Does anyone know what causes tinnitus (ringing in ears)?

I actually just googled 'tinnitus and xanax' and a whole slew of stuff came up. Xanax is actually used to TREAT tinnitus! Ha, i didnt know that. So i doubt the medication is doing anything to cause it.

Blocked eustachian tube The passage that connects the middle ear and the back of the nose. It acts as a drainage way for the middle ear and regulates the pressure between the middle ear and the outside environment.

Ear infection

Middle Ear Infection

Middle ear infection is an infection that occurs behind the eardrum, in the middle part of the ear. While it can happen in people of all ages, it mainly affects children. The medical term for middle ear infection is otitis media.

Middle ear infection is the most common childhood illness treated by pediatricians. It usually develops a few days after a child has a cold or the flu. Half of all children will have at least one middle ear infection while they're growing up, most often before age 3.

Children generally suffer from one of three forms of middle ear infection:

Acute otitis media Infection of the middle ear that comes on quickly - a sudden but temporary inflammation in the middle ear.

Recurrent acute otitis media Middle ear infection that occurs repeatedly- ear infections that keep coming back, with the ear returning to normal between episodes.

Chronic otitis media with effusion A persistent inflammation of the middle ear with fluid trapped in the middle ear; also called glue ear, it is not painful (OME) - a persistent accumulation of sticky thick fluid in the middle ear, also called effusion, that is not painful; children most often say their ears feel stuffy. OME is also called glue ear.

Otosclerosis A common ear disorder characterized by unusual stiffness or lack of flexibility of the tiny bones of the middle ear. This condition frequently causes tinnitus.: a common ear disorder characterized by unusual stiffness or lack of flexibility of the tine bones of the middle ear. This condition frequently causes tinnitus.

Meniere's disease A disorder of the inner ear characterized by recurrent dizziness, deafness, and tinnitus. In 80 to 85 percent of cases, only one ear is affected.: a disorder of the inner ear characterized by recurrent dizziness, deafness, and tinnitus. In 80 to 85 percent of cases, only one ear is affected.

Damage caused by certain drugs, including aspirin and certain antibiotics

Hearing loss

Trauma or injury resulting from a blast or explosion

Temporomandibular joint syndrome or TMJ: pain and other symptoms affecting the head, jaw, and face. TMJ is believed to be caused when the jaw joints and muscles and ligaments that support them are not working properly.

Tinnitus may also occur along with certain other medical conditions, such as:

Anemia, or a condition in which blood levels of hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to nourish the tissues of the body, are below normal.

Hypertension , or high blood pressure

Arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries Called atherosclerosis,this refers to a buildup of cholesterol and other fatty deposits in the arteries, that increases the risk of heart and other diseases

Hypothyroidism, or low levels of thyroid hormone production

Presbycusis: hearing loss and other hearing problems related to advanced age.

Head injury

TREATMENT
Although otitis media is primarily a disease of infants and young children, it can also affect adults.

Principles for judicious use of antimicrobials in the treatment of AOM
Classify episodes of OM (otitis media) as AOM (acute otitis media) or OME (otitis medeia external).

Antimicrobials are indicated for treatment of AOM; however, diagnosis requires documented middle ear effusion and signs or symptoms of acute local or systemic illness
.
Uncomplicated AOM may be treated with a 5- to 7-day course of antimicrobials in certain patients older than 2 years.

Antimicrobials are not indicated for the initial treatment of OME; treatment may be indicated if effusions persist for longer than 3 months.

I hope this helps my friend... if it gets too bad just go to the hospital ok

Andres
Persistent OME after therapy for AOM is expected and does not require re-treatment with antimicrobial

Reserve antimicrobial prophylaxis for controlling recurrent AOM, defined as 3 or more distinct, well-documented episodes in 6 months or 4 or more episodes in 12 months.

Antibiotic therapy

Selection of an antibiotic, in the absence of culture results obtained from tympanocentesis, should have 2 objectives. First, the antibiotic should cover most of the common bacterial pathogens detailed earlier in this article. Second, the antibiotic must be individualized for the child with regard to allergy, tolerance, previous exposure to antibiotics, cost, and community resistance levels.

The duration of therapy is also somewhat empiric, and data indicate that significant numbers of children do not receive prescribed antibiotics beyond relief of acute symptoms. Ten to 14 days of therapy has been traditional and is convenient for office scheduling, but it may not necessarily be more efficacious than 5 days of therapy, or even 2 days.

Studies have demonstrated that short-duration therapy may not be appropriate in children younger than 2 years who appear prone to failure even after 14 days of therapy. Mandel showed that when an effusion-free ear is the prime objective, 20 days of antibiotic therapy achieves improved outcomes versus 10 days of therapy or placebo. However, after 90 days, no difference in the groups existed and recurrence was not prevented by the additional therapy.

The administration of prescribed antimicrobials may differ from recommendations for the same antibiotic when used for soft tissue infections.

Pulse-dosing antibiotics, when administered for infections of hollow organs, such as the ear or sinuses, appear to have efficacy due to poorly understood antimicrobial mechanisms, increased compliance on the part of the patient or parent, and slower penetration into and removal from middle ear effusion.

Subminimal serum levels of antibiotics have been shown to disrupt adhesive bonds between bacteria and mucosal cell walls and to provide a postantibiotic effect, in which the reproduction of bacteria is disrupted for a period of hours after exposure to antibiotics. Similarly, a leukocyte-enhancing action has been demonstrated at these low concentrations. When used in this manner, a marked variation in the effectiveness of individual antibiotics and susceptibility for the various etiologic agents exists.

Generally, beta-lactam antibiotics are most successful against gram-positive pathogens for both disruption of adhesion and postantibiotic effect.

Amoxicillin (erythromycin/sulfisoxazole in patients who are allergic to penicillin) remains the initial treatment of choice in children with AOM.

With the emergence of resistant strains, the practitioner may need to select an alternative antimicrobial therapy from either a broad-spectrum beta-lactamase–resistant cephalosporin or a combination drug such as amoxicillin-clavulanate or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Combination therapy may help prevent the emergence of resistance by mutation, provided the pathogen is initially sensitive to both components. Efficacy and dosages for selected antimicrobials are provided in the Medication section.

With the emergence of multidrug-resistant S pneumoniae (MDRSP), oral therapy consisting of amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate may have efficacy when the total amoxicillin dose reaches 80-100 mg/kg/d.

If a child does not respond to an antibiotic within 48 hours and concurrently develops local and systemic signs of toxicity, this may indicate resistance to the selected drug. Treatment options include an empirical change of antimicrobial agent or a drainage procedure with culture. Failure to improve with antibiotic therapy may indicate coexistent viral infection in children with prolonged acute symptoms.

Other medical therapies

Analgesics and antipyretics have a definite role in the symptomatic management of AOM.

Decongestants and antihistamines do not appear to have efficacy either early or late in the acute process, although they may relieve coexistent nasal symptoms.

Systemic steroids have no demonstrated role in the acute phase.

And, i would get two of those blue ice packs or hot water bottles and fill and freeze and put them on the area (on me,it's my thighs) that is stinging the worst, move them around if you need to. I do believe that combo, which is natural all the way, and your Xanax at night may give you some relief, at least I hope so. You take care love, and I'm going to get this over with so i can eat dinner and relax for the rest of evening, watching my 48 hrs. Mystery that i always look forward to. Love and a good night's sleep to you, Dede

To get serious for just a minute, I believe That most, but not all tinnitis, is caused by extended loud noise and your ears trying to protect themselves. I hear rushing water,mild sirens, loud winds, electric motors, and other noises... "but I like 'em"! Go Figure ? ? ? Sacosam - I still am "an' a'ts all i'll ever be"! {from Popeye the sailor!]