Roughly 200 Different Health Disorders Can Cause Tinnitus as a Symptom

[1000]

Roughly 200 different health disorders can cause tinnitus as a symptom. That's according to the American Tinnitus Association (ATA).

Some of the causes include:

• Age-related hearing loss
• Noise-induced hearing loss
• Obstruction in the middle ear, like earwax or dirt
• Head and neck trauma
• Temperomandibular joint disorder (known as TMJ)
• Nasal congestion from cold or flu
• Barometric trauma from diving or snorkeling
• Traumatic brain injury
• Certain medications and diuretics
• Medical conditions, including high blood pressure, anemia, stress, anxiety, fibromyalgia and others.

 

[Markku]

And when we surveyed 5,017 tinnitus patients, these were the percentages for primary causes:

28.70% - Don't know the cause
13.73% - Noise-induced hearing loss (continued noise exposure, occupational noise)
9.59% - Acoustic trauma (explosion, exposure to gunfire or extremely loud, sudden noise)
8.33% - Other (please specify)
7.65% - Virus (ear infection, flu, cold)
6.42% - Spontaneous onset (no apparent cause)
4.84% - Psychological (stress, anxiety, depression)
4.56% - Ototoxic (from drugs or medication)
2.87% - Age-related hearing loss
2.79% - Head or neck injury
2.39% - Sudden hearing loss
2.31% - Meniere's
1.47% - TMJ (issues with the jaw)
1.00% - Ear wax procedure (syringing, candling or other related procedure)
0.68% - Dental treatment
0.66% - Barotrauma (due to change in barometric or water pressure)
0.62% - Ear wax build up
0.60% - Otosclerosis
0.40% - Allergy
0.38% - Metabolic (diabetes, thyroid, B12, hyperlipidaemia etc.)

 

[Contrast]

Most of these can be summed up as "hearing loss", and I'd like to know of cases where ear wax/blockage caused permanent tinnitus without pre-existing hearing loss or other known factors. Due to cochlear implants, hearing aids and acoustic nerve stimulation, and steroids helping tinnitus I have better reasons to believe reversing the original damage.

 

[Red]

Most of these can be summed up as "hearing loss", and I'd like to know of cases where ear wax/blockage caused permanent tinnitus without pre-existing hearing loss or other known factors. Due to cochlear implants, hearing aids and acoustic nerve stimulation, and steroids helping tinnitus I have better reasons to believe reversing the original damage.

Right. I've had ear wax blockages all my life and several times had tinnitus from earwax impactions that immediately went away after getting them cleaned at the doctor.