Definition:
Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the human ear even without any corresponding external sound(s).
Diagnosis:
The doctor may examine the ears to see if an accumulation of earwax may be causing or contributing to the ringing in the ears.
Treatment:
If the ringing in the ears is due to age-related hearing loss or damage to the ears by exposure to excessive noise, no treatment can reduce the noise.
Symptoms and Signs:
Tinnitus involves the annoying sensation of hearing sounds in the ear when no external sound is present. Signs and symptoms may include noise in the ear, such as ringing, buzzing, roaring, whistling or hissing; and hearing loss.
Causes:
Tinnitus can have many different causes, but most commonly stems from otologic disorders – the same conditions that cause hearing loss. The most common cause is noise-induced hearing loss, due to exposure to excessive or loud noises. But tinnitus, together with sudden onset hearing loss, may have no obvious external cause. Ototoxic drugs can cause tinnitus either secondary to hearing loss or without hearing loss, and may raise the damage done by exposure to loud noise, even at doses that are not in themselves ototoxic
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