Tinnitus
The perception of ringing or buzzing without an external source, with severity driven by distress rather than loudness — underlying causes assessed first.
What it is
Tinnitus is the perception of ringing, buzzing, or other noise without a corresponding external sound source. It is classified in several ways — subjective (heard only by the patient, the large majority of cases) or objective, pulsatile or non-pulsatile, and acute or chronic — and severity correlates more with the distress and functional impact it causes than with its loudness. Underlying audiological or neurological causes are assessed first, since tinnitus is a symptom rather than a single disease.
Common symptoms & concerns
- Recent-onset (acute) tinnitus, often following noise exposure, ear infection, or a stress event
- Chronic tinnitus persisting beyond the initial period, frequently accompanied by anxiety, concentration difficulty, or sleep disruption
- Distress and functional impact that doesn't necessarily track with how loud the sound is perceived to be
- Measurable impact on concentration, short-term memory, or mood in more severe presentations
Assessment & care
Assessment approach
Assessment identifies any underlying audiological or neurological cause first, since tinnitus is a symptom rather than a single disease, before habituation-focused care is planned.
In-scope care
In-scope care includes taVNS and biofeedback-based habituation training, with mind-body practices available for the distress component that often drives severity more than the sound itself. taVNS targets the neural pathway implicated in tinnitus perception while biofeedback and mind-body work address the distress response.
Treatments used
Related questions
Not necessarily. Severity tends to correlate more with the distress and functional impact tinnitus causes than with how loud it's perceived to be.
There is currently no established cure. Care typically focuses on habituation training and reducing the distress response rather than eliminating the sound itself.
Acute tinnitus is recent-onset, often following noise exposure or a stress event, with a higher chance of resolving, while chronic tinnitus persists longer and is often accompanied by anxiety or sleep disruption.