Everyone Has Tinnitus

Image of neon words "and breathe" placed in foliage; tinnitus acceptance concept

More than 60 years ago, an experiment proved that nearly everyone has tinnitus.

In 1953 Heller and Bergman performed an simple and classic experiment. They placed 80 tinnitus-free individuals (university members) in a soundproof room for 5 minutes each, asking them to report on any sounds that might be heard. The subjects thought they might be undergoing a hearing test, but actually experienced 5 minutes of total silence.

A full 93% reported hearing buzzing, pulsing, whistling sounds in the head or ears identical to those reported by tinnitus sufferers.

This simple experiment shows almost anyone can detect background electrical activity present in every living nerve cell in the hearing pathways as a sound. Although some areas of the auditory system may be more active than others, every neuron will contribute to some extent to the final perception of tinnitus.

It's your reaction to the sound or sounds that is so distressing. If you are able to accept the sounds as non-threatening and just part of who you are, you will soon become so habituated to it that the noise will become barely audible to you.

Resisting the noises of tinnitus obviously means you are focused on the sounds, including the levels and pitches of those sounds, the frequency and duration of them, and so on. However, since you can't get rid of sounds that are actually generated by your hearing system, you change what you can -- your reaction to them.

When you truly understand that your tinnitus will not go away and that it is not a condition that is life-threatening, you can learn to accept it and ultimately become indifferent to it. Certainly all the usual methods of control like using white noise or listening to a radio to focus your attention elsewhere can be helpful, but your ultimate goal is to learn to listen through the noise.

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Can Allergies Cause Tinnitus?

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Medications Can Worsen Tinnitus Symptoms

Some common medications can actually heighten the ringing and whistling noises in your head and ears. Tinnitus sufferers have found this out to their dismay, and warn others to be wary of large dosages (in excess of 600 mg) of Ibuprofen, for instance, and even to be careful when taking aspirin. In fact, there are people who insist that certain medications don't just make the condition worse, but can actually cause tinnitus. If you have tinnitus and are also taking antibiotics or other medications (even over-the-counter meds) for any medical condition -- running the gamut from arthritis to clinical depression (Prozac's frequently cited) -- let your doctor know. You should also monitor yourself with a daily record of medicines taken and tinnitus levels. You might be surprised to learn that some items known to worsen tinnitus include toothpastes (especially for sensitive gums), antacid tablets, Pepto Bismol, Kaopectate and Pepcid. Click here for a comprehensive list o

Try Saline When Your Hearing Is Muffled After Loud Noise Exposure

If you've got temporary hearing loss or tinnitus after being at a loud concert or sports event, you may be able to fix it -- if you act fast. A 2021 Keck Medicine of USC study published in Science Daily has found that the nerve damage to the inner ear caused by loud noises is basically a build up of fluids. Treating that "fluid buildup with a readily available saline solution lessened nerve damage in the inner ear." A previous study by the same otolaryngologist showed that inner ear fluid level is not affected until noises reach 100 decibels, which is how loud a motorcycle is. "When researchers applied hypertonic saline, a salt-based solution used to treat nasal congestions in humans, into affected ears one hour after the noise exposure, both the immediate fluid buildup and the long-term nerve damage lessened, implying that the hearing loss could be at least partially prevented." The benefits of this knowledge are twofold: 1. If fluid buildup can be measured,

Tinnitus Help - Stop the Ringing in Your Ears

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