Tinnitus is a very common occurrence. Almost everyone was faced with the fact that after a concert or a disco, the hearing level drops slightly, and a thin squeak and ringing is heard in the head. After a while, everything passes. But in what situations is it necessary to consult a doctor, which should be alarming? Let's talk about this in detail.
If the ear rings a little, but after a few hours pass, then there is nothing scary. This is a sign that there has been a slight vasospasm associated with a change in pressure in the body.
But if tinnitus occurs constantly, or noise is heard only in one ear, then it is necessary to examine the vessels of the head and neck.
If ringing in the ears or a squeak in the head occurs suddenly and painfully, the hearing has fallen sharply, then you need to seek help within the next 24 hours. This is a sign of acute neuritis of the auditory nerve, and possibly an ear infarction, in which the hearing can disappear altogether.
In this case, the doctor will prescribe therapy to restore patency of the blood vessels that feed the hearing organs and brain areas. If help is provided on time, then the hearing can be restored. But a delay in treatment even for several weeks dramatically reduces this possibility.
Worst of all, when ringing in the ears grows imperceptibly, over several years. Hearing impairment gradually decreases, and very often a person cannot even remember exactly when and because of what this process began. Then experts talk about the development of sensorineural hearing loss of varying severity, in which it is almost impossible to restore hearing and completely eliminate ringing. Doctors can only prescribe supportive therapy, which "preserves" the level of hearing at the current level. Therefore, you can not pull. The sooner you notice a constant ringing in your ears and consult a doctor, the higher your hearing level can be maintained.
Systematic ringing in the ears is called tinnitus. His patients characterize him in different ways: hum, whistle, squeak, and tinnitus. Due to the inability to at least briefly hear complete silence, irritability, insomnia, defocusing of attention, depression up to suicidal thoughts arise. But over time, the brain gets used to the constant noise background, and the person ceases to react so sharply to tinnitus.
Why does a person hear a noise that doesn't exist
Nerve cells of the inner ear with the help of hairs turn sound vibrations into electrical signals, which then enter the brain. In a healthy state, the hairs of these cells move in full accordance with the sound wave. But with any violations, the hairs begin to move randomly, forming a mixture of electrical signals that the brain perceives as constant noise of different frequencies.
Objective causes of tinnitus
The cause of tinnitus is a variety of diseases and disorders of the body. The task of the examination will identify the specific cause of tinnitus and provide adequate treatment. As a rule, after this, the patient's condition improves.
- Accumulation of earwax.
It is eliminated by the otolaryngologist, after which tinnitus can go away completely.
- Age-related hearing loss.
Most often begins after 60 years. The doctor prescribes maintenance therapy for the vessels of the brain.
- Noise damage to the organs of hearing.
It occurs if a person for a long time overloads his hearing. This includes not only working in noisy production, but also the frequent use of headphones for listening to loud music.
- Long-term use of certain types of drugs.
It is known that some antibiotics (for example, gentamicin), as well as aspirin are ototoxic, that is, they provoke hearing loss and various subjective tinnitus.
- Cardiovascular problems.
Their symptom is pulsating tinnitus.
- Atherosclerosis.
Cholesterol plaques that form as a result of this disease make the vessels inelastic. Blood supply to the hearing organs drops.
- Turbulent blood flow in the vessels
Narrowing the jugular veins or carotid arteries leads to similar blood flow and tinnitus.
- Osteochondrosis.
The thin blood vessels that feed the hearing organs and the necessary parts of the brain can be pinched due to displacement of the discs and cervical osteochondrosis.
- Injuries and inflammations of the inner ear.
These phenomena can also cause fluid congestion, hearing loss and tinnitus.
The treatment is prescribed comprehensive, while always referred for a consultation with a neurologist. Electrical stimulation, drugs to improve blood supply to the brain and hearing aid, reduce blood viscosity, normalize metabolism - this is the most commonly prescribed therapy. Treatment is rarely single. As a rule, a set of procedures must be repeated twice a year throughout life.