Tinnitus is a common auditory condition affecting millions worldwide — including around 25 million Americans. Despite what you may think, tinnitus isn’t a medical condition but a symptom of an underlying condition. 

Living with tinnitus can be incredibly frustrating and disruptive. For many, the constant noise can lead to significant negative impacts on daily life, including depression, trouble concentrating, sleep disturbances, stress, fatigue, and memory challenges. These effects can compound, creating a cycle of stress and discomfort that can be challenging to break. Understanding the conditions that cause tinnitus and what your treatment options are can help you manage symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Read on to learn more about managing tinnitus and where to find the best tinnitus treatment options available in Santa Monica. 

What are the Symptoms of Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is characterized by the perception of sound when no external noise is present. The symptoms of tinnitus can vary among individuals, but common experiences include:

  • Persistent or intermittent ringing sound in one or both ears
  • Buzzing noise that may change in intensity and frequency
  • Hissing sound similar to the noise of escaping steam
  • Roaring noise that sometimes resemble the sound of ocean waves
  • Rhythmic clicking sounds that may be more pronounced when moving the head or neck
  • A whooshing noise that may coincide with the heartbeat — often referred to as pulsatile tinnitus

The severity and type of sound can differ from person to person, and the noise may be constant or come and go. Additionally, tinnitus can be accompanied by other symptoms such as:

  • Hearing loss
  • Ear pain
  • Ear discomfort, such as feeling a sense of fullness or pressure in the ears
  • Balance issues such as dizziness, vertigo, or a spinning sensation

What are the Common Causes of Tinnitus 

Tinnitus can arise from various underlying causes, and understanding these can help manage and treat the symptoms effectively. Some of the most common causes include:

  • Hearing Loss: Age-related hearing loss, also called presbycusis, and noise-induced hearing loss are both common causes of tinnitus. Damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear can lead to the perception of ringing or buzzing sounds.
  • Exposure to Loud Noise: Prolonged exposure to loud noises, such as those from heavy machinery, concerts, or headphones, can damage the inner ear and result in tinnitus.
  • Ear Infections and Blockages: Ear infections, excessive earwax, or foreign objects in the ear can cause tinnitus by blocking normal sound transmission.
  • Head or Neck Injuries: Trauma to the head or neck can impact the auditory nerves, inner ear structures, or brain function related to hearing, potentially causing tinnitus.
  • Medications: Certain medications, including some antibiotics, diuretics, antidepressants, and chemotherapy drugs, can have tinnitus as a side effect. This is often referred to as ototoxicity.
  • Circulatory Problems: Conditions that affect blood flow, such as high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, or turbulent blood flow, can lead to pulsatile tinnitus, where the sound beats in time with the pulse.
  • Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders: Problems with the TMJ, the joint connecting the jaw to the skull, can cause tinnitus due to its proximity to the ear structures.
  • Meniere's Disease: This inner ear disorder can cause episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus because of abnormal fluid pressure in the inner ear.
  • Acoustic Neuroma: A benign cranial nerve tumor leading from the brain to the inner ear can cause tinnitus, hearing loss, and balance issues.
  • Chronic Health Conditions: Conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, and autoimmune diseases can contribute to the development of tinnitus.

How Can I Prevent Tinnitus?

Preventing tinnitus involves adopting a proactive approach to protect your hearing and overall ear health. 

One of the most effective strategies is minimizing exposure to loud noises by using ear protection in noisy environments, such as earplugs or noise-canceling headphones. Loud environments that require hearing protection include: 

  • Concerts
  • Construction sites
  • When using loud machinery, like a lawnmower

It is also important to maintain a moderate volume when listening to music through headphones. You should also get regular hearing check-ups, which can help detect signs of hearing loss or ear conditions that might lead to tinnitus. 

Treatments for Tinnitus

While there is no definitive cure for tinnitus, there are treatments that help manage the underlying cause of tinnitus and how much tinnitus impacts your life. Some effective strategies include:

  • Hearing aids that amplify external sounds can make tinnitus less noticeable, especially for those with hearing loss.
  • Sound therapy uses external noise like white noise machines or background music to mask tinnitus.
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help you change the perception of tinnitus and develop coping strategies.
  • Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) combines sound therapy with counseling to habituate the brain to tinnitus sounds.
  • Alternative or supplemental therapies like acupuncture, hypnosis, and nutritional supplements may offer relief for some, though scientific evidence is limited.

The most successful strategy in addressing root causes is treating hearing loss, ear infections, or jaw disorders like TMJ. 

Where to Find the Best Audiologist in Santa Monica for Tinnitus

Finding the root cause of tinnitus is done with simple testing, like non-invasive hearing tests. Going to an audiologist specializing in tinnitus causes and treatments is the best way to relieve your symptoms and get back to enjoying life. 

Living with tinnitus is challenging, especially if it is loud enough to interrupt your sleep or is accompanied by hearing loss. Getting your hearing tested by caring, compassionate audiologists can relieve your symptoms and help you treat the underlying condition that is causing your symptoms. 

At Arcade Hearing Aid Center, our team of audiologists are experts in tinnitus-causing conditions and cutting-edge treatments. Using a patient-first approach, we offer the most advanced therapies for hearing loss, tinnitus, and more. 

Ready to get long-lasting relief from tinnitus symptoms in Santa Monica?