Your very own bells: Ringing in the ears

To some people, it sounds like a big old truck parked at the end of the block. To others, it’s a high-pitched whistle, a bass guitar, a rushing sound, a low-pitched bell, or even a familiar musical fragment, repeated over and over. Sometimes the noise is in rhythm with your heart. It gets worse when the house is quiet in the evening, when you’re trying to fall asleep. But sometimes it is so loud, you think everyone around you must be able to hear it.

It’s called tinnitus, and it most commonly develops with age. “Tinnitus is a head noise that varies in intensity from person to person, and within the same individual. It can seem to come from one side or the other, or even from the middle of the head, and it can be chronic or intermittent,” says Dr. Larry Duckert, UW professor of otolaryngology.

The disorder is often associated with a hearing loss. It can sometimes develop with the use of some medications. Check with your doctor or pharmacist, if you suspect this problem. For the most part, though, tinnitus is associated with inner ear problems, such as Meniere’s syndrome or exposure to loud noise.

Noise levels are now carefully monitored and controlled in most industrial settings, so dangerous noise levels are now found most often in recreational settings. “Any noise one would have to shout over is potentially damaging, so rock concerts, boom boxes, personal stereos with headsets, big sporting events, and the use of chainsaws, firearms, and unmuffled engines, like some motorboats, race cars, and motorcycles, can all damage hearing and result in tinnitus,” Duckert says.

Prevention seems to be the key to dealing with the problem. Unless tinnitus is related to a treatable disorder like Meniere’s syndrome, there is little doctors can do about it. “There is no generally agreed-upon medical or drug therapy that can be offered to eliminate the noise, and there is no surgical option. You cannot cut the hearing nerve to end the tinnitus, because it is imprinted on the brain - sort of like the phantom limb syndrome in amputees. What your ear doesn’t hear, and the brain doesn’t perceive, the brain will replace,” Duckert says.

If you have a severe case of tinnitus, some strategies may help. In many cases, treating the hearing loss by using a hearing aid will cut down on tinnitus. You may want to try turning on the radio as you go to bed, to mask the noise. You can also try using an electric fan or a white noise generator.

Increased stress levels can make tinnitus seem worse, so biofeedback, stress management, and other forms of behavioral adjustment can increase your tolerance for the irritating noise.