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What Is The Cause And Treatment For Ringing In Ears?

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Posted on Tue, 7 Oct 2014
Question: I have had ringing in my ears for a couple of months now. In the past two weeks it has become more prevalent and I can't hear out of my left ear. I would say the hearing loss has decreased by 90%. My hearing is so bad, if I'm not looking at the person talking, I have no idea they are talking to me. I have now been told my speech is becoming abnormal as well. Of course, I didn't know that because I can't hear myself. I have been very dizzy and lightheaded, but my blood pressure is normally high (I take toprol for that) but now the BP has dropped in the 80's for the top number and 60's for the low number. I contributed my dizziness and being unstable to the BP. Any ideas?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
explained

Detailed Answer:
Hello and Welcome

I appreciate your concern.

The ringing in the ear is called tinnitus.
Tinnitus is a symptom that requires further investigation to determine origin. Often, the origin may be a sensorineural hearing loss. Certain types of tinnitus signify other problems. Unilateral or pulsatile tinnitus and tinnitus associated with vertigo or conductive hearing losses are examples. Tinnitus therapy is as multifaceted as the origins of tinnitus. . A combination of sound-based therapy with medical therapy of anxiety, depression, or insomnia does help.

The vertigo in addition to your elevated BP ( though now its quite low and the low BP may even be causing the dizziness) warrants a neurological exam to differ whether it is central or peripheral vertigo. If its central then an MRI or CT is indicated. If a central cause is ruled out then peripheral causes can be treated symptomatically

If peripheral, then the most common causes include

Menierre s Disease
BPPV ( Benign Positional Paroxysmal vertigo)
Labyrinthitis

Because of the vast array of potential diagnoses related to tinnitus, each patient requires a thorough history and physical evaluation. Such an evaluation requires attention to detail, including all medical problems and associated treatments and any pharmacologic therapy. Many patients are depressed or very anxious about the problem. Therefore, the use of various psychological evaluation techniques is required.

Because most cases of tinnitus are related to hearing loss, questions attempt to determine the presence, development, time course, and severity of any hearing loss. The presence of vertigo, otalgia, otorrhea, or temporomandibular joint disease can relate to tinnitus

Tinnitus is one of the side effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in nearly every case. However, as with aspirin, this effect seems to be dose related. Diuretics (eg, ethacrynic acid, furosemide) may also produce a dose-related tinnitus. This particular effect may be reversible with these drugs, but it may be permanent in others. Permanent hearing loss and accompanying tinnitus is frequently observed with ototoxic chemotherapeutic agents such as the various platinum compounds. The XXXXXXX Tinnitus Association (ATA) distributes an extensive list of medications associated with tinnitus. The exact cause of the tinnitus in these pharmacologic etiologies remains obscure

Each patient with the symptom of tinnitus deserves complete audiologic testing with pure-tone air, bone, and speech discrimination scores. Order or perform these tests even if (as is common) the patient is unaware of hearing loss. During the audiometric evaluation, the audiologist can complete the subjective tinnitus matching evaluation to gain better understanding of the patient's symptom. Such thoroughness is often reassuring to the patient because the physician is taking the condition seriously.

Both pitch and loudness matching should be assessed. However, the examiner should remember that 90% of patients with tinnitus match their tinnitus at 20 dB or less and 84% match their tinnitus at 9 dB or less; thus, the reported severity of the condition may seem to be out of proportion to the measurement. Minimum masking levels should also be obtained if treatment with ear level devices is being considered.




Let me know if you have any query

wishing you best of health

Thanks
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2012

Answered : 2906 Questions

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What Is The Cause And Treatment For Ringing In Ears?

Brief Answer: explained Detailed Answer: Hello and Welcome I appreciate your concern. The ringing in the ear is called tinnitus. Tinnitus is a symptom that requires further investigation to determine origin. Often, the origin may be a sensorineural hearing loss. Certain types of tinnitus signify other problems. Unilateral or pulsatile tinnitus and tinnitus associated with vertigo or conductive hearing losses are examples. Tinnitus therapy is as multifaceted as the origins of tinnitus. . A combination of sound-based therapy with medical therapy of anxiety, depression, or insomnia does help. The vertigo in addition to your elevated BP ( though now its quite low and the low BP may even be causing the dizziness) warrants a neurological exam to differ whether it is central or peripheral vertigo. If its central then an MRI or CT is indicated. If a central cause is ruled out then peripheral causes can be treated symptomatically If peripheral, then the most common causes include Menierre s Disease BPPV ( Benign Positional Paroxysmal vertigo) Labyrinthitis Because of the vast array of potential diagnoses related to tinnitus, each patient requires a thorough history and physical evaluation. Such an evaluation requires attention to detail, including all medical problems and associated treatments and any pharmacologic therapy. Many patients are depressed or very anxious about the problem. Therefore, the use of various psychological evaluation techniques is required. Because most cases of tinnitus are related to hearing loss, questions attempt to determine the presence, development, time course, and severity of any hearing loss. The presence of vertigo, otalgia, otorrhea, or temporomandibular joint disease can relate to tinnitus Tinnitus is one of the side effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in nearly every case. However, as with aspirin, this effect seems to be dose related. Diuretics (eg, ethacrynic acid, furosemide) may also produce a dose-related tinnitus. This particular effect may be reversible with these drugs, but it may be permanent in others. Permanent hearing loss and accompanying tinnitus is frequently observed with ototoxic chemotherapeutic agents such as the various platinum compounds. The XXXXXXX Tinnitus Association (ATA) distributes an extensive list of medications associated with tinnitus. The exact cause of the tinnitus in these pharmacologic etiologies remains obscure Each patient with the symptom of tinnitus deserves complete audiologic testing with pure-tone air, bone, and speech discrimination scores. Order or perform these tests even if (as is common) the patient is unaware of hearing loss. During the audiometric evaluation, the audiologist can complete the subjective tinnitus matching evaluation to gain better understanding of the patient's symptom. Such thoroughness is often reassuring to the patient because the physician is taking the condition seriously. Both pitch and loudness matching should be assessed. However, the examiner should remember that 90% of patients with tinnitus match their tinnitus at 20 dB or less and 84% match their tinnitus at 9 dB or less; thus, the reported severity of the condition may seem to be out of proportion to the measurement. Minimum masking levels should also be obtained if treatment with ear level devices is being considered. Let me know if you have any query wishing you best of health Thanks