A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear cell damage. Tiny, delicate hairs in your inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This triggers ear cells to release an electrical signal through a nerve from your ear (auditory nerve) to your brain. Your brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken, they can "leak" random electrical impulses to your brain, causing tinnitus. Conditions that may lead to tinnitus in modern medicine:

1. Prolonged exposure to loud noises: When the ears are exposed to loud noises such as the buzz from power tools, heavy equipment and firearms, these organs can suffer from permanent damage.  The extended use of portable music devices like iPods has also been known to contribute to the onset of tinnitus.

2. Inner Cell Damage: The inner ear has tiny hairs that are subjected to the pressure of environmental sound waves. When these tiny hairs are damaged, the sounds picked up by the brain are the characteristic symptoms of tinnitus, namely, ringing, buzzing and whistling. Other ear-related conditions brought about by illnesses and injuries can also cause tinnitus.

3. Hearing loss brought on by old age: Hearing loss usually starts at around 60 years of age in both men and women.  Structural changes in the inner ear affect the organ’s capacity to hear in a normal way, which can lead to hearing noises.

4. Blockage in the ears: The most common example of blockage in the ears is impacted earwax, which can also lead to bacterial infections and eardrum irritation. Both conditions worsen the symptoms of tinnitus.

5. Medical disorders: Meniere’s disease, temperomandibular joint disorders and acoustic neuroma are also types of tinnitus causes although these are uncommon. Blood vessel disorders like hypertension, atherosclerosis and head/neck tumors can also cause these noises.
Stress and depression can aggravate tinnitus.

6. Medications: Certain medications have ringing in the ears as a side effect. Examples include diuretics, antibiotics, and aspirin in high doses.