Could Your Genes Be to Blame For Your Tinnitus?

Are you experiencing a ringing in your ears? What caused it? Could it be because of your genes? Do people in your family have a history of having Tinnitus? Are you going to have the same fate as them? 

Is your Tinnitus hereditary? That’s what this article will discuss. To know whether Tinnitus is genetic in nature, we have to look at scientific studies conducted on the matter. Research on this matter is surprisingly sparse, considering that almost 50 million Americans suffer from Tinnitus every year. 

The only extensive study investigating a genetic causation of Tinnitus was conducted in Taiwan. It showed that bilateral Tinnitus or Tinnitus in both years had a greater chance of being hereditary in nature. It was also found that Tinnitus in men was more prevalent as genetic Tinnitus than in women. The study further attested to the link between Tinnitus and genetics by identifying up to 8 separate genes that could possibly be causing Tinnitus. 

Though research into the genetics of Tinnitus is not very extensive, there’s other studies we can corroborate the link with. Take for example hearing loss. It is estimated that 90% of people with Tinnitus also have hearing loss or a condition called Presbycusis. Hearing loss doesn’t have to be complete. In fact, in most cases, it is only partial. It is perfectly normal for one to hear others speak and also hear most environmental sounds and still suffer from partial hearing loss. 

But, the point we are trying to make is that hearing loss can be genetic. In fact, it is estimated that up to 55% of hearing loss is genetic in nature. We can use this statistic to say that Tinnitus could also be genetic in nature, as hearing loss seems to be one of the leading causes of Tinnitus. 

If you have a long history of people with Tinnitus in your family, chances are that you are at high risk of suffering from Tinnitus too. If you already have Tinnitus, you might want to look out for these signs that Tinnitus is going away to know if your Tinnitus is just temporary in nature, perhaps caused by loud noise exposure and not because of genetic reasons. 

If it seems more chronic in nature, we advise you to take the following precautions. Avoid loud noise damage as it can worsen your Tinnitus. Simply avoid going to concerts and other loud events or at least wear ear plugs when you go. Also, follow a healthy diet as research has convincingly shown that a diet rich in salts, sugars, fats and alcohol can all make Tinnitus much worse or increase the chances of one getting Tinnitus. Smoking is a big no no as well. Kick the habit as soon as you can.