The 4 Different Types of Tinnitus

Tinnitus is most commonly described as the experience of sounds that aren’t perceivable to others, whether they are something experienced in your ears or in your head. In most cases, tinnitus will go away within 24 hours but, in others, it can become a chronic nuisance. Research into tinnitus is constantly ongoing, with no cure known as of yet.

That said, there are a variety of treatments that can offer relief. Because tinnitus is not a specific condition, but rather a symptom with multiple types, getting to know these types can help an audiologist better recommend treatments that might work for you.

The Main Different Types of Tinnitus

Every individual’s experience of tinnitus is different, which can make it a complex symptom to treat. Some people experience it only at certain times of day or in certain environments, while for others, it is always there to some degree. There are also different types that can be defined as subjective, objective, neurological and somatic. Here, we’re going to look at the primary types of tinnitus, and what sets them apart.

Subjective

The most common cause of tinnitus is exposure to excessive levels of noise, with anything over 75 decibels putting the individual at some level of risk. Subjective tinnitus is the type that is most commonly caused by this condition and can only be heard by the person affected by them, usually as a ringing or whistling sound, though others can present. This type of tinnitus may appear suddenly and disappear just as quickly, but there is no guarantee on when it will stop.

Neurological

This type of tinnitus is typically caused by disorders that affect how the brain processes auditory stimuli. One of the most common conditions that can be the cause of this type of tinnitus is Meniere’s disease.

Somatic

Technically a type of subjective tinnitus, this form is typically associated with some of the disorders that affect the sensory system. This type can be caused or linked to disorders affecting parts of the body that can alter the somatic signals, such as muscle spasms in the neck, jaw and head.

Objective

As the name implies, this is the only type of tinnitus that could potentially be heard by an outside observer. This type of tinnitus is rarer than the others and is usually linked to muscle contractions or vascular deformities. Unlike most types of tinnitus, this one often goes away entirely when the root cause of treated.

There are also some specific types of tinnitus that don’t fit the definitions of the primary four types above, but you might have heard people refer to them before. They include the following:

• Musical tinnitus: This type isn’t very common but can sound like a melody due to different tones of sound playing together or sequentially.
• Pulsatile tinnitus: This type of tinnitus is rhythmic as well, but tends to follow the beating of the heart and can sometimes be caused or linked to changes in blood pressure.
• Low-frequency tinnitus: One of the more difficult types of tinnitus to notice as it can be difficult to tell where the sound is coming from. These are low sounds, such as humming’s or deep rumblings that tend to be most prominent at night or when it’s quiet.

Can You Get Help with Your Tinnitus?

With tinnitus, there is no guarantee that it will ever go away completely, but at the same time, a lot of people do experience it reducing or finding ways of mitigating the harm it can do to their quality of life. With the help of an audiologist, you can work through a range of treatments that might work for you, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), tinnitus retraining therapy, using masking devices and biofeedback.

Amongst the various treatment options that are available, it can be difficult to tell which one will work for any individual. Even within the different types of tinnitus, every patient is different. The best way to start narrowing down your options and to have the best chance of finding the one or combination that works for you is to make an appointment with your audiologist.

Aside from recommending treatments that can help to reduce the impact of tinnitus on your life, your audiologist can also help you discover whether it’s linked to inner-ear hearing impairment and whether a hearing aid might improve your quality of life greatly. To that end, get in touch with the team at Arkansas Professional Hearing Care and see how we can help you. Call us at (501) 588-0177 and we can help you start the journey toward better hearing health.