Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a ringing in the ears. Sometimes tinnitus is nothing serious and will go away by itself. Some ringing is an indication of a more serious underlying condition such as infection, tumor, or trauma.

What Are The Treatments Of Tinnitus?

Tinnitus cannot be cured, but treatments can make it more bearable. The treatment depends on the underlying condition that is causing the ringing. Medication, suppression therapy, and masking techniques can all be used to help treat tinnitus. Tinnitus retaining therapy is a newer technique that is proven to be beneficial to many patients.

What Are The Causes Of Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is either pulsatile or nonpulsatile.

Pulsatile tinnitus is when a person hears the sound of their own pulse. This is caused by abnormal blood flow within the arteries of the neck or inside the ear, and is fairly rare. Possible causes include:

  • Fluid in the middle ear
  • Ear infection
  • High blood pressure
  • Head and neck tumors
  • Blocked arteries

Nonpulsatile tinnitus is ringing in the ears that does not have any rhythm. This type of tinnitus is a lot more common. It can be caused by:

  • Noise exposure (most common)
  • Presbycusis (age related hearing loss)
  • Impacted earwax
  • Meniere’s disease
  • TMJ disorders
  • Ototoxic medications
  • Thyroid conditions
  • Head or neck trauma
  • Acoustic neuromas

Gary Livingston has been designated an Inspire Excellence Surgeon. The award is given to recognize excellence in 3 areas of Inspire: Expertise, Patient Experience, and Clinical outcomes. Only 50 surgeons out of the current 1000 eligible Inspire surgeons have been designated Physicians of Excellence, and Dr. Livingston has been the fastest Inspire surgeon to receive this honor.

Dr. Livingston has also been named one of the Top Doctors® of 2023 by Castle Connolly.

Learn More