Cause of Tinnitus
The tinnitus sound is initially a warning signal. It may indicate that we are overwhelmed or, like pain, it can signal that something is wrong in the body. Tinnitus can be a symptom of many diseases. It may indicate damage to the inner ear, for example, caused by a blast trauma or sudden hearing loss, in which case it is referred to as tinnitus aurium.
Alternatively, tinnitus may point to another health issue, such as a pinched nerve or a metabolic problem. In this case, it is called tinnitus cranii.
Current knowledge about the cause of tinnitus (etiopathogenesis) suggests that, whether symptomatic or idiopathic, it is often based on a primary pathophysiological process in the ear.
However, tinnitus can also arise as a symptom of many diseases and does not necessarily have to be related to the ears themselves.
Several possible triggers are considered, such as:
- Noise-induced hearing loss
- Acoustic trauma (acute or chronic)
- Sudden hearing loss
- Cochlear hydrops
- Meniere's disease
- Vestibular aqueduct dehiscence
- Vestibular neuritis
- Diving accidents (decompression sickness, barotrauma)
- Ototoxic substances
- Acoustic neuroma (a benign tumor on the auditory nerve)
- Craniomandibular dysfunction
- Organic or psychological disorders
Vascular-related causes (e.g., dissection of the internal carotid artery, glomus tumor) - Cervical spine issues
- And many more
As long as the cause is active and triggering the tinnitus, it is referred to as acute tinnitus. During this phase, the sound and volume of the tinnitus often change. It is said that the tinnitus is still "working."
In the case of chronic tinnitus, the original cause no longer influences the tinnitus. Typically, the sound of the tinnitus remains constant, with only the volume varying. In chronic tinnitus, either the cause has become chronic or the tinnitus perception itself has become persistent.
