Tinnitus: Cause...

Tinnitus can have many different causes, but most commonly results from otologic disorders - the same conditions that cause hearing loss.

Loud Noise

The most common cause is noise-induced hearing loss, resulting from exposure to excessive or loud noises. Ototoxic drugs can cause tinnitus either secondary to hearing loss or without hearing loss, and may increase the damage done by exposure to loud noise, even at doses that are not in themselves ototoxic.
Causes of tinnitus include:

• Otologic problems and hearing loss:
• conductive hearing loss
• external ear infection
• cerumen (earwax) impaction
• middle ear effusion
• sensorineural hearing loss
• excessive or loud noise
• presbycusis (age-associated hearing loss)
• Ménière's disease
• acoustic neuroma
• ototoxic medications

analgesics:

• aspirin
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• antibiotics:
• aminoglycosides e.g. gentamicin
• chloramphenicol
• erythromycin
• tetracycline
• vancomycin
• chemotherapy drugs:
• bleomycin
• cisplatin
• mechlorethamine
• methotrexate
• vincristine

loop diuretics:

• bumetanide
• ethacrynic acid
• furosemide

others:

• chloroquine
• quinine
• mercury
• lead

neurologic disorders:

• multiple sclerosis
• head injury
• skull fracture
• closed head injury
• whiplash injury
• temporomandibular joint disorder

metabolic disorders:

• thyroid disorder
• hyperlipidemia
• vitamin B12 deficiency

psychogenic disorders:

• depression
• anxiety

other causes:

• fibromyalgia
• hypertonia (Muscle Tension)
• thoracic outlet syndrome
• lyme disease
• hypnogogia
• sleep paralysis