Diagnosis of Ringing in the Ears

Ringing or other sounds in the ears is known as tinnitus. Tinnitus is not actually a condition, but a symptom. There are several conditions that include ringing in the ears as a symptom, and most are not serious. The underlying cause will need to be diagnosed to treat tinnitus.

Causes

• Common causes of ringing in the ears include age-related hearing loss, earwax buildup, otosclerosis (stiffening of inner ear bones), exposure to loud noise, stress, head or neck injuries, Meniere's disease, and acoustic neuroma (a benign tumor). Medications such as antibiotics, aspirin, quinine and diuretics can also cause tinnitus.

Symptoms

• The doctor will rely on your account of symptoms for a diagnosis. The more information you provide about the duration of the tinnitus--factors that reduce or increase it, whether it's in one ear or both, exactly what it sounds like, and how steady and frequent it is--the easier a diagnosis will be.

Ear Examination

• The doctor will examine your ears to look for obvious causes of ringing in the ears. Often, earwax buildup and other abnormalities can be spotted.

Further Examination

• The doctor will ask you to move your eyes, jaw and limbs in certain ways. If specific movements increase the volume or change the sound of the ringing in the ears, this information provides valuable clues for your diagnosis.

Tests

• Further tests may be needed depending on the likely diagnoses. These most commonly include X-rays, CT scans and MRIs.