Understanding Tinnitus and Its Symptoms

The initial cause of tinnitus can vary; however, the #1 cause (by a landslide!) is aging, followed by noise exposure, either a single intense noise (like a shotgun blast) or long-term exposure either from work or play (musicians, concert attendees, carpenters, machinists, landscapers, etc.), medication, and virus (i.e., Covid). Regardless of the cause, the underlying pathology in almost every person is the same – a breakdown of the neural integrity of connections between the ear and brain (the ear-to-brain connections). Keep reading to begin understanding tinnitus.

 But why is tinnitus so different in every person? 

 The simple answer is that it is a personal perception, i.e., it is a subjective experience. Thus, it will be different for everybody. The experience of tinnitus will vary greatly depending on where exactly the damage is, what caused the damage and, believe it or not, how the person copes with the experience of tinnitus. Yes, a person’s coping skills and history of mental illness, depression, and anxiety all factor into the perception of tinnitus and the extent to which it impacts a person’s life.