Are you going crazy with that tinnitus in your ears? Find out what causes tinnitus and whether you may have inherited it.
What is tinnitus?
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 experience. The direct translation of the term tinnitus is”ringing like a bell”.”
How will my daily living be impacted by tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be aggravating and can disrupt intimate connections. It isn’t a disease in and of itself, but it’s a symptom of other conditions or conditions in your life including hearing loss or injury. Your concentration can be significantly interrupted when you begin to hear tinnitus in one or both ears.
Tinnitus is always troublesome regardless of how it’s manifesting. influence your sleep and even cause anxiety and depression.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be persistent or temporary. Short term types of tinnitus are typically triggered by extended exposure to loud sounds, such as a rock concert. Tinnitus has been documented to manifest with a few different medical issues.
A few of the circumstances that may play host to tinnitus include:
- Infection of the inner ear
- Bruxism, generally known as teeth grinding stemming from temporomandibular joint problems, or TMJ disorder
- Different medications
- Extended exposure to loud sound
- Depression or anxiety
- Trauma to the neck or head
- Meniere’s Disease
- Injuries that impact nerves of the ear
- Buildup of excessive earwax
- Age-related hearing loss
- The ear bone has undergone changes
- A benign tumor, called acoustic neuroma, forms on cranial nerve
- Inner ear cell damage and irritation of the sensitive hairs used to conduct sound, causing arbitrary transmissions of sound to your brain
Could I have inherited this ringing in my ears from my parents?
Tinnitus isn’t directly inherited. However, your genetics can play a part in this symptom. For instance, ear bone changes that can lead to tinnitus can be passed down. Abnormal bone growth can trigger these changes and can be handed down through family genes. Some of the other conditions that can result in ringing in the ear might be passed down from your parents, including:
- Predisposition to anxiety or depression
- Certain diseases
- Being prone to inner ear infections or wax build-up
You can’t directly inherit tinnitus, but there are conditions that become breeding grounds for tinnitus which you might have inherited.
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.
