Some Causes of Tinnitus
The causes of tinnitus varies. So do the sounds of tinnitus. Tinnitus is often attributed to damage to cochlea damage in the inner ear. The cochlea is the organ of hearing. It receives sound vibrations and transmits sounds to the brain. It is filled with a fluid which moves in response to vibrations of the tiny bone structures of the middle ear. The movement of the fluid causes the tiny hair cells in the fluid to vibrate and send electrical signals to the brain through auditory nerves. The brain interprets these signals as sounds.
The thousands of tiny hair cells are very delicate and can be damaged by external impact like a hard blow to the head or being exposed to prolong periods of loud noises like loud music. When the hair cells are damaged, hearing problems develop. An example of loud noise exposure is the drummer of a rock band who keeps banging on his drums.
Another cause of tinnitus is due to sinus problems. Some people develop tinnitus during a bout of flu. Virus from the sinus area somehow infects the ear and causes the Eustachian tube to malfunction. The Eustachian tube links the ear to the nose and helps to equalize air pressure in the middle ear. It also drains mucus from the middle ear. An infection can cause the Eustachian tube to become inflamed or swollen. A build up of trapped mucus can lead to damage in the middle ear mechanisms and hearing problems.
Eustachian tube dysfunction can cause a person to have the feeling of a blocked ear. This is due to the Eustachian tube being blocked and not being able to equalize the pressure between the inner and outer ear. Some people experience tinnitus with a blocked ear that affects their hearing. Tinnitus is bad enough and a sensation of a blocked ear (fullness in the ear) aggravates the mental suffering caused by tinnitus.
If you are suffering from tinnitus, you would be desperate to find a remedy to return your state of mind to the pre-tinnitus days. The sounds in the head caused by tinnitus rob you of your peace of mind, shattering the peace and quiet one had taken for granted.