Tinnitus Symptoms
Tinnitus symptoms can be persistent and disruptive. Understanding them is the first step towards finding long-term relief.
Suffering from Tinnitus Symptoms?
The symptoms of tinnitus can be incredibly frustrating, often manifesting as ringing or phantom sounds in one or both ears. If you’re living with chronic tinnitus, help is available.
Tinnitus symptoms can be eased with the help of physiotherapy. Approximately 5% of tinnitus cases are related to jaw dysfunctions, which our jaw physiotherapists can provide effective treatment for.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the perception of ringing, buzzing or other sounds in the ears or head, without an external source. It’s often described as a constant or intermittent noise, varying in pitch and intensity.
While tinnitus is not a disease, it can be a symptom of an underlying condition, such as hearing loss, ear infections or prolonged exposure to loud noises. Some people may also experience dizziness or ear fullness alongside tinnitus.
The condition can severely affect your daily life, which can lead to frustration and difficulty concentrating or sleeping.
If you’re experiencing tinnitus, it’s important to consult a trained specialist to determine the cause and explore treatment options that can help manage symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Common Tinnitus Symptoms
Tinnitus symptoms can vary from person to person, but the most common signs include:
- Ringing, buzzing or hissing sounds in the ears
- Secondary headaches are a symptom of an underlying issue such as stress, trauma, joint problems, hormonal changes and more.
- Sounds that seem louder in quiet environments
- Sensitivity to certain sounds
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Headaches or dizziness
If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to consult a qualified professional to determine the cause and find an effective treatment.
What Causes Tinnitus?
Unfortunately, there are many ways in which someone can develop tinnitus. These include:
- Exposure to Loud Noise: One of the most common causes of tinnitus, exposure to loud noises can damage the tiny hairs in the inner ear, leading to hearing issues and tinnitus.
- Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis): As people age, their hearing ability naturally declines. This can often lead to tinnitus.
- Ear Infections or Blockages: Any kind of infection or blockage in the ear can cause temporary tinnitus. Once the blockage is cleared, the tinnitus usually resolves itself.
- Otosclerosis: A condition where the bones in the middle ear become stiff, which can lead to hearing loss and sometimes tinnitus.
- Head or Neck Injuries: Trauma to the head or neck can affect the auditory system, leading to tinnitus. This might also occur after a concussion or whiplash injury.
- Blood Vessel Problems: Conditions that affect blood flow, like high blood pressure, atherosclerosis or vascular malformations, can cause pulsatile tinnitus, where the sound is in sync with your heartbeat.
- Ménière’s Disease: This inner ear disorder is associated with vertigo (dizziness), hearing loss and tinnitus. It is caused by fluid build-up in the inner ear.
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders: Problems with the jaw joint, which is located near the ear, can sometimes lead to tinnitus.
Types of Tinnitus
There are two distinct types of tinnitus, which can vary in terms of causes and the ways they are experienced. These are:
Subjective tinnitus
This is the most common type, where the sound can only be heard by the person with the condition. It might occur as a ringing, buzzing or hissing sound and can be caused by various factors, such as exposure to loud noises, ear infections or age-related hearing loss.
Objective tinnitus
This is rarer and refers to tinnitus that can be heard by both the person affected and a doctor during an examination. It is usually caused by a physical issue, like blood vessel problems, muscle contractions or problems with the bones in the ear.
Tinnitus can also be classified by its duration and how it affects a person:
Acute tinnitus
This lasts for a short period and may occur after a loud noise or trauma event.
Chronic tinnitus
This lasts for six months or more and can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life.
Book Your Treatment Today
If you’re suffering from any type of tinnitus, know that treatment is available. At the Headache, Neck and Jaw Clinic, our treatments include manual therapies, joint mobilisation, postural training and exercises to relieve your symptoms.
Our physiotherapists are available to answer any questions you may have about our treatment options, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
For jaw-related tinnitus, treatment typically involves physiotherapy to release tension in the jaw muscle. This eases the mechanical strain on the ear, which can help reduce or eliminate the ringing noise associated with tinnitus.
Our treatment programs usually consist of six sessions over 8 weeks and include exercises, joint mobilisation, postural training and manual therapy to alleviate tension. This process takes time, but it is highly effective in treating tinnitus.
Yes, physiotherapy can help improve tinnitus symptoms, particularly when there are underlying musculoskeletal issues contributing to the condition. Here are a few ways physiotherapy may help:
- Neck and Jaw Therapy: For people whose tinnitus is linked to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders or neck problems, physiotherapists can use techniques like joint mobilisation and postural training to reduce muscle tension and improve alignment.
- Improving Blood Flow: Certain physiotherapy techniques, such as manual therapy or massage, can help improve circulation, which might alleviate tinnitus symptoms related to poor blood flow or vascular issues.
- Postural Training: Poor posture, particularly involving the head, neck or upper back, can sometimes contribute to tinnitus. Postural exercises may help reduce tension in these areas.
- Exercise Therapy: Exercises aimed at improving muscle strength and flexibility can help reduce tension in the neck, jaw and upper back, areas that can sometimes exacerbate tinnitus.
While tinnitus can’t always be fully prevented, there are several steps you can take to reduce your risk and protect your ears from potential triggers:
Protect Your Ears from Loud Noises: Wearing ear protection, like earplugs or earmuffs, in noisy environments can significantly reduce the risk of tinnitus.
Lower the Volume on Headphones: Keeping the volume of your headphones or earphones to at a moderate level and using noise-cancelling headphones can help prevent hearing damage.
Avoid Prolonged Exposure to Loud Environments: If your job or hobbies put you in loud environments, take regular breaks from the noise and wear proper ear protection.
Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure: Keep your blood pressure in check through regular exercise, a balanced diet and avoiding excessive alcohol or tobacco.
Ear Hygiene: Avoid inserting objects like cotton swabs into your ears, as this can push wax further in or damage the delicate structures in the ear.
The early signs of tinnitus often include hearing a ringing or hissing sound in the ears, which may come and go or become more noticeable in quiet environments. These sounds can gradually become more persistent over time. Some people may also experience muffled hearing, sensitivity to sounds or a feeling of pressure in the ears. As tinnitus progresses, it can interfere with your sleep and concentration, leading to stress and fatigue.
Tinnitus is the perception of phantom sounds in the ears with no external source, while hearing loss refers to a reduced ability to hear sounds. Tinnitus can occur with or without hearing loss and may result from ear damage, stress or medical conditions. Hearing loss, on the other hand, affects sound clarity and volume, often making speech harder to understand
For tinnitus that’s related to jaw dysfunction, we generally book 6 appointments over the first 8 weeks. You may see an improvement in your symptoms earlier.
The total number of treatments depends on the severity of your jaw dysfunction. Talk to our physiotherapists to find out more—we can assess your jaw and provide an estimate of how many treatments you’ll need.
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