Are you going crazy with that tinnitus in your ears? Find out what causes tinnitus and whether you may have inherited it.
Tinnitus, what exactly is it?
A ringing, buzzing, or droning in the ears with no outside cause of the noise is a condition known as tinnitus. The word tinnitus translates to “ringing like a bell.”
How will my everyday living be impacted by tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be annoying and can disrupt intimate connections. It’s not a disease in and of itself, but it’s a symptom of other conditions or circumstances in your life including hearing loss or damage. You might hear tinnitus in one ear or both ears and it can impede your ability to focus.
Regardless of the way in which you’re experiencing tinnitus, it is always bothersome. impact your sleep and even cause anxiety and depression.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be long lasting or it can come and go. Temporary types of tinnitus are usually caused by extended exposure to loud sounds, such as a rock concert. There are a number of medical issues that tend to go hand-in-hand with tinnitus.
Here are a few situations that typically go along with tinnitus:
- Numerous medications
- Head or neck injuries
- Changes in the structure of the ear bone
- Teeth grinding (bruxism) triggered by a TMJ disorder
- Inner ear infections
- Depression or anxiety
- Exposure to loud noise for extended time periods
- Meniere’s Disease
- Age-related hearing impairment
- A benign tumor, called acoustic neuroma, grows on cranial nerve
- Inner ear cell damage and irritation of the fragile hairs used to transport sound, causing arbitrary transmissions of sound to your brain
- Excessive earwax build-up
- Injuries that impact nerves of the ear
Is it possible that my parents may have passed down the ringing in my ears?
In general, tinnitus isn’t a hereditary condition. But the symptoms can be affected by your genetics. You can, as an example, inherit a tendency for your ear bone to change. Abnormal bone growth can cause these changes and can be handed down through genetics. Here are some other conditions you could have inherited that can cause tinnitus:
- Being prone to inner ear infections or wax build-up
- Being predisposed to depression or anxiety
- Certain diseases
The ringing in your ear is not directly inheritable, but you may have been genetically predisposed to the conditions that are breeding grounds for tinnitus.
If you have a history of tinnitus in your family, it’s really in your best interest to make an appointment with us so we can evaluate your hearing.