No one can agree on what tinnitus sounds like (just like they can’t agree on how it’s pronounced). It’s commonly described as “ringing in the ears,” but there’s much more variability than that. In fact, one frustration of many sufferers of tinnitus is that they struggle to describe what it is they hear when they experience tinnitus. Understanding tinnitus, how it occurs and what factors might change its sound are critical for identifying and managing your tinnitus.
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the perception of sound without an external source. It ranges in severity from mild to debilitating, and it affects more than 50 million Americans. Despite its prevalence, everyone experiences tinnitus differently.
Tinnitus itself is not a condition or a disease. Instead, it’s a symptom of some other condition, such as hearing loss, loud noise exposure, head or neck trauma or changes within the auditory system. Since it has so many possible causes, tinnitus can be hard to evaluate, and it can change how it sounds.
What Can Tinnitus Sound Like?
As said above, “ringing” is the word most commonly used to describe what tinnitus sounds like, but it has also been described as:
- Buzzing
- Hissing
- Whistling
- Humming
- Roaring
- Clicking
- Crackling
- Whooshing
And these are just a few! Some people even hear music notes. Tinnitus can sound like many different things.
What Causes Differences in Tinnitus Sounds?
The cause of tinnitus is a major factor in what tinnitus sounds like. Based on what causes your tinnitus, some subtypes may inform what you hear.
- Somatic tinnitus. Also known as conductive or somatosensory tinnitus, somatic tinnitus is associated with body movement and contact. Tinnitus sounds will change pitch or volume when you move your body in a certain way or touch a specific point on your body.
- Sensory tinnitus. This type of tinnitus occurs in conjunction with a neurological disorder. Because it is intrinsically connected to the neurological system, the auditory processing center in the brain is affected, and it may produce phantom sounds.
- Pulsatile tinnitus. This rare form of tinnitus isn’t actually a phantom sound; instead, it has a physical source: your heartbeat. In the case of pulsatile tinnitus, you hear the blood whooshing near your ear.
- Hearing loss. If sound information isn’t routing properly from your ear to the brain, your brain may try to fill in the blanks of what it cannot hear, creating tinnitus.
How to Manage Tinnitus
Your first step is to get a tinnitus evaluation and determine, if possible, the cause of your tinnitus. Then your audiologist will help you develop a customized tinnitus management plan. This may include sound therapy, hearing aids, or lifestyle changes, depending on the underlying cause. Contact Kampsen Hearing today to learn more.