How to Recognize the First Signs of Tinnitus

Are you worried that you might have tinnitus? Or have you never heard of tinnitus before and have absolutely no clue what we’re talking about? Either way, you need to know a little more about tinnitus so that you can watch out for the early warning signs. 

Tinnitus is a type of hearing loss that is most common in those over 60 but can happen at any age. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at how you can recognize the first signs of tinnitus. Keep reading if you would like to find out more.

First Signs

The first signs of tinnitus include a ringing, buzzing, thumping or any kind of constant noise that can be heard in one or both ears. Most commonly, tinnitus cannot be heard by audiologists, only you will be able to hear the ringing. It’s caused by damage to a part of your ear and causes you to hear noises that aren’t actually there. 

For example, have you ever been to a really loud concert, and when you left and it was quiet again your ears were ringing? Most people have experienced this once or twice, and it’s called temporary tinnitus. It goes away after a few minutes, but those who have tinnitus have to live like that for a long time.

Types of Tinnitus

There are two types of tinnitus: subjective and objective. Subjective is the most common type and means that it can only be heard by you. Objective tinnitus however can be heard by a doctor and can be caused by something like blood vessel damage in your ear.

It’s a common problem for people to experience, but it’s not always permanent when you first notice the signs. If you speak to an audiologist, they will be able to do an assessment, working out what kind of tinnitus you have and what stage it is at. Sometimes, there are measures that you can take to avoid it becoming permanent if it’s not already. Just make sure that you are listening and doing what needs to be done to avoid permanent hearing loss.

Other Symptoms

Other symptoms include some of the typical signs of hearing loss. For example, if you are asking people to repeat themselves multiple times because you can’t hear them properly, that is a sure-fire sign that something isn’t quite right. As well as this, if you have to turn things like the TV up to a high volume just to be able to hear what’s going on, this is also a sign of tinnitus.

The buzzing or ringing or thumping that you hear will be loudest when there is no competition for noise. As such, when it’s quiet around you, this is when this will be most noticeable, but if there’s background noise then it won’t be quite as loud.

There is a type of tinnitus that actually presents itself as musical hallucinations. It’s very rare and there have only been a few cases, but people have reported hearing music in their ears that isn’t there and not being able to make it stop. We all get songs stuck in our heads sometimes, but if it persists, then it could be a sign of tinnitus.

Get in Touch with an Audiologist

Tinnitus can be hard to live with, but it’s not worth getting stressed about until you know for sure. It’s for this reason that you should get in touch with your audiologists office and book yourself an appointment as soon as possible. 

The quicker you get in there, the quicker you can find out what is going on, and if it’s tinnitus what you can do to help it. While there is no cure to tinnitus, there are technologies that can help mask it to make it easier to cope. For example, hearing aids are available with masking technology, and people have had some great success with this.

Ask your audiologist if there is anything that they recommend you do to preserve your hearing health for as long as possible. It’s important that you take care of it so that you don’t end up experiencing tinnitus or hearing loss until as late as physically possible.

If you are interested in learning more about hearing health, or if you need some assistance with yours, then get in touch with Salyer Hearing Center. You can speak to us on one of these numbers, depending on your location. Call us at Sylva: 828-586-7474, Franklin: 828-524-5599 and Murphy: 828-835-1014. A friendly member of the team is ready and waiting to assist you.