Tinnitus: Why Your Ears are Ringing Without External Sound?

About one in ten adults in the United States has experienced a buzzing or ringing in the ear, even with the absence of an external sound, a new study revealed.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, suggests that the ringing sensation in the ear, or a condition called tinnitus, is most likely to occur to people consistently exposed to loud noises in their work and during their recreational time.

For the study, the researchers analyzed the data of 75,764 adults aged 18 and older from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. The participants were asked in they have experienced a ringing sensation in their ears in the past 12 months and if they do, how frequent and how severe do the ringing occur.

Their findings revealed that 36 percent of the participants who reported to experience tinnitus nearly have constant ringing in their ears. This include a people experiencing ringing sensation in their ears for more than five years and 27 percent who have been suffering from the condition for over 15 years.

Furthermore, the researchers noted that only about 7.2 percent of the participants with tinnitus reported the condition a severe problem, while 42 percent of them reported their condition as a small problem.

According to Dr. Harrison Lin, assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center, most of the patients with tinnitus will not have any medical health-related complication from the condition. However, occasional ringing sensations in the ear could be annoying and distracting.

 "Tinnitus can be pathologically irritating and exacerbate mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorder and depression. It can result in insomnia, generate destructive trains of thought and emotions, and have a substantially negative impact on a person's life," Dr. Lin told CBS News.

Researchers are recommending patients who have experience tinnitus in the past to avoid or minimize their exposure to loud noises in their work or at home. People who are experiencing ringing sensation in their ear frequently are advised to seek help and obtain a hearing test from audiologist.