To understand causes for ringing ears and tinnitus, it's important to know a little bit about the ear itself. The main mechanism of hearing is the cochlea, located in the inner ear. The cochlea is lined with thousands of tiny auditory hair which maintain an electrical charge. Microscopic hairs form a fringe on the surface of each auditory cell, and these hairs, when stimulated by sound waves, send electrical signals to the brain that are then translated into sound. In the hearing impaired, these hair cells are damaged, bent or destroyed, causing partial or total hearing loss, and may also be one of the causes of ringing in the ears. As we age, we lose hair cells, which is why the elderly are often hard of hearing. Trauma to the cochlea from loud noises or accidents can also cause hair cell damage. The most frequent tinnitus causes and causes for ringing ears are related to hair cell damage.
Some other possible causes for ringing ears include the following :
- Age – related hearing loss (presbycusis) occurring usually around age 60 can cause ringing in the ears.
- Trauma-related damage to the inner ear (could result from excessive exposure to loud sound is a possible tinnitus cause.
- Long-term use of medications and Ototoxic drugs are causes of ringing in the ears. Many prescription and over the counter drugs may cause tinnitus and/or hearing loss that may be permanent or may disappear when the dosage is reduced or eliminated.
- Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) is a painful condition of the jaw joint, often caused by tension. There is a fairly common association between TMJ and tinnitus leading medical authorities to consider TMJ as one of the causes for ringing ears, however the exact mechanisms for this are not clearly understood.
- Otosclerosis (stiffening of the bones in the middle ear) is one of the possible causes of ringing in the ears.
- Trauma or injury to the head or neck can be a tinnitus cause.
- Buildup of excess wax in the ear can reduce your ability to hear outside noises, and has been known to cause ringing in the ears.
Ear infection – can be a tinnitus cause.
- Atherosclerosis – buildup of cholesterol and other fatty deposits causes the middle and inner ear to loose its elasticity and may lead to causes for ringing ears.
- High blood pressure and factors that increase the blood pressure such as stress, alcohol and caffeine may be causes of ringing in the ears.
- Noise exposure – repeated exposure to such loud noises as guns, artillery, aircraft, lawn mowers, movie theaters, amplified music, heavy construction, etc., can cause permanent hearing damage and are causes for ringing in the ears.
- Food – specific foods may cause tinnitus. Problem foods include red wine, grain-based spirits, cheese, and chocolate. Causes for ringing ears may also include foods rich in salicylates (the same ingredient as in aspirin, which also can cause tinnitus when taken in large amounts).
- Lyme disease –a parasitic, tick-borne disease, which is most commonly seen in eastern United States. In some cases, Lyme causes ringing in the ears.
- Growths/tumors – Acoustic neuromas, glomous tumors, otosclerosis may all cause tinnitus. Surgery may be recommended.
- Vascular abnormalities – Arteries may press too closely against the inner ear structures or nerves and can be a tinnitus cause.
- Dental procedures – Strain on the temporomandibular joint during any dental work has been one of the causes for ringing ears.
- Meniere's Disease is a serious disease of the inner ear, resulting in recurrent attacks of vertigo, hearing loss, and probable causes of ringing in the ears.
- Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is pain in the the muscles, tendons, and ligaments and definitely is one of the causes of ringing in the ears.
The above information thankfully comes from the tinnitusearringing.com at the following link.