Most people have experienced what we call tinnitus at some point in their lives. Tinnitus is a subjective, phantom sound your brain produces in response to change in auditory sensation. Occasional onsets of tinnitus typically occur after being exposed to damaging levels of loud noise, for example at a concert or construction worksite. At first, these instances of ringing or buzzing might resolve within a few hours. However, tinnitus can become permanent and some will experience it constantly, a potentially bothersome problem.

Why do I get tinnitus?

Tinnitus is most often a symptom of auditory damage, typically associated with a loss of hearing. Most hearing loss occurs in the high-frequency sounds and therefore people often describe their tinnitus as a high-pitched ringing, buzzing or cicada-like noise. When we test your hearing, we expect the pitch where your hearing is the worst to sound similar to your perceived tinnitus. Think of tinnitus like phantom limb pain – if you have an amputated limb, you might “feel” pain stemming from the lost limb. This is your brain trying to reconnect what it has lost. Tinnitus is exactly the same. The ringing or buzzing you hear is not a measurable sound, rather it is your clever brain trying to fill in the signals you have lost.

If you have any questions or concerns, talk to your audiologist today.

For more information on this and other hearing issues, contact the team at Wanaka Hearing, Wanaka Lakes Health Centre, tel: 03 443 0744, email: [email protected].