Vertigo is a condition in which you feel a spinning sensation. This can easily cause you to lose your balance. There are conditions that cause you to experience episodes of vertigo as well as tinnitus.
Tinnitus is a condition in which you hear some sort of sound that isn't actually there. Most people hear ringing but it's also possible to hear ticking, buzzing, or hissing. However, one form of tinnitus, known as pulsatile tinnitus, causes sounds that can actually be heard by others.
You get your sense of balance thanks to your inner ear. Therefore, if anything starts to affect it, you may experience episodes of vertigo. Also, the acoustic nerve forms the connection between the inner ear and brain. Any problems with it can also cause vertigo. If your inner ear is overly sensitive to sudden motions or swaying motions, more commonly known as motion sickness, you can also have episodes of vertigo.
Tinnitus, which can easily accompany vertigo, can be caused for many reasons. The most common condition that causes both vertigo and tinnitus is Meniere's disease. People commonly experience hearing loss too.
Viral or bacterial infections that affect the ear can give you problems with either tinnitus or vertigo. Other common reasons include tumors of the auditory nerve, ototoxic drugs the damage the ears, or simply buildup of wax in the ears.
The hearing loss associated with tinnitus can be either permanent or temporary depending on the underlying cause. In the case of temporary hearing loss, you can try removing ear wax or treating the infection that's causing the problem.
Head injuries can also cause tinnitus and vertigo. If you've suffered a head injury, the doctor will likely have given you an MRI or CT scan. Tumors or any circulatory problems like hypertension will also need to be treated in order to get rid of the other side effects.
As mentioned earlier, one of the most common causes of both tinnitus and vertigo is Meniere's Disease. It also causes hearing loss. Unfortunately, there is no standard treatment for this disease. Most people will need to undergo counseling so that they can learn how to deal with all of the side effects that the disease causes.
In the case of treating tinnitus, there are a range of options at your disposal. One of the most effective ways is to wear a sound generator in your ear. This will help you ignore the ringing, buzzing, or whatever sound that you're hearing. There are also sound generators that you can put on your bedside table to help you fall asleep at night.
Whether you have tinnitus or frequent episodes of vertigo, there are certain things you will need to do. You can lower your salt intake since it helps increase blood pressure which plays a role in these conditions. Exercising on a daily basis is also a good idea since it helps you keep your blood pressure low too. Having both of these conditions at the same time can be a real hazard so counseling will also probably help.