Ringing noises from within the ear - Mythical, medical explanations
Almost everyone periodically or often experiences what is medically called tinnitus.
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Tinnitus is a blowing, roaring, buzzing, hissing, humming, whistling or sizzling noise we hear from within the ear. Tinnitus occurs when there is no outside source of sound. The noises a tinnitus sufferer hears may be soft or loud.
Tinnitus is a common occurrence and almost everyone notices a mild form of it once in a while. It lasts for only a few minutes but can be constant or recurring thereby disrupting the individual.
Mythical Explanations
In layman’s phraseology, tinnitus is referred to as a ringing in the ear. As such, the Ewe people refer to tinnitus as tomedogah and an Akan experiencing tinnitus may describe the condition simply as asum gye kyaee or say I have a ringing in the ear (ma’sum gye me kyaee).
In some communities in Ghana, tinnitus has been associated with certain strange beliefs. One such strange belief is that tinnitus occurs only when some people are gossiping about the tinnitus sufferer or someone is backbiting him or her. Another strange belief is that tinnitus is a superstitious voice of a deity or a spirit whereas others attribute tinnitus to mental ill-health or madness. The mythical explanation givers usually tend to undermine any serious underlying medical causes of tinnitus.
Advisedly, therefore, a person suffering from persistent tinnitus, especially with complications must see a general practitioner or a specialist doctor such as an audiologist or an otolaryngologist.
Tinnitus Types
Broadly, tinnitus can be subjective or objective. Whereas subjective tinnitus means the noise/sound is only heard by the person suffering from tinnitus, an objective tinnitus also called pulsatile tinnitus may be heard by both the sufferer and the caregiver examining the ear. However, subjective tinnitus is more common than the objective one.
Causes
Tinnitus is self-diagnosable but its exact cause is unknown. However, it can be a symptom of any ear problem or medical condition including but not limited to ear infections, sinusitis, foreign objects or ear wax, hearing loss, an inner ear disorder (Meniere disease) and problem with the Eustachian tube (found between the middle ear and the throat).
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Tinnitus can also be attributable to or result from certain antibiotic use and the condition may be worsened by high blood pressure, an allergy, anaemia, excessive use of alcohol and caffeine as well as smoking. In rare cases, however, tinnitus can be a sign of a tumour or aneurysm whereas diabetes, thyroid problems, obesity and head injury may also be risk factors for tinnitus.
Altitude and Tinnitus
Generally, a change in altitude is not a tinnitus trigger for everyone. However, people whose ears are sensitive to changes in elevation or barometric pressures may have worsened tinnitus, especially during a flight or a land journey through a mountainous area such as Aburi, Amedzorfe or Nkawkaw in Ghana.
Symptoms
As already shown in the definition above, tinnitus manifests in the form of a buzzing, roaring, clicking, ringing, whooshing, hissing or humming noise in the ear(s) without the presence of any external source of sound.
Susceptibility
As indicated earlier, almost everyone periodically experiences tinnitus. However, it is common in war veterans, blacksmiths or people who live/work in noisy areas and in adults who are 65 years or older.
Children with severe hearing loss are also mostly affected. Said differently, the risk factors associated with tinnitus are age, lifestyle (alcohol and caffeine use), environment and certain health problems.
Diagnosis, home and medical care
Tinnitus can be diagnosed by the individual experiencing it. However, clinical diagnosis of the condition involves the healthcare provider asking the patient to do audiometry, Head CT Scan, Head MRI or angiography (blood vessel studies) to aid clinical diagnosis.
At home, a tinnitus sufferer may mask the condition and make its irritability less by relaxing and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, smoking and loud places. When these and many other self-treatment options fail, it is advisable to see a medical practitioner or an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) nurse for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate medical treatment.
However, any tinnitus occurring under any of the circumstances below must be urgently examined by a medical practitioner an ENT nurse, an audiologist or an otolaryngologist. That is tinnitus due to a head injury, tinnitus with unexplained symptoms such as dizziness, nausea or vomiting, prolonged noise in one ear or both ears and rhythmic or pulsatile noises that are steady.
Regarding complications, tinnitus affects people differently hence different tinnitus patients may experience different complications or a mixture of complications such as fatigue, insomnia, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, depression irritability and headaches.
Tinnitus treatment is based on the cause of the condition and what works for the individual patient. As such, various medications or a combination of a few medicines may be administered to treat the condition. In some cases, medications are not used. Rather, tinnitus masks are worn like hearing aids and they deliver low-level sounds directly into the ear to cover the inner ear noise (tinnitus).
Conclusion
Tinnitus is a constant or periodic ringing or buzzing noise in one or both ears that may be heard by only the person experiencing it (subjective tinnitus) or by both the sufferer and the caregiver (objective or pulsatile tinnitus). Depending on its cause, tinnitus may or may not be a serious condition.
Regardless of its cause, tinnitus can be diagnosed and treated or entirely cured. Thus, people must ignore the mythical or strange explanations often offered for tinnitus in our local communities.
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In our considered and collective view as people who work in the health sector, the two most important factors germane to the effective treatment of any medical or health condition, including tinnitus, are early detection of the condition and the diagnosed patient’s acceptability of the condition with the treatment regime directed at the condition.
The writers are a Hospital Administrator & a Health Service Administrator
Emails: afetikorto@yahoo.com & boalenawuni@gmail.com