Tinnitus or tinnitus: symptoms, causes and treatment

An annoying symptom that generates ringing in the ears that does not come from the outside.

Sight, smell, hearing... our senses have been designed by evolution as ways to know more and better everything that surrounds us.

However, sometimes complications can arise that cause some components of our senses to turn against us, causing us discomfort instead of informing us about what is happening around us. The phenomenon known as tinnitus is an example of this..

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a disturbance in our perception that causes us to hear a ringing or buzzing sound (although it can be described in many ways). (although it can be described in many alternative ways) that is not produced by something happening outside our body. This intrusive sound may be more or less constant or come in waves or "beats", and may be noticed in one ear, in both ears or as coming from inside the head.

Tinnitus may occur transiently after being subjected to an intense sound that has damaged cells in the auditory system, but in other cases it becomes chronic, occurring for several minutes at least twice a week. Tinnitus can have a very variable intensity and frequency of occurrence, and in many cases it becomes so intense that it is difficult to hear what is actually happening outside the body. For this reason, it is not surprising that tinnitus, despite being just a symptom, can lead to anxiety or depressive disorders, as well as reducing the ability to concentrate.

Types of tinnitus

There are two main types of tinnitus: objective and subjective.

Objective tinnitus

This kind of tinnitus can be heard not only by the person experiencing it, but also by specialists using the appropriate scanning instruments. using the appropriate examination instruments. It is produced by vascular alterations or Muscle spasms that cause some parts of the inner ear to move abnormally.

Subjective tinnitus

This is the most common type of tinnitus and can only be heard by the person experiencing it first hand.. Although it is considered to be the most common form of tinnitus, its diagnosis is more complicated than in the case of objective tinnitus.

Causes of tinnitus

It is believed that subjective tinnitus may be caused by a variety of disturbances, many of which are related to blockage of the hair cells of the cochlear cochlear spiral organ, which are the ones that transform the sound waves in the cochlea.These are the cells that transform air vibrations into nerve signals that travel through the neurons.

When these cells, similar to microscopic hairs, remain in abnormal "contact", they send a pattern of electrical signals in the direction of the brain that is intrusive and does not vary with external changes. Thus, the signal coming from the auditory system becomes constant and chronic. For this reason, the treatment of chronic tinnitus is focused on mitigating the indirect problems resulting from experiencing this intrusive sound.

Treatment of the symptom through psychotherapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most common approaches to mitigating the harmful and disabling effects of chronic tinnitus. Through this form of therapy, patients are trained to learn to harness the influence of certain actions and thoughts on the way tinnitus is experienced.

In this way, patients learn not to become obsessed with questions about the possible negative evolution of tinnitus, channel their attention away from the influence of this symptom, stop giving importance to unpleasant and unfounded beliefs and work on their self-esteem.They channel their attention away from the influence of this symptom, stop giving importance to unpleasant and unfounded beliefs and work on their self-esteem. In case the tinnitus sound has been associated with a negative idea, we also work to undo that connection between ideas or beliefs.

The idea is to stop the tinnitus from being a disabling stressor.

In the same way, psychologists can also help the person adopt habits so that the intrusive sound does not become the focus of their attention.. Some of the options used are meditation and the use of environmental sounds that mask the constant tone or beat of the tinnitus.

What to do if you experience tinnitus?

The first thing to do is to go directly to your family doctor.The patient will arrange for hearing tests to be carried out and, if necessary, can help to initiate psychotherapeutic treatment with a specialist.

Throughout this period, if tinnitus causes sleep problems, the use of recorded environmental sounds (rain or crackling of a campfire, for example) may help to mask the intrusive sound and help to fall asleep.