Sound Advice

The Physiology of Tinnitus

Although we have a pretty good understanding of the possible causes, triggers and exacerbates of tinnitus, we are not necessarily certain about what it is that is happening inside the ear or head that creates the perception of tinnitus in the first place. The physiology of tinnitus has been theorized in several different ways. One popular theory is that, with hearing loss, in the absence of sufficient external sound stimulation, the internal noise floor (or the sound of being alive) is uncovered. Therefore, the sound that is heard is the sound of the body carrying out its normal functions to sustain life. This theory would be a rather difficult thing to prove or disprove. Another popular theory suggests that damage in the inner ear leads to excessive firing of the ear’s neurons thereby resulting in the creation of a sound that is heard in the head. This explanation has been correlated to the “phantom limb” phenomenon, where an individual who loses a limb, such as an arm, reports a sensation that it is still present. This is because the parts of the brain that previously registered perceptions of the limb are still intact. Recent research has found similar responses for neural information from the ear. Using animal imaging studies, scientists have found over-representation of sound frequencies adjacent to areas of known damage in the ear. The disruption of these brain circuits leads to the perception of tinnitus. Perhaps this information will lead to more effective ways to treat tinnitus in humans.

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