Ringing In Your Ears? What Tinnitus Sounds Like, Types & Causes

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Tinnitus is thought to affect between 15-20% of the population, or around 749 million people worldwide. It’s a well-known condition but there’s more to it than just a ringing in the ears. Here’s a look at what tinnitus is, the causes, symptoms, types and treatments. 

What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a noise you can hear without any external stimulus causing the sound. You might hear it in one or both ears, and most cases of tinnitus can only be heard by the person experiencing it.

What causes tinnitus? Tinnitus is usually a secondary condition caused by an underlying condition. For instance, circulatory problems, otosclerosis, ageing, TMJ, ear infections, head and neck injuries, blocked ears, and hearing loss might all lead to tinnitus. It’s thought that around 90% of those with tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss, putting the elderly and people with occupations and interests involving loud sound at greater risk, like those around music or chain saws. It’s also thought that over 200 different drugs can cause tinnitus, from aspirin and chemotherapy treatments to diuretics and antibiotics.

The experience of this condition varies between people in terms of frequency, sound type, longevity, cause, volume and impact on life. 

Symptoms – What Does Tinnitus Sound Like?

The noise might be continual or intermittent. It might be short term and temporary, or long term and ongoing. It might be situational or the result of an underlying condition. It might sound very quiet or it might be obnoxiously loud.

When thinking about tinnitus, a ringing sound is the first thing that usually comes to mind. While that’s a popular experience, it’s not always a ringing that people hear. The noise could sound very different, for instance : 

• Whistling
• Buzzing
• Hissing
• Clicking
• Music
• Humming
• Pulsating heartbeat 
• Throbbing
• Roaring
• Whooshing

The volume of the phantom sounds you hear may be enhanced when there’s less background noise. Reading a book quietly at home or settling down to sleep at night means there’s no noise around you to mask these phantom sounds. 

The severity and impact of this condition can vary greatly. It can be a low-key sound from time to time that can be easily ignored, or it can be a loud ringing that’s constantly noticeable and disruptive. At the more severe end of the scale, it can have a knock-on effect to relationships, work, home life and mental health, leading to or worsening the likes of anxiety, frustration and depression. 

It’s thought that certain triggers might worsen the phantom sounds you hear, like smoking, alcohol or caffeinated beverages. While not explicable yet by science, some people find stress to be a factor. 

The Different Types Of Tinnitus 

There are a few different types of tinnitus to explain different causes and symptoms. For instance : 

Subjective Tinnitus –

This is the most common form of the condition where only you can hear the sounds. Subjective tinnitus is often caused by external exposure to loud sounds. Most forms of tinnitus are referred to as subjective.

Objective Tinnitus –

As opposed to subjective, where only you can hear the sounds, objective tinnitus can be heard by others. This is usually via a stethoscope and might be the result of an inner ear tube problem or blood flow issue. 

Somatic (or Conductive) Tinnitus –

This is usually the result of physical movements of the body, like the jaw, neck, teeth and ears. Muscle spasms, twisting, dental issues and TMJ can all lead to somatic tinnitus.

Sensory Tinnitus –

This is a particularly common type of subjective tinnitus caused by an impairment in the auditory system. It can be a side-effect of disorders affecting the way in which the brain processes sound. 

Pulsatile Tinnitus –

This is a more rhythmic type of sound that usually mimics your heartbeat. It may sound pulsating but with a whooshing, muffled or roaring edge to it. Pulsatile tinnitus might be caused by blood vessel problems, intercranial hypertension (pressure buildup inside the skull), or inner ear problems. I’ve lived with pulsatile tinnitus for a few years now and it can be very off-putting, being more noticeable when I lie down and very disruptive when trying to sleep. 

Bilateral Tinnitus –

Tinnitus that affects or can be heard in both ears.

Unilateral Tinnitus –

Tinnitus that affects or can be heard in only one ear. 

What Causes Tinnitus?

There are a number of potential causes of tinnitus and it’s important to get checked out by a doctor or ENT specialist to assess your specific situation.

These are some of potential causes : 

• Hearing loss, which may or may not be noticed by the individual. For instance, high-pitch loss can go unnoticed but lead to tinnitus. Loss may be due to loud noise exposure, age or other factors.
• Certain medications may damage the ear or cause tinnitus, such as chemotherapy drugs, particular antibiotics, antidepressants and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories).
• Underlying medical conditions may lead to or contribute to tinnitus, such as thyroid conditions, neurological conditions, diabetes and even anaemia/iron deficiency.
• Ear infections. 
• A build up of ear wax.
• Meniere’s Disease, which can be a result of abnormal inner ear fluid pressure.
• Muscle spasms in the inner ear. 
• Eustachian tube dysfunction or blockage.
• Injuries around the head, ears and neck.
• A problem with the very small bones in the ear, known as otosclerosis.
• Cardiovascular or blood vessel issues can lead to certain types of tinnitus, such as pulsatile tinnitus.
• Growths and tumours.

Often there’s no particular cause identified for individuals, which can be very frustrating.

In some cases, individuals may find certain triggers make tinnitus worse. Anxiety, depression or stress are probably the most common aspects that people find worsen tinnitus or the impact tinnitus has on their life, and such things may be improved to some degree with psychological therapy or lifestyle changes. 

What Are The Treatments For Tinnitus?

While there’s no single treatment for tinnitus itself, many people will benefit from the underlying condition being treatment. For instance, suction for ear wax removal, medications for high blood pressure or changing medications for drug-induced tinnitus. If an underlying problem can’t be found or treated, there are ways to try to mask the sound and make it less disruptive. 

Management and masking treatments can include the likes of sound maskers you wear behind your ears, noise machines, retraining therapy, massage therapy (for somatic forms), hearing aids, relaxation therapy and medications. 

Psychological therapy may also help with managing the impact tinnitus has on your life. It should not be ignored that tinnitus can affect mental health and relationships with others, so please seek support if you need it. Your doctor may be able to refer to a local support group or you could find online support and forums from the comfort of your own home.

Think You Might Be Affected?

There are a few things to ask yourself if you’re wondering whether you might have tinnitus. 

Do you hear sounds like ringing or humming that others can’t hear? Do you have risk factors, such as with age, lifestyle and occupation? Do you take medications that might cause the condition? Do you have an ear wax build up? Have you sustained any head or neck injuries? Do you have jaw problems like TMJ or teeth grinding? Do you get migraines, and if so are the noises apparent only during an attack? Do you have a virus or ear infection? 

The best thing to do if you’re experiencing what might be tinnitus is to speak to your GP. A doctor should be able to ask you questions about your symptoms and go through some basic tests to make a diagnosis, or they may order additional imaging studies to rule out other possibilities. 

It’s a good idea to think about your experience so you can answer their questions as it can be hard to think on the spot. What does it sound like, how often has it been going on, does it vary over time, have you noticed any triggers, is it one ear or both?

Often, patients will be referred to a specialist, such as an ENT (ears, nose and throat) practitioner for further investigation.

Do you or someone you know live with tinnitus? Have you found any management techniques helpful?

Caz  ♥

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