Constantly a sound in your head that does not come from outside, but which is, as it were, in one or both ears. How do you get it? And more importantly:what can you do about it?
With tinnitus, the official term is tinnitus, you hear a sound in the form of ringing, whistling or buzzing. That sound can be loud or soft, sharp or muffled, sometimes only heard when there is dead silence in your environment, but it can also transcend any ambient noise. The sound can be in the middle of your head or in a specific place in your ear. In short:tinnitus sounds different for everyone.
There are various causes, such as damaged hearing cells in the inner ear. This can be caused by too loud noises or a prolonged ear infection. As a result, the cells send sound stimuli to the brain, when in reality there is no sound at all. Other causes include overactive brain cells, damaged ossicles and narrowed blood vessels (with high blood pressure). With the latter, you can hear the blood flow through your head or past your ear to the beat of the heartbeat. Colds, ear infections, a blocked ear and medicines can also cause tinnitus. In these cases, the buzzing is almost always temporary. Finally, stress can also cause or worsen tinnitus. Always visit your doctor to find out the actual cause.
Unfortunately, there are no drugs or surgeries that cure chronic tinnitus. Most treatments for tinnitus focus on the psychological aspect, so that you are less bothered by it. For example, by deliberately exposing yourself to the sound and thereby becoming less sensitive to it. This actually reduces the sound. It can also help to find distractions or turn on music. Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss. A hearing aid can help to hear the sounds from the environment better, drowning them out than the hissing.
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Image:Gettyimages, text:Mara Ruijter
