Sunbeams streaming through a forest
When tinnitus is new, the patients I see often worry that something is medically serious and this is understandable with any newly emerging symptom.
Common worries include;
Is this a tumour?
Am I about to have a stroke?
Will I lose my hearing?
Is this sound permanent?
The good news is, for most people tinnitus isn’t a warning of something dangerous.
“Further along in this post, I mention situations where seeing your doctor is important, especially for people with new or changing symptoms. If in doubt you can contact the clinic via the contact page on this website. ”
Why tinnitus usually isn’t a sign of danger
Tinnitus is very common, and it often comes from ordinary changes in the auditory system including hearing loss, and is amplified by attention to it, or stress. The sound is real, but in the large majority of cases it is not a signal that something harmful is happening in your body. This is called primary tinnitus becuase it is not secondary to a disease (Tunkel et al., 2014).
Here are some other causes of tinnitus:
Exposure to loud noise over time such as in noisy occupations
Micro changes in the inner ear with aging
Some medications
Head or neck injury or trauma
Jaw joint disorders such as TMJ
Ear-wax build-up
Middle ear conditions such as; otosclerosis or Eustachian tube dysfunction.
Meniere’s disease
Vascular changes such as high blood pressure
When to check with your doctor
Most tinnitus is not a sign of anything dangerous, but if you experience any of the below, it’s worth a visit to your GP (Tunkel et al., 2014):
Tinnitus in one ear only
Tinnitus that pulses in time with your heartbeat
Tinnitus that comes on suddenly, or with hearing loss or dizziness
Any head injury or recent falls where tinnitus started after it
Tinnitus often settles over time, but it’s important to see your GP to rule out any medical causes, and visit your Audiologist for a tinnitus history and assessment.
What to expect when you see your GP
Your GP will ask about how the tinnitus started, whether it's in one ear or both, and whether you've noticed any changes in your hearing. They will look in your ears and check for anything treatable, and they can refer you for a hearing test or on to a specialist if needed.
Reference: Tunkel et al., 2014, AAO-HNS Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus.
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