Have you ever heard a noise that seems to come from the inside of your head? If so, you have experienced tinnitus symptoms. At some point in your life you have undoubtedly experienced temporary tinnitus. It should be pointed out that tinnitus is not a medical condition; it is a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Tinnitus symptoms are acute or chronic and can be minor or major in the impact on the individual. There are 3 main causes for tinnitus including hearing loss, medication or loud noises.
 
   Loss of hearing from disease, infection, trauma or aging can also give rise to tinnitus symptoms. The reasons for this are not completely understood and may be related to the phantom limb syndrome. In amputees it is common for the brain - interpreting input from nerves that are still functioning but no longer terminate in the amputated foot or hand, to register the missing body part as still existing. It is theorized this phenomenon creates tinnitus symptoms from malfunctioning auditory nerves.

  The most frequently reported tinnitus symptom is a ringing in the ears. This is usually caused by loud noise, either over a prolonged period of time (e.g., factory workplace), a short period of time (e.g., rock concert) or instantaneously (e.g., explosion). If you have walked out of action movie where the theatre had the volume cranked and normal sounds seemed muffled and there was a ringing sound, you have experienced acute tinnitus. This symptom is an indication you should change or avoid such environments, as prolonged exposure will result in permanent hearing loss.
 
   Medication: Overuse of common aspirin, also called ASA or acetylsalicylic acid, can cause tinnitus symptoms, as can the anti-malarial drug quinine and antibiotics that include aminoglycoside.
 
   Besides the annoying ringing sound, other reported tinnitus symptoms are; a sound like crickets, a high frequency hum, roaring, buzzing, hissing, whistling and clicking.
 
   Misalignments of the jaw and muscle spasms in the ear or throat have been cited as causes of the tinnitus symptom of clicking. Ear sounds that follow the pulse of the individual's heart are called "pulsatile tinnitus" and are caused by blood flow in the blood vessels of the middle or inner ear. Pulsatile tinnitus can be a symptom of thyroid problems. Other conditions associated with pulsatile tinnitus are pregnancy and high blood pressure.
 
   On rare occasions, tinnitus symptoms are attributable to tumors or cysts in the middle or inner ears. A tumor that presses on the blood vessels of the ear can cause pulsatile tinnitus. Tumors on the nerve that carries the signals from the ear to the acoustic processing center of the brain cause acoustic neuroma. This condition occurs in only one ear, which distinguishes it from other types of tinnitus and should be examined by a doctor immediately.