Tinnitus is a symptom characterized by hearing noises such as ringing, buzzing, or roaring in the ears when no external sound is present. It affects around 1 in 5 people and can be caused by age-related hearing loss, ear injury, circulatory system disorders, exposure to loud noises, earwax buildup, changes in the ear bones, and certain health conditions. Treatment focuses on identifying and addressing any underlying causes that may be associated with tinnitus symptoms, and may include procedures like earwax removal or medication changes. Common risk factors include a history of loud noise exposure without hearing protection, being over age 65, having age-related hearing loss, being male, or having PTSD.

1. TINNITUS
BY: CRYSTAL PACHECO

2. What Is Tinnitus
0 Tinnitus is noise or ringing in the ears.
0 tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people.
0 Tinnitus isn't a condition itself — it's a symptom such
as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory
system disorder.

3. Symptoms
Tinnitus involves the annoying sensation of hearing
sound when no external sound is present. Tinnitus
symptoms include these types of phantom noises in
your ears:
0 Ringing
0 Buzzing
0 Roaring
0 Clicking
0 Whistling
0 Hissing

4. Causes
0 A number of health conditions can cause or worsen tinnitus. In
many cases, an exact cause is never found
0 A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear cell damage.
Tiny, delicate hairs in your inner ear move in relation to the
pressure of sound waves. This triggers ear cells to release an
electrical signal through a nerve from your ear (auditory nerve)
to your brain. Your brain interprets these signals as sound.
Common causes of tinnitus
In many people, tinnitus is caused by one of these conditions:
0 Age-related hearing loss.
0 Exposure to loud noise.
0 Earwax blockage..
0 Ear bone changes.

5. Treatment
To treat your tinnitus, your doctor will first try to
identify any underlying, treatable condition that may be
associated with your symptoms. If tinnitus is due to a
health condition, your doctor may be able to take steps
that could reduce the noise. Examples include:
0 Earwax removal.
0 Treating a blood vessel condition.
0 Changing your medication.

6. ALWAYS CLEAN YOUR
EARS

7. Risk Factors
Anyone can get tinnitus, but you might be at increased risk
if:
0 You've been exposed to loud noise without ear
protection, especially on an ongoing basis.
0 You're over age 65.
0 You have age-related hearing loss.
0 You're a man.
0 You're Caucasian.
0 You have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Tinnitus is
especially aggravated by loud noises in people with PTSD