Ringing in the ears is a symptom called tinnitus. Tinnitus is also the term for hearing other sounds such as buzzing or clicking in the ears. According to the Mayo Clinic, tinnitus is a common problem and affects about 20 percent of adults. Damage to the inner ear is a common cause of tinnitus. There are other conditions that are common causes of tinnitus and conditions that are less common.
Common Causes
Common causes of ringing in the ears include hearing loss related to aging. According to the Mayo Clinic, this age-related loss begins at about the age of 60. Loud noises such as those coming from heavy machinery are also a common cause of tinnitus. Other sources of loud noises include personal music devices such as MP3 players. An accumulation of ear wax is another common cause of ringing in the ears. The stiffening of bones in the inner ear, a condition called otosclerosis, is also a common cause.
Less Common Causes
Other causes of tinnitus are less common. These less common causes include stress, depression and Meniere's disease, which is a disorder of the inner ear. Injuries to the head or the neck can also result in tinnitus, which in this case usually appears in only one ear. A condition called acoustic neuroma, which is a noncancerous tumor on the nerve that runs from the brain to the inner ear, is another less common cause. Problems with a joint called the temperomandibular joint, which connects the lower jaw to the skull, can also result in ringing in the ears.
Medications
Some medications have been associated with tinnitus. These medications include chloroquine, which is a malaria medication, quinine medications, aspirin in high doses, cancer medications, antibiotics and diuretics. The ringing in the ears often stops when the use of these medications is stopped.
Rare Causes
A blood vessel disorder can, in rare cases, cause tinnitus. This type of tinnitus is called pulsatile tinnitus. The causes for this type of tinnitus include high blood pressure, turbulent blood flow and a malformation of capillaries, which is a condition called arteriovenous malformation. Atherosclerosis is another cause of pulsatile tinnitus. A tumor that develops pressure on the blood vessels in the neck or the head can also result in ringing in the ears.
