What Are the Most Common Causes of Tinnitus?

In today's modern world constant noise has become a part of our daily routine. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see someone wearing an iPod or a Bluetooth headset. People love to crank up the stereos in their cars or watch movies that have soundtracks loud enough to vibrate their seat. Many people are also exposed to loud noises from machinery where they work. It is no wonder the largest majority of tinnitus sufferers get their tinnitus from noise induced hearing loss. I am not kidding when I say that 90% of tinnitus sufferers have some level of hearing loss.

There are a many other causes for tinnitus. Here is just a partial list.

o Certain diseases like fibromyalgia, hyperthyroidism and even Lyme disease have been found to produce tinnitus as a symptom of those conditions. Many times by just treating the condition a person's tinnitus symptoms can completely disappear.

o Sinus and ear infections have also been known to produce tinnitus symptoms. Usually as your infection gets better so does your tinnitus.

o TMJ also known as temporary mandibular jaw disorder is a misalignment of your jaws joints and/or muscles and it can also produce tinnitus symptoms. When this occurs it is important to seek out a qualified dentist that can help you to correct the problem.

o Wax buildup in your ears can also cause tinnitus symptoms. If you are one of the lucky people whose ears produce a lot of earwax. It is important not to clean with a cotton swab it is best to see a ear nose and throat doctor to remove the wax safely for you.

o Head or neck trauma can also cause tinnitus to rear its ugly head. It is important after a head or neck injury to let your doctor know if you are hearing any tinnitus noises.

In the United States alone, approximately 50 million Americans have tinnitus at varying levels or degrees. About 12 million of those have tinnitus bad enough to seek out a physician for help. Out of that 50 million people about 2 million have a debilitating tinnitus that makes it difficult for them to function from day-to-day.

Even though tinnitus can be frightening and frustrating there are methods and treatments available to help you with this condition. Some of the best treatments available use what is known as CBT -Cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy helps you teach your brain to ignore the sound you are hearing because it is not important. Other therapies include masking techniques, tinnitus retraining therapy, and changes to your diet and lifestyle. There are also medical and drug treatments available but they have not been shown to work as well as some of the natural treatments available today.