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What are the types of tinnitus?

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Watch Neuromod Clinical Training Manager, Dr. Sarah Matthews discuss Different Types of Tinnitus on Talking Tinnitus.

Generally speaking, there are two types of tinnitus: Subjective Tinnitus and Objective Tinnitus.

  • Subjective Tinnitus is tinnitus that only the person themselves can hear. This is the most common type of tinnitus.
  • Objective Tinnitus is tinnitus that your doctor can hear during an examination. This rare type of tinnitus may be caused by a blood vessel problem or ear muscle contractions.

Lenire is a bimodal neuromodulation device that treats Subjective Tinnitus. As well as the two many types of tinnitus, there are also subtypes – Somatic Tinnitus, Cochlear Tinnitus, and Central Tinnitus.

  • Somatic or Somatosensory Tinnitus is when tinnitus changes in pitch, volume, location, or the type of sound you hear when you move your head, neck, jaw, or face. TMJ and other dental issues such as bruxism or malocclusion, cervical, spinal, and head injuries, and even muscle tightness are all causes of somatic tinnitus. Somatic tinnitus is present in 65 to 80% of people with tinnitus.
  • Cochlear Tinnitus occurs when something affects the health of the ear resulting in abnormal neural activity in the cochlea, resulting in the perception of tinnitus. Hearing loss, noise exposure, ototoxic medications, ear diseases, and medical conditions such as diabetes and cardiac conditions are all common causes of cochlear tinnitus.
  • Central Tinnitus is when abnormal patterns of spontaneous activity in the auditory brain center result in tinnitus. The activity typically begins when tinnitus has become a chronic condition. Once this occurs, the brain starts to react to the presence of somatic and cochlear tinnitus. We can see these changes start to occur as soon as 12 weeks (about 3 months) after the start of tinnitus.

If you are experiencing tinnitus, it is recommended to seek advice from a medical professional with an understanding of tinnitus. You can find a tinnitus specialist near you by visiting www.lenire.com/find-a-clinic/.