Are You Suffering From Any of These Symptoms as a Result of Tinnitus? Call Today for a Consultation.
■ Mild to severe anxiety
■ Depression
■ Insomnia
■ Negative thinking
■ Triggered fight or flight
■ Crying spells
■ Hopelessness
■ Ringing in the ears
■ Suicidal thoughts
Are you growing more isolated? Do you feel like life will never be the same? Are you refraining from activities that you enjoy? Are you fearful of losing your job? Do you find that your thoughts tend to be negative?
If you answered yes to 3 or more of these questions or symptoms, then we can help. You may be a candidate for Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy, or TCRT.
With over 20 years of clinical experience, Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R developed Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy and founded the Tinnitus Cognitive Center™ in response to the growing number of Tinnitus sufferers coming to his private practice.
He discovered that by helping people to retrain and reinterpret the thoughts around their Tinnitus, anxiety and depression symptoms began to improve. But even more important so did the Tinnitus.
What are the most common tinnitus sounds? Many people around the world suffer from tinnitus, with 50 million adults in the US alone. Although people of different ages experience tinnitus at least once in their lifetime, it is most common in older adults. In fact, studies suggest that more than half of the affected people are adults over the age of 50. Not to mention, most of these people have suffered from this hearing condition for more than 5 years.
Let’s learn more about tinnitus and the most common sounds that tinnitus patients report hearing.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a common hearing condition in which the affected person hears sounds without an external source. This means that the sounds an affected person hears do not actually exist in the external world. You might be suffering from tinnitus if you think you hear sounds that others around you don’t.
Different people experience sounds of different quality, types, frequencies, and degrees of loudness. While most people report ringing in the ears, others also complain about whistling, chirping, hissing sounds, etc. That is not all; the sounds can be all steady or pulsating and intermittent or constant.
Not to forget, people’s experiences of tinnitus also differ from one another in terms of where they feel the sound the most. Some people hear the tinnitus sounds inside their head, while another affected person might hear distant tinnitus sounds. Furthermore, tinnitus can be both bilateral (ringing in both ears) and unilateral (ringing in one ear only).
Typically, tinnitus is most common among people with hearing loss. However, the main cause of tinnitus is uncertain. Besides, tinnitus can also be a result of various health issues and other conditions such as:
Cancer or tumor
Certain medications
Jaw joint dysfunction
Wax buildup
Cardiovascular disease
Chronic neck muscle strain
Head and neck injuries
Head and neck tumors and cancers
Benign cysts
Meniere’s disease
You might also experience tinnitus after being exposed to loud music. For example, attending a concert can trigger tinnitus for you. This should go away in a few days. However, treatment is necessary for tinnitus that prevails for long periods of time.
Types of Sounds
The experience of hearing tinnitus sounds varies from person to person. While some people experience one sound throughout their tinnitus, these sounds variably change and intertwine for others. People hear various sounds such as ringing, whooshing, sirens, static, roaring, pulsing, screeching, hissing, clicking, ocean waves, hissing, dial tones, etc. In rare cases, affected people also report hearing music and humming.
Each person experiences tinnitus differently with such a wide range of sound variety in tinnitus. At Tinnitus Cognitive Center, we understand that such differences require support, and we provide exactly that with our excellent treatment services.
Cases of tinnitus range from mild to severe, with people experiencing different intensities of sounds. Although the number of tinnitus sounds is uncertain, it largely depends on the type of tinnitus a person has.
The Four Different Types of Tinnitus based on Sounds
The four different types of sounds based on the variety of sounds are:
Subjective Tinnitus: The most common type of tinnitus, subjective tinnitus is usually a result of exposure to excessively loud noise. Generally, it may last for up to a year or even never stops in severe cases.
Neurological Tinnitus: Neurological Tinnitus is usually a symptom of other health disorders like Meniere’s disease. The latter affects the primary auditory functions of the brain.
Somatic Tinnitus: Somatic Tinnitus is associated with the body’s sensory system.
Objective Tinnitus: Objective Tinnitus is a rare type of tinnitus that is usually a result of vascular deformities or involuntary muscle contraction.
Common Tinnitus Sounds: Conclusion
Tinnitus sounds vary from person to person. However, they may depend on the four types of tinnitus: subjective tinnitus, neurological tinnitus, somatic tinnitus, and objective tinnitus.
If you think you might be experiencing tinnitus, you can visit us at the Tinnitus Cognitive Center™ in New York. Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R has over 20 years of experience and provides effective tinnitus retraining therapy. Give Stephen Katz a call today to book an online session and begin relieving yourself of this condition.
Tinnitus refers to a prevalent hearing disorder in which you hear strange and constant noises such as ringing, buzzing, whooshing, and so on in the ears. You might hear these strange, debilitating sounds constantly in one or both of your ears. However, you may not be able to find an external source for these sounds. This condition is “tinnitus.” Better known as “ringing in the year,” it occurs internally due to musculoskeletal or cardiovascular movement.
While these sounds cause you anxiety, depression, pain, and stress, people around you might not even get a hint of the sound. Experts refer to this type as “subjective tinnitus.” On the other hand, if people in close proximity to you can listen or feel the sound closely, experts call it “objective tinnitus.” Although it is usually a sign of aging, it can occur due to underlying serious medical issues as well.
Symptoms of Tinnitus and Sound Disorders
The most common symptom of tinnitus that many people mention is ringing in the ears. Nevertheless, there is a broad range of these strange noises and sounds that can affect your daily life. Here are some:
Roaring
Clicking
Whistling
Buzzing
Whooshing
Humming
Hissing
Normally, people affected with tinnitus experience the subjective type, in which they are the only ones who can hear these constant noises and sounds. These noises range between high and low in terms of pitches. Often, they may be as disturbing as a constantly high-pitched squeal. Therefore, you may understand how devastating their impact on a person’s lifestyle may be. The sounds can be loud enough to obstruct your concentration and rest. In some cases, they may interfere with your ability to hear external sounds.
Rare cases of sound disorders and tinnitus can result in whooshing and rhythmic pulsing noises. This occurs in a type of tinnitus known as “pulsatile tinnitus.” The noise, in this case, beats rhythmically with your pulse and may also be perceivable by another person examining you.
General Causes of Tinnitus and Sound Disorders | Buzzing in the Ear
There are various health conditions that experts believe lead to hearing loss and tinnitus alike. While there is no concrete evidence as to how these interconnect, they do affect tinnitus and worsen it in many cases. The general causes include:
Hearing loss: Cochlea deformity due to several medical reasons, including any accidents or injuries.
Ear infections: Probably due to ear wax buildup or bacteria accumulation that harms the health of the inner parts of one or both of your ears.
Medications: Specific medicinal drugs have a health effect that often impacts your ears’ inner condition adversely. Consulting your previous medications with your doctor can help to determine whether it is a cause of tinnitus in your ear.
Neck and head injuries: These pertain to damage to the internal sound-sensitive organs in one or both of your ears which results in hearing disability and tinnitus.
When is Immediate Medical Care Imperative?
You might not know when your hearing has worsened until you experience chronic symptoms. Speaking of sound disorders like tinnitus, you should know the right time to procure medical attention. While it is best to seek early treatments and diagnosis when experiencing acute to mild symptoms, you should seek medical care when the sounds become constant, high-pitched, frequent, and/or vary in pattern.
Furthermore, if tinnitus is starting to affect your daily life, such as when you are not able to comprehend external sounds, concentrate, or suffer from anxiety (or any other psychological issue), you should seek medical care.
In addition, if you feel dizzy, light-headed, or become depressed, you should immediately see a medical expert for quick treatment and long-term evaluation.
What Treatments are Available for Sound Disorders and Tinnitus?
Medication
Your doctor might prescribe antibiotic ear drops, anti-inflammatory pills/ear drops, and similar medication to help alleviate the discomfort and symptoms. Though, remember that tinnitus is mostly incurable, so you can’t expect the medication to cure it instantly. Aside from that, your doctor may also advise prescription drugs to counter anxiety and depression.
TRT (Tinnitus Retraining Therapy)
TRT treatment works in conjunction with and presence of an audiologist who is an auditory expert. The main concept of this treatment method is to combine the most effective approaches: professional counseling and the use of sound-minimizing/masking devices along. The sound masking decreases your attention and bothersome awareness towards tinnitus noises, while the directive counseling helps you ignore them.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT Therapy is also a form of counseling that requires a trained psychologist or similar professional. They help you define your thought process on tinnitus noises that leads to anger, anxiety, depression, and other effects. From then on, they help you construct a thought process of your own that is less bothered by tinnitus noises. Hence, you ignore the noises and perceive them as neutral sounds.
Buzzing in the Ears: Conclusion
Are you or a loved one currently experiencing tinnitus symptoms? If so, you should get in touch with Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R at the Tinnitus Cognitive Center™, who specializes in dealing with tinnitus and related health conditions.
Give us a call to set an appointment for an online consultation or treatment today.
Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R 19 West 34th Street Penthouse Floor New York, NY 10001 646-213-2321
Tinnitus and High Pitched Frequencies definitely go together as the noises you hear due to Tinnitus range from very low to high frequencies. Sometimes, sounds tend to get so disturbing that they affect your day-to-day chores and responsibilities. Tinnitus is a very common symptom that people experience before suffering from hearing loss. Nonetheless, there are many other reasons why this symptom aggravates.
Tinnitus is the tingling sound you feel in your ear, sometimes accompanied by other repetitive sounds. Sure, at the moment, even another person can hear the same sound, but this is very rare. To know if you have tinnitus and the symptoms of it, read further below.
Tinnitus itself is a symptom, as many people perceive it as a disease. When you have tinnitus, you will experience different internal sounds in the ear that create a ringing sound. The ringing sound is the most common, but there are also other sounds such as humming, hissing, clicking, buzzing, and roaring. The intensity of these sounds can vary as they start with a low pitch before reaching high frequencies. These sounds interfere with your ability to hear properly and concentrate on other sounds in the environment, such as the sound of another person speaking. Sometimes, you may also experience whooshing sounds that go along with your heartbeat. Pulsatile tinnitus is when the person standing next to you can hear the sounds as well, and it signals that you should undergo a proper medical examination.
Causes of Tinnitus
There are many different causes of tinnitus, but further research is needed to identify the main causes behind this symptom. Mentioned below are a few common causes of tinnitus:
Consumption of Medicines
Certain types of medication could lead to tinnitus or even make the condition worse. This usually happens when you consume high amounts of antibiotics and aspirin. In most cases, the noise subsides when you stop taking the medication. Many other drugs, such as antidepressants, water pills, and cancer medication, can cause tinnitus.
Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a major health condition that occurs when the hair cells in your inner ear break away. The movement of these hair cells triggers the brain to hear sounds. These hair cells tend to grow weak or break due to old age or injuries due to exposure to excessively loud sounds. Consequently, they leak and send electrical impulses to your brain.
Ear Wax Blockage
When a lot of wax gathers in your ear, your ear canals tend to suffer from blockage, which leads to tinnitus. This also means dirt and other materials accumulating in your ear, causing an ear blockage.
Injuries
Head and neck injuries are another possible cause of tinnitus that causes trauma in your inner ear. This trauma leads to ear nerves suffering from damage, eventually causing tinnitus.
Sometimes, your ear bone structure may suffer from changes. When this happens, the bones in your middle ear start growing stiff. This stiffness may sometimes occur also due to abnormal bone growth, which is a genetic condition, and it ultimately leads to tinnitus.
Tinnitus High Pitched Frequencies: The Right Time to Get Medical Help
Sometimes, tinnitus can get so extreme that you require professional medical help to deal with symptoms. When you are experiencing a progression in hearing loss or start feeling dizzy, it’s a sign that you should get some medical help. A person with tinnitus is prone to severe mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. This feeling grows worse with time, as without proper mental well-being, it’s not possible to control the symptoms of tinnitus. Instead, it can take over your daily functioning, inhibiting day-to-day activities. This is a sign that you must consult a doctor, and he/she will provide adequate treatments for tinnitus.
Tinnitus High Pitched Frequencies: Final Thoughts
For sure, tinnitus and high pitched frequencies are linked with each other, and the moment you start hearing these high-frequency sounds, it’s time to get medical help. The causes are right in front of you and might give you an idea as to why you may be experiencing tinnitus. But it’s best to go to a professional and find out more about your symptoms. Tinnitus is a serious symptom, and it’s important that you achieve the right care.
The tinnitus sounds can be of varying types. There is no specific guideline for recognition of tinnitus sounds. But according to the type of sound experience during tinnitus, various categories have been made to distinguish between different types of tinnitus.
Tinnitus considered as the melodious sound in medical terminology. The common type of symptomatic sound people experience is whooshing, buzzing and ringing. The sound is said to appear by the varying physical movement. Some people encounter sound by simple head shake while a lot of victims experience the sudden occurrence of noises in the ear without any movement.
Type of sounds you may experience in tinnitus
Pulsatile Tinnitus and Its Sound
This type of sound synchronizes with your heartbeat. The Pulsatile tinnitus forces you to listen to heartbeat rate and always intimate you to aware of blood flow rate. This even provides you the feeling of blood flow changes via sounds.
Musical Tinnitus and Its Sound
Musical sound is also known as hallucination and false auditory exposure. This musical tinnitus occurs in people who experience hearing disability in the past. This false rhythmic sound created by victim auditory response and sometimes people experience multiple choirs tones in a melodious form. It also appears in people who have no previous hearing disability but the probability of occurrence increase in noise sensitive people.
Low-Frequency Tinnitus and Its Sound
The low-frequency tinnitus is quite puzzling in which the victim find difficulty in understanding the internal and external sounds. However, the tone of the sound seems as that the low octaves is playing on the piano and imitate as murmuring, rumbling, humming and deep droning. This type of tinnitus can be hazardous as it can reduce your cognitive ability and concentration because in this case your ear unable to differentiate surrounds sounds.
Subjective Tinnitus and Its Sound
In this type of tinnitus, you may experience very long episodes of sounds. Subjective tinnitus enables you to hear intense exposure of sounds. The frequent sufferer of this type of tinnitus is recommended to wear hearing aids to avoid intermittent ringing and buzzing. This annoying ringing sensation can cause trouble in your daily activity as it outstrips internal and environmental noises.
Somatic Tinnitus and Its Sound
Somatic tinnitus usually occurs by physical movement and stimulus. It is often caused by a dental problem and by muscle deformity. But this type of tinnitus can be avoided by adopting few preventive measures such as sound therapy and other hypnosis techniques.
