so...what is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the term used for noises or sounds which are heard in one or both ears or in the head which do not come from an external source. They are often described as a high-pitched ringing but can also be described as a buzzing, hissing, pulsing, whistling, roaring, or various other sounds. Tinitus can be very mild in loudness and only noticeable in a quiet room/bedtime or it can become extremely loud and annoying to the point where the sufferer hears nothing else. It can be present all of the time, can be intermittent, and pulsing.

The loudness of the tinnitus some times varies in intensity depending on several factors such as stress, diet, noise exposure, etc. Tinnitus, like chronic pain, is subjective. Two people may report similar characteristics yet be affected in a significantly different manner. The severity of the tinitus is largely a function of the individual reaction to/or perception of, the tinitus. Many tinitus sufferers have difficulty sleeping and/or concentrating, and many are depressed.

As many as 10-15% of the adult population suffer from ringing in the ear (3 million Canadians) with more than 20% of these seeking help for the condition because it is so severe they are incapacitated (600,000 Canadians). While tinitus does not cause hearing loss, it may accompany decreased hearing and other symptoms such as a feeling of pressure in the ear and/or unsteadiness, dizziness or vertigo. But for many people with tinitus it occurs alone with no other symptoms.

In 1953 two researchers called Heller and Bergman put a group of young, healthy students in a soundproofed room. None of them had reported tinnitus or hearing loss. They were then asked to record what they could hear. Although none of them could hear any external sounds, nearly all of them reported hearing sounds and noises - the same as those reported by people with tinitus. This shows that in the right environment many people can experience the sounds of tinnitus.

The hearing pathway has a complex filtering system, which allows you to 'tune in' to sounds that have meaning to you and 'filter out' sounds that are not important to you. This system works all the time and stops you being bombarded with sound. Your brain also has systems that respond to the meaning of sound and help influence the way you filter it. Together these filters and response systems help to control how you react to sound. For example, if you hear your name at a party you will tune in to hear what is being said about you. This is because the sound of your name has lots of meaning for you.

Your hearing pathway, your filters and your sound response systems are all involved when you hear tinnitus. Firstly, a tinnitus signal is present, usually in your inner ear or the auditory nerve, but it could be anywhere within the hearing pathway. This is usually very weak and most people don’t notice it. However, if you become aware of tinnitus, this means your filters have started to pick up this signal. If you become anxious or annoyed by your tinnitus then your sound response systems will tune your filters into it and you will start to hear it more. The good news is that your filters and sound response systems can be taught to ignore the tinnitus signal- this process is called 'habituation'.