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?
A ringing, buzzing, or droning in the ears with no outside cause of the sound is a condition called tinnitus. The word tinnitus translates to “ringing like a bell.”
How will tinnitus impact my everyday living?
Tinnitus can be annoying and can disrupt intimate interactions. It’s not a disease in and of itself, but it’s a symptom of other ailments or circumstances in your life such as hearing loss or injury. Your concentration can be seriously disrupted when you start to hear tinnitus in one or both ears.
Regardless of the way in which you’re experiencing tinnitus, it’s always bothersome. Tinnitus can affect your sleep and even trigger anxiety and depression.
What are the causes of tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be enduring or it can come and go. Short term types of tinnitus are normally brought on by extended exposure to loud sounds, such as a rock concert. Tinnitus has been documented to co-occur with a few different medical issues.
A few of the circumstances that might play host to tinnitus include:
- A benign tumor, called acoustic neuroma, forms on cranial nerve
- Age-related hearing loss
- Infection of the inner ear
- Injuries to the neck or head
- Bruxism, more commonly referred to as teeth grinding, stemming from temporomandibular joint issues, or TMJ disorder
- Meniere’s Disease
- Inner ear cell damage and irritation of the delicate hairs used to transport sound, causing arbitrary transmissions of sound to your brain
- Buildup of excessive earwax
- Changes in the composition of the ear bone
- Anxiety or depression
- Injuries that affect nerves of the ear
- Numerous medications
- Exposure to loud sound for sustained time periods
Is it possible that my parents could have passed down the ringing in my ears?
In general, tinnitus isn’t a hereditary condition. However, your genetics can play a role in this symptom. For example, ear bone changes that can result in tinnitus can be inherited. Abnormal bone growth can cause these changes and can be handed down through family genes. Here are some other conditions you could have inherited that can cause tinnitus:
- Being predisposed to depression or anxiety
- Being prone to inner ear infections or wax build-up
- Certain diseases
You can’t directly inherit tinnitus, but there are conditions that become breeding grounds for tinnitus which you may have inherited.
If you have a history of tinnitus in your family, it’s truly in your best interest to schedule an appointment with us so we can assess your hearing.