Are you going crazy with that tinnitus in your ears? Find out what causes tinnitus and whether you might have inherited it.
Tinnitus, what exactly is it?
Tinnitus is the term referring to a person’s perception of a ringing, droning, or buzzing in the ear with no external stimulus present to explain this sensation. The word tinnitus translates to “ringing like a bell.”
How will tinnitus affect my everyday living?
Tinnitus can disrupt personal connections in many aggravating ways. It isn’t a disease in and of itself, but it’s a symptom of other conditions or conditions in your life such as hearing loss or injury. Your concentration can be seriously disrupted when you begin to hear tinnitus in one or both ears.
Regardless of how you’re experiencing tinnitus, it’s always disruptive. Tinnitus can affect your sleep and even trigger anxiety and depression.
What are the causes of tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be long lasting or it can come and go. Temporary varieties of tinnitus are normally brought on by prolonged exposure to loud noises, like a rock concert. There are a few medical issues that tend to go hand-in-hand with tinnitus.
A few of the conditions that could play host to tinnitus include:
- Exposure to loud sound for sustained time periods
- Infection of the inner ear
- Acoustic neuroma where a benign tumor forms on the cranial nerve going from the inner ear to the brain
- The ear bone has undergone changes
- Meniere’s Disease
- Teeth grinding (bruxism) related to a TMJ disorder
- Age-related hearing impairment
- Depression or anxiety
- Trauma to the neck or head
- Different medications
- Inner ear cell damage and irritation of the sensitive hairs used to transport sound, causing random transmissions of sound to your brain
- Buildup of excessive earwax
- Injuries that affect nerves of the ear
Is it possible that my parents may have passed down the ringing in my ears?
Generally, tinnitus isn’t a hereditary condition. However, your genes can play a role in this symptom. You can, as an example, inherit a tendency for your ear bone to change. Abnormal bone growth can trigger these changes and can be passed down through genetics. Here are a few other conditions you could have inherited that can cause tinnitus:
- Predisposition to anxiety or depression
- Specific diseases
- Being prone to inner ear infections or wax build-up
The ringing in your ear is not directly inheritable, but you may have been genetically predisposed to the disorders that are breeding grounds for tinnitus.
If you have a history of tinnitus in your family, it’s truly in your best interest to make an appointment with us so we can evaluate your hearing.
