Tinnitus Specialist

Experiencing an occasional ringing in your ears is normal, but when it doesn’t improve or go away, you have a condition known as tinnitus.

Tinnitus symptoms include hissing, roaring, buzzing, or clicking noises in your ears that aren’t coming from your surroundings. These sounds can come and go, or remain constant, and they can keep time with your heartbeat or breathing. You might also experience dizziness.

Tinnitus is more common in men than women and often occurs after age 40.

There are two main types of tinnitus, pulsatile and nonpulsatile.

Pulsatile tinnitus

Sounds are created in the ear by muscle movements near the ear, changes in the ear canal, or blood flow problems in the neck. You might also hear your own pulse or the contractions of your muscles.

Nonpulsatile tinnitus

This type of tinnitus is the result of nerve problems involved in your hearing. Often described as hearing sounds coming from inside your head, you may hear such sounds in one or both ears.

The most common cause of tinnitus is hearing loss due to age. Nerve cells in the inner ear may begin declining as early as age 30, but hearing loss usually isn’t noticed until after age 55. Acoustic trauma from living or working around loud noises can also lead to hearing loss.

Additional causes of tinnitus include:

• Earwax buildup
• Certain medications
• Dental or mouth problems
• Blood flow (vascular) problems
• Ear infections or eardrum ruptures
• Severe weight loss from malnutrition
• Neurological disorders like migraines
• Rapid changes in barometric pressure
• Traumatic injuries like whiplash or blows to the ear or head

Certain conditions like anemia, otosclerosis, acoustic neuroma, and thyroid diseases can also cause ringing in the ears.

The specific sounds you’re hearing, and your examination, can help Dr. Lano and his staff provides treatment strategies. In addition to examining your ears, head, and neck, they might recommend imaging tests like CT scans or MRIs. Hill Country Ear, Nose & Throat also provides comprehensive audiology services to evaluate your hearing.

When a physical problem like earwax buildup, vascular issues, or medications causes tinnitus, Dr. Lano and his team resolve those issues to treat your condition.

If there’s no obvious cause, Dr. Lano might recommend sound suppression therapies like white noise machines for your environment, or devices you wear such as hearing aids. If you also have hearing loss, hearing aids might effectively treat your tinnitus.

Call or schedule an appointment online today to learn more about tinnitus treatments at Hill Country ENT.