Are you going mad with that tinnitus in your ears? Discover whether your tinnitus is inherited or what the cause might be.
Tinnitus, what exactly is it?
Tinnitus is the term describing a person’s perception of a ringing, droning, or buzzing in the ear with no external stimulus present to explain this experience. The direct translation of the term tinnitus is”ringing like a bell”.”
How will my everyday living be affected by tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be aggravating and can interrupt intimate connections. It’s not a disease in and of itself, but it’s a symptom of other conditions or circumstances in your life including hearing loss or injury. You might hear tinnitus in one ear or both ears and it can hinder your ability to focus.
Tinnitus is always troublesome regardless of how it’s manifesting. influence your sleep and even trigger anxiety and depression.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be long lasting or it can come and go. Sustained exposure to loud sound, like a rock concert, is normally the cause of short-term tinnitus. Tinnitus has been known to manifest with a few different medical conditions.
A few of the circumstances that could play host to tinnitus include:
- Infection of the inner ear
- Various medications
- Meniere’s Disease
- Anxiety or depression
- Injuries to the neck or head
- Sustained exposure to loud sound
- Hearing loss associated with aging
- Injuries that impact nerves of the ear
- Bruxism, more commonly referred to as teeth grinding caused by temporomandibular joint issues, or TMJ disorder
- Buildup of excessive earwax
- Acoustic neuroma where a benign tumor grows on the cranial nerve running from the brain to the inner ear
- The ear bone has changed
- Inner ear cell damage and irritation of the delicate hairs used to transport sound, causing arbitrary transmissions of sound to your brain
Is it possible that my parents may have passed down the ringing in my ears?
Generally, tinnitus isn’t an inherited condition. However, your genes can play a part in this symptom. For example, ear bone changes that can result in tinnitus can be inherited. Abnormal bone growth can cause these changes and can be passed down through genes. A few of the other conditions that can lead to ringing in the ear could be inherited from your parents, including:
- Certain diseases
- Being prone to inner ear infections or wax build-up
- Predisposition to anxiety or depression
The ringing in your ear isn’t directly inheritable, but you might have been genetically predisposed to the conditions that are breeding grounds for tinnitus.
If you have a history of tinnitus in your family, it’s truly in your best interest to schedule an appointment with us so we can evaluate your hearing.