Deep Down

According to tinnitus expert, Dr. Abraham Shulman, Tinnitus is “A disorder of auditory perception due to an altered state of excitation/inhibition in neuronal networks resulting in a dysynchrony of neuronal signaling. The underlying mechanism is that dysynchronization, that is, a lack of synchrony or interference in timing of the discharge rate and phase locking of the auditory signal having a location peripheral, central or both” (International Tinnitus Journal, Shulman, 1995)

In his book Tinnitus, Turning the Volume Down: A Decade of Specific Proven Strategies for quieting the Noise in Your Head, Kevin Hogan uses lay language to describe tinnitus as “any noise produced in either the ear and/or the unconscious portions of the brain that is experienced, in large part, from the conscious portion of the mind spending time in a feedback loop that is constantly moving from hearing noise to experiencing negative emotions, ad infinitum.”

In simpler term, my version, tinnitus is inner noise, a buzz, a hissing, a ringing, that is heard as if in your ear. (I say “as if” because I think it actually ringing in your head.)