What Causes Tinnitus — Conference Attendees' Responses

I asked my neurologist who was going to a conference to ask others what causes tinnitus. He did and the answer was:

• viral infections - bacterial infections - immune system problems
• certain disease
• toxins - including certain drugs
• injury
• bad posture

I asked what about noise?
He said acoustic trauma needs to have relation to anything mentioned above or anything else that can or be associated with hearing loss. He said noise has to be very loud to cause tinnitus on it's own.

I said what !!!

 

I kinda agree with what he has said. My initial bout with tinnitus, came from a very bad infection that I had as a youngster. The heavy metal concert, cemented in the beast for sure....

Then again, we are all different and our body chemistry is very different. Not everything, shall affect us in the same way. Overall I think his/her answer is respectable.

 

I think noise causes the injury.

I was told that the excessively loud and long duration exposure to noise caused the permanent injury to my middle ear.

So I think his answer is accurate. Somethings have to cause those 5 things to occur. Among other things, noise can cause a physiological injury.

 

I have never been exposed to loud noises, used headphones (sporadically), always worn ear protection with chain saws and other loud equipment, but I still developed tinnitus.

I have zero idea what caused mine, but I suspect at least related to neck muscle, postural, and stress. I first got it during a period of night stress in life. It seemed like a trigger that went off and my body just cant turn it off again.

 

I think the Dr's answer was good until he qualified it with the always acoustic trauma bit.

One of my earliest tinnitus videos was "The Most Common Cause of Tinnitus." I described what likely happens after auditory nerve pathways stop signaling the brain (deafferentation). I now believe muscle trigger points are likely the most common cause. I summarize it all like this:

Tinnitus has a set of predisposing factors, called the unhealthy brain lifestyle, and 2 main causes, muscle trigger points irritating the auditory pathways and brain mal-adaptation as a result of partial loss of hearing.

A "healthy brain lifestyle" involves what you Eat, Drink, Breathe, and how you Think, Sleep, and Move; resolving trigger points involves proper care of the muscles of the head, neck, and jaw; and resolving the brain's auditory mal-adaptation involves reactivating the deafferentated auditory central nervous system cell bodies through direct means (ex. TMS or DBS) or indirect means that expand into the deafferentated areas (ex. ADT, ACRN, notched music).​

I don't think that is the whole story, but it's all I've got at the moment, and seems to explain almost all the causes and solutions that I am aware of at this point.

 

For hearing loss the leading hypothesis is that higher brain functions change in response to hearing loss, in some people this entires a conscious perception which is perceived as tinnitus, no one knows exactly what the brain is trying to do.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4760846/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25386157
Higher brain functions compensate for hearing loss



Here's a fun example

Moving on to TMD and cervical issues

Source: BTA
https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/tinnitus-and-tmj

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5536427/
Tinnitus modulation with neck and jaw

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2614620/
Susan Shore discusses the Trigeminal nerve's connection

"theres another paper by her I can't find" that was important


other useful links about TMD
http://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/471.pdf
https://www.medcentertmj.com/tmj-disorder-causes-treatments/tmj-and-the-trigeminal-nerve/

Cervical tinnitus
https://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/hearing/tinnitus/cervical tinnitus.html

I do not know if TMD related and Cervical tinnitus share something in common

Also head trauma, concussions or an annyuerism can cause tinnitus by directly damaging the hearing parts of the brain. There may be other unknowns that lead to tinnitus or several of these aspects at play we don't know.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3366980/
Roland Schaette did an experiment that showed tinnitus could be induced through ear plugs.

Similar to a 1953 study
http://www.tinnitus.org/HB_Nov00.pdf

It's can even be triggered by simulated hearing loss and goes away once input is restored

Meaning if the hearing loss is cured the tinnitus should go away

 

@Contrast - I like it when someone does research. Nicely done.

There are six different beliefs from studies on how the brain connect, the parts of the brain and trigger points where all are backed with testing methods. Not only for tinnitus, but depression and other neuro diseases. The study that I support is from a Cambridge Massachusetts company that has over $500 million in support. Some of their study information is from Japan where I talked about over a year ago.

Yes, posted information on this many times. Injury to the neck will lead to TMJ 95% of the time. TMJ can also cause a sore neck. Physical tinnitus intertwine and can follow multiple pathways with the mouth, neck and facial.

ASD symptoms can be mistakenly diagnosed as due to jaw dysfunction. Jaw point dysfunction can potentially lead to TMD. TTTS is a major cause of referred ear pain in and around the ear. Aural symptoms of this is about 40% with TMD. TTTS is considered a primary trigger with tinnitus, hyperacusis and ASD in comparison to secondary TTTS for those with TMD. Severe ASD can lead to TMJ. Persistent ASD symptoms tend to be aural pain and blockage and hyperacusis. Trigger point therapy around the neck and shoulders will help TTTS.

 

That's some great input. The more we know about what causes tinnitus the better.

I have been focusing my efforts, especially the last year, on what has caused and what will most likely RESOLVE a PARTICULAR person's tinnitus.

 

I have tinnitus with no hearing loss, it started after a birthday party at a night club when I was 15 and never went away till this day (i'm 22 now) and still have no hearing loss.

I did have tinnitus before, a few times, but it always went away.

 

I think that tinnitus can be a setup from prior preset respiratory conditions such as a prior cold or flu. This is like having some bad people come to town never knowing what they'll do next and they never leave.

There are all kinds of variables from a respiratory condition. A cold or flu (infection) can weaken the immune system that can cause ear fullness where the structures of the ear are placed under pressure causing a sensitive auditory nerve. Then when medications are taken the ear structures are weaken more. The immune system becomes confused. Other conditions can develop or eventually effect ANY physiological condition that relates to getting tinnitus. These conditions from A to Z may include nerve, muscle and joint alertness and sensitivity. Somatic weakness may be as high as 80% with tinnitus and some think 100% if past history is considered. That loud noise exposure now comes into play. I read in a medical book that a stupid past cold - a prior infectious respiratory condition is something that all with tinnitus experienced.

 

If I have to be honest, I had 3/5 of those a maximum of 2 years prior to 5 months minimum prior to tinnitus.

 

NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT TINNITUS, WERE IN THE TOTAL DARK MAN! BUY TRT!

pay no attention to studies of animal models with hyperactivity in the DCN after acoustic trauma indicating physical evidence of tinnitus from 2002. Just parrot the nobody knows narrative because it's trendy.

http://www.jneurosci.org/content/22/6/2383.long

 

From one medical book: It is said that a virus or infection can cause hidden hearing loss. With that the immune system can place toxins in any part of the body. One example for some to eventually get tinnitus: If toxins travel to say neck muscles then they can come back and slap the ears again after loud noise. So it may be long lasting toxins within a stressful system that is one cause of hearing loss - weaken ear cells associated with tinnitus. Then the brain that has neutrons, chemicals and a lot of other stuff is the deciding factor. There is also a discussion on how electrical currents can cause or cure tinnitus depending on a nerve or muscle.

Other medical books say that facet joints, deep vertical fibers, occipital nerves, certain neck muscles, joints or facial nerves has relation to either hidden hearing loss or hearing loss that shows up on an audiogram. Then at times it's mentioned that stress - hypertension along with weaken cells or damaged nerves/joints/muscles can cause hearing loss tinnitus.

There isn't just one cause, but most causes do ear damage and the brain is boss.
I know that I have moderate to severe hearing loss with a down slope, but I was able to ready tone down my T for four days a couple of weeks ago. I worked hard on posture and stretching the occipital nerves which loosen other neck muscles. Then I believe that I placed my neck in a bad position. So how much does my hearing loss play into my tinnitus? My brain won't tell me.

 

anything that deprives the DCN of input

that explains why ear wax, conductive hearing loss and sensori-neural hearing loss all cause tinnitus.

 

I think this simple basic article has good wording.

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-tinnitus-basics#1

 

I've been reading about neurotoxins associated to tinnitus. Ten years ago before I got tinnitus I thought that tinnitus was caused by toxins, a virus or loud noise. I found a few articles that say that tinnitus is caused by toxins.

One article said that 80% of with tinnitus had a flu, cold or infection within two years of receiving tinnitus. Tinnitus can be caused by autoimmune disorders, viruses, viral infections, bacteria, bacterial infections, environmental chemical pollution and toxins. One said that if you were at a loud concert then blame a weaken immune system that caused your ears to fail. People with a weak immune system tend to start developing early hearing loss and it will accumulate. Toxins can cause stress and stress can cause toxin to accumulate in your muscles and joints and weaken cells and nerves. What is interesting is the association between neurotoxin activity, a weak immune system and tinnitus.

http://mthfrliving.com/health-tips/health-issues-get-tested-viruses-bacteria-toxins-cell-stressors/

 

Tinnitus is primary caused by any part of the human body breaking down. Factors in which any part of the body may break down with the exception to very loud noise usually relates to life style, improper care or influence from genes.

Infection including from smoking can cause deterioration to anything within the body and often one area of decay will influence other multiple areas. Injury with breakdown of nerves, veins, arteries, muscles, joints, soft tissue and glands often has life style influence. Dehydration also plays a part in the breakdown of the body. Healthy people with good habits don't need vitamins. Drugs are more sensitive to our ears when body functions are not normal. Infection weakens the body including hearing. When the body isn't in good shape, improper posture and hypertension plays a role. Hearing loss is a part of all of this, but infection which may be hidden can travel to any or many areas that can cause tinnitus or bring tinnitus to a more medical stage.

 

Everyone gets the common cold @Greg Sacramento

You make a point about the immune system being weaker, but lets face it the number one risk for tinnitus will always be loud noise.

Tinnitus is usually caused by very loud noise. Which kills synapses, hair cells and spiral ganglion cells in the cochlea. The brain compensates for lost hearing using the central gain mechanism.

No need to pretend tinnitus is a immune system problem, a blood pressure problem a deficiency problem, a diet problem or some other problem with a internal organ. It's centric to the cochlea and auditory system having a deficiency, and that deficiency is loud noise causing hearing damage.

Yes of course these issues may play a small role, but the bigger picture is always how one treats their ears.

New comers love to speculate about tinnitus being caused by toxins, blood pressure, and diet when they have a history of loud concerts. I find that speculation hilariously misguided.

 

Yes, we are on the same page with that as I mentioned above, but those with physical tinnitus may have other system weaknesses that also may or for the most part not associate to the ears - hearing and hair cells. This is caused from or could be later complicated by a system infection and/or trauma. Physical study papers relate thousands of causes of systemic tinnitus, but lifestyle, genetics, improper care and/or physical trauma that may involve infection is often involved.

For example with crestal alveolar bone loss often there's salvia gland problems. Mouth problems associate to tinnitus and that is often due to infection and or trauma.

The thyroid, the neck, the mouth, the jaw, salvia, sinus, ear plan, headaches, GERD and so many other things can interact from traveling infection and/or trauma.

I have given links to almost all associations of physical tinnitus. This is an article on the mouth.

https://www.buoyhealth.com/symptoms-a-z/pain-roof-mouth/

PT is often caused from hypertension of neck with artery influence or/and hypertension that may relate to intracranial hypertension and that also could include the thyroid and mouth.

 

I think that it's wrong for any of us to conclude that tinnitus is just caused from noise. I think that 70% from loud noise may be close to accurate.

I agree that hearing loss to whatever degree is present in most and maybe all with tinnitus, but hearing loss is not totally responsible with somatic/physical high pitched tinnitus. There are different pathways besides the DCN and actually what is truly known about that is incomplete for humans. There's only one test for indication and it can't be used because of an extreme amount of dye that needed.

Many with severe physical tinnitus may not be able to post due to their physical conditions so they don't take part in polls. ENTs and health care givers don't have accurate data because often they stamp unknown. Some with physical tinnitus may develop hearing problems later. Some with noise exposure tinnitus may develop physical tinnitus later and I think the reasons why are most concerning. It's said up to 65% with severe tinnitus of any type are not in complete health. 12.5 percent, mostly younger are able to resolve physical tinnitus and 25% more are able to partly resolve it, but is this data anywhere close to accurate?

We don't know if some from noise exposure also have physical problems that weakened the ears to began with. We don't know if loud noise exposure tinnitus improves for some because of a physical aspect, ear related or not.

There's thousands of physical problems where they can cause physical tinnitus where some can weaken the ears, so then any noise exposure does not help. Infection, trauma and condition travel to other places can happen including the ears. Maybe some after getting loud induced tinnitus don't take care of themselves. Some with physical tinnitus have certain positives within extreme blood testing for conditions and disease. Some have higher than normal white blood counts. Some may develop GERD, dental problems and posture problems which could lead and directly associate to development of other problems. GERD, mouth problems, sinus problems, neck and thyroid problem all can travel to the other, but there's thousands of possible interactions. Any problem can cause GERD and GERD can cause any other problem.

One major hospital that I know of, has started a systemic analysis data system to all seen patients with tinnitus and all sorts of physical histories have surfaced, but it felt that dentists must give input to draw conclusions. There's just too many oral conditions that may play into tinnitus and dentists would need to do any of hundreds of tests to find truth case. Dentist don't usually order blood work. On top of that most dentists don't understand all the associations of tinnitus to the ears and pathways to the brain, even as oral researchers have concluded all the very involved and complicated reasons.

 

I'm not sure what caused my tinnitus but I know what makes it much worse - EMR (electromagnetic radiation) or EF (electric fields). I have proven this over and over. For example if I forget to move away from the microwave oven when it is on it increases very quickly to a high level. At first I didn't accept that it was the real cause but time after time it has been proven to me. If I am very careful during a day I can keep it at bay (low level) but once it kicks in it can lasts hours (loud).

I'm in Australia and would be happy to take part in any studies that may come up investigating EMR / EF induced tinnitus.

 

Studies show that this is possible, but a question would be if you had radiation therapy or several CT exams over the last few years. Also the thyroid can play into what you describe and that could have association to multiple CTs. Do you have extra mouth saliva or GERD?

 

I did have a CT head scan a few years ago related to dizziness (that turned out to be from a herbal supplement my naturopath gave me - I have IBD). Yes I have had GERD also but not that I have noticed recently and I am not on any drugs for it. My Dr recently did a thyroid blood test and that was normal.

I also got bad tinnitus a few years ago after taking sulfasalazine for my IBD. I stopped taking it once my condition settled and it went away (1 -2 level) for a long time, until recently.

And I also use to play in bands as a guitarist and got exposed to loud music so that is a real possibility as a reason for the tinnitus. I still play but at much lower levels all through a computer now. That doesn't aggravate it.

However there is no doubt in my mind that EMR or EF is a trigger that takes it from 1-2 level to 5-7 level. I can cite multiple repeatable examples. In fact I am currently sleeping on my lounge room floor on a mattress as I can't sleep in my room. I believe the reason for that is a recently exposed cell phone tower just 100 meters away from the window in the room. This high level tinnitus all started when that tower was exposed. It takes just a few minutes in the room and my tinnitus spikes and I also get a prickly feeling on my scalp if I stay there. I thought I was going crazy at first. A hair dryer also makes it spike, as mentioned the microwave oven and when I drive along a specific road with big high voltage power lines it sets it off. Even if I forget and don't expect it, it takes me by surprise and I think ... of course the high voltage power lines. So I avoid that road now. Crazy stuff.

I even went away to an EMR / EF free environment and my tinnitus was gone (1-2 level) ... when I returned it came back. I think I will repeat that experiment again soon.

 

I think that science is hiding causes of harm from multiple CT exams. Many conditions are known to be caused from radiation. Some are neuro, cancer, thyroid problems, sinus problems/allergies, nerve weakness, artery weakness, muscle problems, gum weakness, thick salvia, facial nerve trauma, auditory nerve trauma and optic nerve. Gum weakness can lead to more tooth decay and other oral problems. Many with tinnitus may have some of these problems before having multiple exams with radiation and then CT exam could make any of these conditions worse.

 

@Greg Sacramento, how do you stretch your occipital muscles?

 

Hi, since you have 2 injured vertebrae in your cervical spine, it would depend on X-Ray noting to determine if stretching your occipital nerves would be advised. With vertebrae injury and any scalp tenderness, and/or head static, you may find the following helpful:

- Warm moist compresses for a few minutes, two or three times a day are helpful, more so within the occipital areas.

- First use of Magnesium Glycinate a few times a day to help loosen neck muscles before using the moist compress. Try no more than 400 mg within 24 hours - 200 mg twice a day or a divide a 400 mg tablet into 4 pieces - four times a day.

- Correct posture - don't bend over to pick something up off the floor - bend at knees. Certain exercises and heavy lifting can be negative.

- If you find after lying down that you notice and hear neck wining with some disorientation, then it may be associated to the occipital complex. This is often cause from the neck becoming tired after a long day. So Magnesium and warm compressing may also help with this. Sleep as you wish, not on stomach, but try for a few minutes to rest with head slightly tilted to one side. Sleeping with head firming straight on pillow may briefly spike tinnitus with occipital complex distress.

We can talk about this link and other cervical spine concerns or anything else if you wish.

Somatosensory-Auditory Processing of the Fifth Cervical Nerve in Tinnitus | Abstract (tinnitusjournal.com)

 

Contrast nails it in this thread. The literature cited is the best there is on the subject.

Tinnitus is virtually always caused by some disruption to auditory inputs to the brain, and then the brain maladapts to that disruption by becoming hypersensitive in the DCN and auditory cortex.

What is the real mystery to me is why the brain cannot or does not self-correct the maladaption. We hear so much about neuroplasticity, but this phenomenon does not naturally correct tinnitus. Given the negative impacts of tinnitus on human functioning and survival, you would think that evolutionary pressures would have resulted in self-correcting brain mechanisms.

 

@DRobi

With all the miraculous workings of the human body including its ability to heal itself I have often wondered exactly the same thing. Makes me doubt that the brain produces all that terrible noise as a result of hearing loss. Pretty major design flaw for the most incredible machine on Earth.

 

@Greg Sacramento, thank you for the information, you really are knowledgeable in this area. I wonder what they did for treatment in the journal for the C5, they mention infiltrating, with what?

I injured my C4-C5 in 2017. Could it get worse as I age? I herniated the disc and I have spinal cord compression. I worry about it a lot, and wonder if I should be seeking treatment to widen the spinal canal and if that would decrease my tinnitus.

 

Hi @Sonic17, thinking it was C4-C5 with tinnitus. Tinnitus - probable cause from C5 nerve root. More evident if you have slight shoulder pain and weakness in the deltoid muscle at the top upper arm when lying on that side.

Herniated disc and spinal cord compression: Talk to your doctors about physical therapy for this and for any burning pain - sciatica travel to legs can be treated with physical therapy.

Physical therapy will also help with any pain - doctor approved. Gentle use of warm or cool - not hot or cold on C4-C5 area may help.

Have your doctors discussed C5 nerve treatment if needed beyond physical therapy? Several outpatient procedures should be successful for C5 nerve root and tinnitus should be gone as soon as procedure is completed. CT X-ray guidance with a needle probe quickly done for C5 nerve root with numbing area may be all you need.

Maintain good posture by sitting tall with the shoulders back and without protruding head forward too much for more than a few minutes will help with spine stress.

With your injuries, the internet, therapists and doctors have many different idea treatment methods - and for pain and inflammation. If you don't have pain and with doctors being aware of your condition as being stable, then I would talk focus with them to relieve the C5 nerve root as this is most likely causing your tinnitus.

Stay in touch - we can talk more.