What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the medical term applied to noise which some people hear either in one or both ears or in their head. The noise originates within the ear rather than from an external source, and it can be difficult to pinpoint the location of the noise.

Common tinnitus noises heard include ringing (people commonly associate Tinnitus with a ringing in the ears), humming, buzzing, whistling or noises similar to running water or the ‘wooshing’ sound heard from a seashell held to the ear. The noise can be any pitch, and can either be continuous or intermittent.

Tinnitus sufferers can find it difficult to function on a day to day basis due to distraction caused by the noise, which they can find impossible to shut out. It can also prevent sleep and cause depression and affected quality of life. Tinnitus can also be associated with hearing loss.

The different forms of Tinnitus are;

Pulsatile or Pulsating Tinnitus, when the noises heard appear to beat in time with the pulse.

Tonal Tinnitus, which is the original ‘ringing in the ears’; this is usually a continuous sound, of the same pitch and intensity.

Tinnitus where the sufferer hears other types of noises, such as beeping, buzzing or whooshing sounds.

A rare form of tinnitus where the noises heard may be similar to musical notes or even songs, or the sufferer may experience more than one noise at the same time. A rarer form still is ‘Objective Tinnitus’, where the noises can be heard by others as well as the sufferer.

Tinnitus is more common than people realise, with a third of adults reporting tinnitus type symptoms. Although it is not a disease and not generally serious, it can cause great distress.