Reports state that one out of five people are affected by tinnitus. After getting a fundamental understanding about what is tinnitus and its types, it is better to understand its causes. Doctors state that an underlying condition generally leads to tinnitus and so it is better to understand its causes.
Common Causes of Tinnitus
Tinnitus occurs due to any of the following causes:
- Hearing loss due to age. With age, hearing capabilities reduce in many people and generally it starts around 60 years. This can lead to tinnitus in some individuals.
- Exposure to loud noise. This cause is denoted as a noise-related hearing loss that happens due to continuous exposure to loud noises. When this condition arises because of short-term exposure like taking part in a loud concert generally will go away.
- Blockage caused by earwax. In the human ears, the earwax protects the ear canal by trapping dirt and by restricting bacteria growth. When there is a higher accumulation of ear wax, it becomes too hard to wash away on its own, thereby leading to irritation of eardrum and hearing loss, thereby leading to tinnitus.
- Changes in ear bones. When the bone in the middle ear stiffens, it can affect the hearing capabilities thereby leading to tinnitus.
Other Causes
The other causes include acoustic neuroma, neck or head injuries, TMJ disorders and Meniere’s disease can also lead to tinnitus.