Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of a matching external sound. In a totally silent environment, almost everyone will feel a slight “normal tinnitus,” but it is only of worry if it is annoying, interferes with normal hearing, or is associated with other disorders. While it is often characterized as ringing, it may also be described as clicking, buzzing, hissing, or roaring. The sound might be mild or loud, low or high pitched, and it often seems to come from one or both ears or the head itself. The sound may interfere with focus in some individuals, and it has been linked to anxiety and sadness in others. Tinnitus is often accompanied with some degree of hearing loss and impaired speech understanding in loud surroundings. It is prevalent, affecting 10–15 percent of the population. Most individuals, however, tolerate it well, and it is only a severe issue for around 1–2 percent of the population. Tinnitus is derived from the Latin tinnire, which meaning “to ring.”
Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease, that may be caused by a variety of underlying reasons and can occur at any level of the auditory system and structures outside that system. Hearing impairment, noise-induced hearing loss, and age-related hearing loss, known as presbycusis, are the most prevalent causes. Other causes include ear infections, heart or blood vessel disease, Ménière’s disease, brain tumors, acoustic neuromas (tumors on the auditory nerves of the ear), migraines, temporomandibular joint disorders, medication exposure, a previous head injury, earwax, and tinnitus can appear suddenly during a period of emotional stress.
Tinnitus is often the first indicator of hearing loss in the elderly. It may also be an adverse effect of some drugs. More than 200 medicines have been linked to tinnitus when started or stopped.