aetiology

Last reviewed 01/2018

  • causes of subjective tinnitus (1)
    • otologic disorders - most common cause of subjective tinnitus
      • hearing loss
        • causes of conductive hearing loss
          • cerumen impaction (ear wax)
          • otitis externa
          • perforation of tympanic membrane
          • middle ear fluid
          • otosclerosis
        • causes of sensorineural hearing
          • noise-induced hearing loss
          • presbycusis
      • Meniere's disease
      • acoustic neuroma
    • ototoxic drugs
      • aspirin, aminoglycosides,chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline,vancomycin, methotrexate, vincristine, furosemide, etc. (1)
    • infectious
      • otitis media, ,syphillis, Lyme disease, meningitis (2)
    • neurological causes
      • multiple sclerosis, head trauma
    • metabolic causes
      • thyroid diseases
      • hyperlipidaemia
    • psycological
  • causes of objective tinnitus (rare)
    • vascular abnormalities
        • these are associated with pulsatile tinnitus
        • causes include :
          • arteriovenous malformation, vascular tumors (Glomus tumor )
    • neurological diseases
      • idiopathic stapedial muscle spasm
    • eustachian tube dysfunction

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