Causes of Tinnitus

The causes of tinnitus, the aggravating ringing or buzzing in the ears, can be many and various.

A useful list of causes of tinnitus:

• Otologic problems and hearing loss:

o conductive hearing loss
+ external ear infection
+ acoustic shock
+ drums[citation needed]
+ subwoofers
+ cerumen (earwax) impaction
+ middle ear effusion
+ Superior canal dehiscence

o sensorineural hearing loss
+ excessive or loud noise
+ presbycusis (age-associated hearing loss)
+ Ménière's disease
+ acoustic neuroma
+ mercury poisoning or lead poisoning
+ ototoxic medications -- such as:
# analgesics:
* aspirin
* nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

# antibiotics:
* aminoglycosides e.g. gentamicin
* chloramphenicol
* erythromycin
* tetracycline
* Tobramycin
* vancomycin
* Vibramycin

# chemotherapy and antiviral drugs:
* bleomycin
* interferon
* pegylated interferon-alpha-2b
* cisplatin
* mechlorethamine
* methotrexate
* vincristine

# loop diuretics:
* bumetanide
* ethacrynic acid
* furosemide

# others:
* chloroquine
* quinine
* anti-depressants

+ Psychedelic drugs -- such as:
# 5-MeO-DET
# 5-Methoxy-diisopropyltryptamine
# Diisopropyltryptamine (DiPT)
# Harmaline
# N,N-dimethyltryptamine
# Psilocybin
# Salvinorin A


• neurologic disorders:
  o chiari malformation
  o multiple sclerosis
  o head injury
  + skull fracture
  + closed head injury
  + whiplash injury
  + temporomandibular joint disorder
  + giant cell arteritis


• metabolic disorders:
  o thyroid disorder
  o hyperlipidemia
  o vitamin B12 deficiency
  o Iron deficiency anemia


• psychiatric disorders:
  o depression
  o anxiety


• other causes:
  o Tension myositis syndrome
  o fibromyalgia
  o vasculitis
  o hypertonia (muscle tension)
  o thoracic outlet syndrome
  o lyme disease
  o hypnogogia
  o sleep paralysis
  o Glomus tympanicum
  o anthrax vaccines which contain the Anthrax Protective Antigen