Tinnitus.ent
Tinnitus or the annoying ringing in the ears is investigated with a thorough medical exam and audiological evaluation.
The ENT specialist at EYiasis medical centre will undertake a thorough evaluation for your Tinnitus:
- Medical history report: where your symptoms, medical history, and any psychological factors that could be related are evaluated.
- Diagnostic examinations will then be performed such as:
- Pure-tone audiometry: You’ll be asked to indicate when you hear a tone at different frequencies and volumes to measure your hearing ability across the audible range.
Tympanometry: This test evaluates the function of your eardrum, middle ear and Eustachian tube by measuring how it moves in response to air pressure.
Acoustic reflex testing: This is part of tympanometry and evaluates the response of the middle ear muscles to loud sounds.
Pitch and loudness matching: An audiologist may play tones of different pitches and loudness to find a match for the sound of your tinnitus. - Advanced and neuroimaging tests:
Neuroimaging (MRI or CT scan): These are typically ordered for unilateral tinnitus or when an underlying structural problem is suspected, as they can show soft tissue and bony structures.
Each case is assessed individually and the most appropriate therapy is established at the Neuro-otology Lab of EYiasis.
The sounds you hear can help your ENT specialist at EYiasis identify a possible underlying cause.
- Clicking: Suggests that muscle contractions in and around your ear might be the cause of your tinnitus.
- Pulsating, rushing or humming: These sounds usually stem from vascular causes, such as high blood pressure, or carotid stenosis.
- Low-pitched ringing: May point to ear canal blockages, Meniere’s disease or otosclerosis.
- High-pitched ringing: This is the most commonly heard tinnitus sound. Likely causes include loud noise exposure, hearing loss or medications. Furthermore, acoustic neuroma can cause continuous, high-pitched ringing in one ear.
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