How Can Neurosurgery Help Manage Or Stop Tinnitus Symptoms?

There are certain conditions that people believe are just a fact of life or a consequence of age, but they can often not only be treated, but it may be necessary to do so to avoid more serious progression of symptoms.

This is the case with tinnitus, a characteristic ringing of the ears that can be a symptom of age or hearing loss caused by listening to loud music, but can sometimes be caused by growths or tumours that affect the ear or nerves that affect hearing.

As tinnitus is a symptom rather than a disease, as well as being perceived as relatively innocuous, the warning signs and implications it can have for neurological health can sometimes be missed.

Why do certain neurological conditions cause tinnitus, how can it help doctors to diagnose and locate potentially serious neurological conditions, and when can radiotherapy and neurosurgery help to reduce the discomfort?

What Conditions Cause Tinnitus?

Whilst commonly described as hearing a ringing or humming sound with seemingly no cause, tinnitus can sometimes present with sounds such as whooshing or hissing air, throbbing in the ears, buzzing or even music.

There are many different causes, and one of the most important factors in treating tinnitus is determining which condition or combination of conditions may be causing it, their severity and therefore the basis for offering treatments that vary in intensity.

What can make it difficult to diagnose is that there are some innocuous or temporary causes of tinnitus, whilst other people will have idiopathic tinnitus that does not appear to have a specific cause.

Other causes include loud sound levels such as those heard during music concerts, ear or sinus infections, hormonal changes, depression or anxiety, or as a side effect of conditions such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes or some thyroid disorders.

It can also be caused as a side effect of some medications, including antibiotics, over-the-counter painkillers and chemotherapy medications.

However, some neurological conditions that affect the ear or hearing nerve, such as Ménière's disease or vestibular schwannoma, can also cause tinnitus as a side effect, but this early warning sign can sometimes be missed.

It could also be potentially caused by a head or neck injury, so if tinnitus appears following an accident, consult a doctor as soon as possible.

How Can A Doctor Determine The Cause Of Tinnitus?

Sometimes a doctor can diagnose the cause based on a basic examination or your symptoms. If you have tinnitus alongside otitis externa (swimmer’s ear) symptoms such as redness, ear pain and swelling, for example, a doctor will typically conclude that the two conditions are connected.

A doctor may also conduct some basic movement tests to see if that affects the tinnitus symptoms. They may also ask what kind of noises you hear, as they can often reflect different symptoms.

High-pitched ringing is the most common cause and is connected to noise exposure, but it can also be a symptom of acoustic neuroma, which may require neurosurgical intervention.

Low-pitched ringing could be caused by an ear canal blockage, which, if caused by a disease such as Ménière's disease, could potentially also require surgical intervention.

You could also be asked to sit an audiological test to rule out hearing loss as a cause, and may be booked to receive imaging tests such as MRI scans to check for a potential neurological condition or growth.

In some cases, doctors could also undertake a series of blood tests to rule out causes such as thyroid issues or heart disease.

When Would Neurosurgery Be Necessary To Treat Tinnitus

Treating tinnitus is about either treating the cause or managing the symptoms. It may be as simple as reducing earwax, changing medication or prescribing hearing aids to relieve symptoms, with various interventions offered.

In most cases, surgery is not required as a treatment for tinnitus, but if the diagnosed cause affects the blood vessels or nerves near the ear, neurosurgery is an option.

Surgical treatments for Ménière's disease or acoustic neuroma will, in most cases, relieve tinnitus symptoms as well as other connected symptoms such as unsteady balance and hearing loss.

If the cause is related to a blood vessel issue, such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension, surgery might be required to drain fluid and relieve pressure around the brain, which will consequently reduce pressure around the ear as well.

Tinnitus is often treatable, and it is often a matter of finding the root cause in order to find the right treatment. Gamma Knife is a form of radiosurgery that can be used to treat this condition, particularly if it’s a symptom of an acoustic neuroma.

Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and neurosurgical treatments for tinnitus and ear disorders on the Queen Square website.