Get examined and treated for tinnitus at Charlottenlund Private Hospital
A high-pitched tone or ringing in the ears can be extremely bothersome and impact both physical and mental well-being. The sound can be disruptive during everyday activities and can be inhibiting in social situations, making it difficult to be fully present. In many cases, it can also make falling asleep challenging.
There is not always an easy solution, but often the specialist can offer advice on behaviors that are counterproductive when dealing with tinnitus and provide guidance on how to manage it as much as possible. The specialist can also direct patients to appropriate resources for further help and treatment.
At Charlottenlund Privathospital, we assist in identifying the cause of your tinnitus, provide useful advice, and, if there is a clear explanation—possibly even a treatment—help in cases where tinnitus can be treated.
You are always welcome to contact us if you have questions or wish to schedule an appointment.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be best described as a sound that others cannot hear (though in some rare cases, tinnitus can also be heard by others—more on this later). Tinnitus is most often a symptom of changes in the ear, which can have various causes, including loud noise exposure, age-related hearing loss, or damage to the middle or inner ear. In some cases, tinnitus can be treated—such as when it is caused by a perforated eardrum, or by eczema and inflammation in the ear canal. In other cases, there is no specific treatment, and the doctor will instead offer guidance on relief measures to make the tinnitus more tolerable, less intense, and as minimally bothersome as possible. Fortunately, tinnitus is not always a permanent condition, but something that can vary from day to day and week to week. Read more about the causes of tinnitus further down the page.
Tinnitus typically cannot be heard by anyone other than the person experiencing it. Some describe the sound as ringing or whistling in the ears, while others experience it as buzzing, humming, rushing, or a pulsing sound. However, a common characteristic of tinnitus is that the sound generally does not come from the outside—it originates inside the head.
How tinnitus is experienced is very individual. In addition to the variation in the type of sound, there are differences in how intense the sound is, where it is perceived, and whether it is constant, pulsating, or intermittent.
Former for tinnitus
- Constant tinnitus: The sound does not stop but remains constant without interruption. It is present from morning until evening but may vary in intensity.
- Pulsatile tinnitus: The sound fluctuates between weak and strong, either at a fast or slow pace. This can be caused by blood vessels near the inner ear or high blood pressure, but it can also be completely benign. A closer examination will help determine the cause. Pulsatile tinnitus can be both objective and subjective, meaning that in some cases, the specialist may also be able to hear your tinnitus—such as in cases of artery narrowing or other more specific situations.
Table of contents
What is tinnitus?
Former for tinnitus
Causes of tinnitus
How is tinnitus treated?
Causes of tinnitus
Ringing or buzzing in the ears can be caused by a wide range of injuries and disorders affecting the brain, as well as the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear.
Some of the most common causes of tinnitus include:
Age: Tinnitus is common among older individuals and is not necessarily a sign of aging. The natural aging process leads to the loss of hair cells in the inner ear, which can result in tinnitus.
Loud sound exposure: Exposure to high-intensity or prolonged sounds can damage the ear, leading to tinnitus. This can happen, for example, at a rock concert where you're standing too close to large speakers, or from an explosion. This type of tinnitus is usually temporary and subsides over weeks to months.
Hearing loss: Hearing loss originating in the inner ear is almost always accompanied by tinnitus and sound hypersensitivity. This is common in both age-related hearing loss and other inner ear diseases or auditory nerve issues.
Earwax: Ringing in the ears can be caused by earwax irritating or blocking the ear canal. In such cases, treatment is often simple, involving cleaning the ear canal and applying anti-inflammatory ear drops.
Perforated eardrum: Patients with a perforated eardrum often experience ringing in the ear, similar to the sound of holding a conch shell to the ear. The treatment is surgery to close the hole in the eardrum.
Stress: Prolonged stress can overload the body, leading to stress-related tinnitus as a response.
Infections: Chronic otitis media and other inflammatory conditions affecting both the ear canal and middle ear can cause tinnitus.
Special information about pulsatile tinnitus: Pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by high or low blood pressure, infections, and other benign conditions, as well as by tumors and cardiovascular diseases.
You may want to read this case history of a patient with pulsatile tinnitus who underwent surgery and was cured of his tinnitus.
This is just a selection of possible causes – there are many different reasons why tinnitus may occur. As such, all tinnitus evaluations at Charlottenlund Private Hospital begin with a comprehensive hearing test followed by a consultation with a specialist.
How is tinnitus treated?
Any treatment for tinnitus always requires a thorough investigation to determine whether it is indeed tinnitus and to identify the underlying cause of the condition. At Charlottenlund Private Hospital, every ear examination begins with a comprehensive hearing test followed by a medical examination by a specialist.
Investigation
The assessment begins with a review of the patient's medical history and a thorough examination of the ear canal and eardrum with an otoscope. The examination is supplemented by a hearing test in a soundproof room. After this examination, the individual patient can be advised and treated optimally.
Treatment
Since the causes of tinnitus are many, the treatment of tinnitus also varies. For some, a hearing aid may be the solution, while for others, medication or surgery is needed to treat the hearing loss. We also have good experience in referring our patients who are forced to live with tinnitus to public communication centers, where advice and guidance can be given on how the individual can live well with tinnitus. Sound therapy can also be soothing for people who have to live with tinnitus.
The otolaryngologist and the patient decide which treatment method is necessary. There is therefore not necessarily an easy cure for tinnitus, but the treatment method must be assessed individually.
Contact Charlottenlund Private Hospital
At Charlottenlund Private Hospital, we have a long-standing tradition and extensive experience in treating tinnitus patients. Our skilled ear specialists are ready to assist you, whether you are seeking a new tinnitus examination, consultation, or treatment, even if you have previously been treated for tinnitus.
Feel free to contact us below if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment.