The Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Department of Otorhinolaryngology

Tinnitus


Tinnitus is the term that describes “ringing in the ears.” It is often just a temporary symptom, but also could be a sign of several things including hearing loss. Especially in old individuals, some degree of tinnitus is usually associated with hearing loss. Other possible causes of tinnitus are certain drugs including aspirin, aminoglycoside antibiotics, certain diuretics, etc.; exposure to chronic or acute loud noise; some ear diseases like Ménière’s disease; or a tumor named acoustic neuroma. If it is pulsatile in nature, it could indicate an aneurism of the vessels in the brain. It could be idiopathic as well, meaning it can happen without any demonstrable reason.