What are the Different Types of Tinnitus?

November 25, 2022

483 1 minute read

tinnitus management — Woman with closed eyes is plugging her ears with fingers when suffering from tinnitus. Red bells as symbol of unbearable ringing in ears. Concept of diseases of hearing organs or neurology problems

Tinnitus is not serious, but an irritating condition where you keep hearing constant ringing or buzzing sounds in one or both of your ears. It can be caused by exposure to extremely loud sounds, jaw joint dysfunction, excessive ear wax build-up, neck muscle strain, or due to the use of certain medicines.

Different types of tinnitus

Neurological tinnitus:

This type of tinnitus is triggered by certain neurological disorders such as Meniere’s disease, where the auditory functions of the brain is damaged, causing sudden ringing in the ears.

Subjective tinnitus:

This is one of the most common types of tinnitus, mostly caused by massive exposure to loud sounds. Here, the symptoms of tinnitus such as the buzzing sound can only be heard by the person suffering. Subjective tinnitus can be temporary or last for more than a year in severe cases.

Somatic tinnitus:

This type of tinnitus is caused due to a problem in the sensory system of the patient and can worsen if the underlying condition is not treated.

Objective tinnitus:

This type of Tinnitus is extremely rare and is caused due to sudden muscle contractions. Here, the symptoms, such as the ringing in both ears can also be heard by another person. However, once the cause of this tinnitus is treated, the symptoms go away on their own. Although not very common in kids or adults, this is the only kind of tinnitus that has a permanent cure.

If you have been diagnosed with tinnitus after a hearing test, you should seek the help of an audiologist. While a permanent cure for tinnitus may not be available in all cases, sometimes, tinnitus could be because of ear wax. In such cases, tinnitus treatment would include ear wax removal by an audiologist. You may search for ear wax removal near me on Google to find a reliable audiologist. Your audiologist will recommend several methods like hearing aids, masking devices, and more to reduce tinnitus symptoms.

If you are hearing unwanted sounds in your ears distracting you from daily chores and hampering sleep, seek the help of an audiologist for timely intervention