Hearing loss is commonly associated with tinnitus, though it is not an actual cause. Tinnitus is actually a symptom of an underlying condition, such as excessive damage to the inner ear which can be caused by loud noises over time. The tiny hair cells which are located in the inner ear become worn down and damaged over time when exposed to high decibel noises, eventually dying altogether, resulting in hearing loss and in some cases tinnitus.
When attempting to diagnose someone with tinnitus, a number of auditory tests are run in order to establish what the person’s hearing is like. The primary reason that so many people believe that tinnitus causes hearing loss is because the underlying causes which eventually lead to the tinnitus usually cause hearing loss well, so it is merely incidental.
As a person gets older, the chances of them developing problems with hearing loss as well as tinnitus increase, especially if they do not protect their ears from loud noises. Those who listen to loud music through ear buds and other types of in-ear headphones are also more at risk than others for developing hearing loss and tinnitus at an early age.
Although significant hearing loss usually does not become a problem for most people until later on in life, this process can sometimes be sped up by exposure to loud noises on a regular basis.
Those who do not take the proper measures against hearing loss by using ear plugs at concerts or while on the job in a position that involves being around loud noises all day usually end up developing tinnitus and other hearing-related issues earlier on than most.
It is imperative to take these measures when exposed to loud high-decibel noises which can damage the inner ear over time and lead to tinnitus along with significant impairment of one’s hearing.
