TINNITUS AND TRAUMA DAMAGE TO THE EAR

The ear is made up of 3 parts the inner, middle and outer ear.

The outer ear - The outer ear is visible to the naked eye and is called the pinna. The outer ear extends from the pinna to the ear drum via the ear canal. The ear canal produces wax with added chemicals to fight of infections and protect the ear from foreign particles. 

The middle ear consists of three small bones, the malleus, incus and stapes.  These bones provide vibration so sound can move into the inner ear.

The inner ear - The main part of the inner ear is the cochlea. The cochlea is filled with tiny auditory hairs called cilia. These tiny hair-like cells are responsible for our sense of hearing.
Age and bent or damaged cilia can cause one to experience hearing loss or tinnitus.
The word tinnitus has Latin origins meaning “to ring or ringing” and affects millions world wide. It is a condition whereby abnormal sounds are heard in the head or ears. Tinnitus may come and go or remain constant causing tremendous discomfort. Trauma to the cochlea from loud noises or accidents can cause hair cell damage leading to tinnitus. Tinnitus is also worsened by ear infections, excessive ear wax and drugs.

Who is more likely have tinnitus?

Tinnitus can affect any individual; however age and noisy work environments influence tinnitus more.

How does trauma affect the inner ear?

Traumas can include:

When one sustains a head injury close to the ear, bleeding is likely to occur. It is this blood in the ear that causes an infection. If the ear directly sustains the injury the outcome could result in perforation of the eardrum. 
A perforated eardrum will cause one to experience tremendous pain, bleeding and hearing loss.  Perforation of the ear drum can also be influenced by change in pressure and damage to the eardrum (Barotrauma - Ascending or descending from a high pressure environment can damage the tissues in the ear canals as gases are compressible and tissues are not).

Treatment for trauma damage and tinnitus

Trauma damage may cause hearing loss as the tissues inside the ear become damaged. The affected ear should be treated carefully and not exposed to further damage until fully healed. If hearing loss is unbearable a hearing aid can be used to assist hearing and tinnitus.  If the underlying causes of tinnitus are treated tinnitus as a whole will be treated. Hypnosis also helps lessen the effects of tinnitus.

Other treatments include:

Homeopathic remedies: Treat the underlying causes and solutions are made up of organic and mineral substances.