Tinnitus is a question that many people wonder about. Tinnitus is a symptom in which we hear softer sounds and feel as if something is blocking the ear. While some people may hear ringing in their ears and experience ear pain as well. Tinnitus can be caused by many things, such as changes in air pressure, ear wax, water, or foreign objects in the ear, exposure to loud sounds, ear diseases, respiratory infections, and other causes.

Ears are the organs that receive sound. If the ear canal is blocked or damaged due to various causes, both from inside the ear and external factors, it may cause tinnitus in one or both ears. In addition to being annoying, severe tinnitus may cause ear pain, ringing in the ears  , or hearing loss, and may also affect balance.

What causes tinnitus?

Tinnitus: What Causes It? Let’s learn about 10 common causes of tinnitus in everyday life.

1. Sudden change in air pressure

Sudden changes in air pressure are a common cause, often occurring during sudden ascents to higher altitudes, such as during takeoff and landing, mountain climbing, and diving. 

Inside the ear, there is a tube that helps to equalize the pressure in the ear. If there is a difference between the air pressure outside and inside the ear, it will cause temporary tinnitus, earache, and  loss of hearing. Some people may also have headaches, dizziness  , nausea, and difficulty breathing.

2. Earwax blockage

Earwax helps trap dust or small foreign objects from entering the ear. Normally, earwax is soft and can fall out on its own. However, some people may have hard earwax, produce excessive earwax, or like to dig their ears  , which will push the earwax further inside to block it. This is the cause of tinnitus, hearing loss or ringing in the ears, ear pain, and dizziness.

3. There is a foreign object in the ear.

Foreign objects in the ear can cause tinnitus, such as water entering the ear while bathing or swimming, or insects  , small objects such as the tip of a cotton swab falling into the ear while cleaning the ear, or small toys falling into a child’s ear, which causes tinnitus, earache, and hearing loss. The child may cry and be fussy, and if left untreated, it can lead to an ear infection.

4. Upper respiratory tract infections

Diseases caused by upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds, flu  , sinusitis  , tonsillitis, and COVID-19, can cause tinnitus because they cause the Eustachian tubes that connect the middle ear to the nasal cavity to swell and narrow, leading to tinnitus.

Upper respiratory tract infections occur in both adults and children. In addition to tinnitus, other symptoms may include nasal congestion, runny nose  , sneezing, sore throat, and cough.

5. Air allergies

Allergic rhinitis is a reaction of the body to exposure to allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and mold. It causes nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, swelling, and itchy rashes on the face and body. You may also have tinnitus because exposure to allergens causes the Eustachian tubes to become inflamed and swollen, blocking the hearing of the ear.

6. Ear infections

Ear infections, either in the outer or middle ear, can also cause tinnitus.

• Otitis  Externa is often caused by fluid remaining in the ear after swimming or bathing, which allows bacteria and fungi to grow well, causing ear congestion, redness and itching in the ear  canal , pus draining from the ear canal, and fever.
• Otitis  Media is often caused by upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds, flu, or allergies. It occurs in both children and adults. It causes ear congestion, ear swelling, pus drainage, fever ,  and loss of balance. 

7. Hearing loss

In our ears, there are many hairs that receive sound and convert it into signals to send to the brain. Loud sounds  such as explosions, listening to loud music at concerts, or continuous exposure to loud sounds such as working in industrial plants with loud machinery, wearing earphones and listening to loud music for long periods of time can damage these hairs.

Another case is hearing loss found in the elderly, where hearing deteriorates with age. Hearing loss may occur suddenly  or gradually, starting with tinnitus, earache, deafness ,  and may lead to permanent hearing loss .

8. Head injuries

A head or neck injury, such as a car crash that causes a strong impact, can cause impact and damage to the nerves that carry sound signals to the brain, resulting in tinnitus, ringing in the ears, earaches, headaches, and bleeding.

9. Use medicine

The use of certain medications, such as NSAIDs, diuretics  , antibiotics  , antidepressants, and some cancer drugs, can cause hearing side effects, such as tinnitus and ringing in the ears.

10. Formation of a mass in the middle ear (Cholesteatoma)

A middle ear lump is a condition in which skin cells become trapped and grow behind the eardrum and can enter the middle ear. It can be caused by http://ufabet999.app a malfunctioning Eustachian tube, a buildup of dead skin cells in the ear, or a congenital abnormality.

At first, it may feel like something is stuck in the ear, ringing in the ear, decreased hearing, and pus draining from the ear. As the mass in the ear grows larger, it may also cause loss of balance . Middle ear masses do not become cancerous  , but they may increase the risk of middle ear infections.

Once you know what causes tinnitus, tinnitus usually gets better on its own within a short period of time. You may use basic remedies  such as opening your mouth wide and yawning, chewing gum  , or pinching your nose and breathing out. People who have tinnitus from respiratory diseases and allergies should get enough rest, drink enough water, avoid contact with allergens, and take medication to relieve symptoms.