Tinnitus: What Hearing Impaired People Actually DO Hear

Have you ever heard ringing in your ears that no one else can hear? If so, you probably have tinnitus (ti-night-us). Tinnitus affects over 50 million Americans and unfortunately, there is no cure. Tinnitus is not a standalone condition though. If you have tinnitus, it’s because you also have some kind of damage in your ears. While the main cause of tinnitus is hearing loss, it can occur due to many ear/hearing issues.

There are two forms of tinnitus. The first is subjective tinnitus which account for over 99% of tinnitus cases. This means that the ringing or noise is only heard by the person themselves, and not by anyone else.

The other form is objective tinnitus. This is when the noises are heard by other people as well the person. This happens when parts of the ear are damaged and they start to make noises. These sounds won’t be heard by the general public, but can be heard by doctors.

The noises are most commonly referred to as ringing, but it doesn’t have to be. It can also be perceived as bells, whistles, buzzing, or even musical sounds. They can be at any noise level, including really soft noise or a really loud noise.

It can also occur for no reason and without any warning. It’s happened to me while sitting in class, driving down the road, and while eating dinner. However, it most commonly (and most definitely will) occur after a loud, continuous noise such as a concert or a school bell. It can also happen if you happen to get slapped on the ear!

Tinnitus is not only really annoying, but it can make it even harder to hear (as if hearing loss alone wasn’t enough!). If you are unaware of what it is, it can make you think you are hearing things in real life. Hearing aids and cleaning your ears regularly can help a little bit, but as stated, there is no cure. However, for most people, it is not a continuous symptom. It comes and goes. As always, it’s important to take care of your ears and avoid places/noises that awaken your tinnitus.

Click here for examples of what tinnitus sounds like.

Note: If you have a hearing loss or tinnitus already, do not listen to the examples. The sound will stay in your ear and kick start your tinnitus symptoms. Not speaking from experience or anything (ha!). Plus, you already know what it sounds like!

#tinnitus #ringinginears