the ear. In a condition of impacted ear wax, it is best to see a medical practitioner for its removal. Acute ear infections could also result to tinnitus, alongside with the medication being administered to the infection. A typical example of such medications is antibiotics. The reason is that such drugs, which also include anti-depressants, anti-malarial, ibuprofen and others, may likely be ototoxic.
Also, the condition can rise from an unusually low level of serotonin activity. A lot of medications numbering over two hundred and sixty have been reported to cause ear ringing as a result of their side effects. But in several cases, there is no identifiable underlying physical cause of the condition. Ear ringing could also result from side-effects of certain oral medications like aspirin. However, the most common cause of tinnitus is otologic disorders.
It has also been said that serious head injuries resulting from accidents can also lead to ringing one ear or general tinnitus. This has been confirmed from certain patients who were able to trace their tinnitus condition to a head injury; as they noted that the condition commenced shortly after the accident. There are other factors associated with tinnitus such as stress, high consumption of alcohol and/or caffeine, salty diet nicotine (these factors are generally known to make the condition more severe).
Usually, patients respond differently to different treatment options. However, the first thing to do when you have ringing in the ear is to visit a physician for proper diagnosis. On the other hand, there are alternative treatments to tinnitus such as the use of herbs, or embarking on acupuncture treatment.
Discuss with your physician to work out the best treatment option for your tinnitus.
Source by Joanna Sue