The 4 Different Types of Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the word we use to refer to sounds coming from an internal source inside the body, particularly when there’s no external source around to make them. It’s much more common than many realize – nearly 50 million people in the United States alone report symptoms, and can interrupt daily activities and cause stress to those who develop it. 

If you’re one such person, knowing what type of tinnitus you’re living with can be incredibly helpful. And when it comes to living with tinnitus, most people have one of four major types, including: 

• Subjective
• Somatic
• Neurological
• Objective

When talking to a hearing instrument specialist (HIS), you can ask for clarity around your own experience with tinnitus and specific advice for your day-to-day life. But in the meantime, let’s go over these four types, including why they occur and how they can affect someone. 

How Does Tinnitus Occur?

Tinnitus is caused by the bending, breaking, or otherwise misshaping of the fine hairs within your inner ear. These hairs pick up the sounds and translate it to the brain, and when they’ve been damaged in some way, they can randomly instruct the brain to hear things when nothing is there. 

This commonly results in someone hearing ‘ringing’ on a regular basis. However, tinnitus can also sound like a whooshing, a low droning, a murmuring, a buzzing, and various other low background noises that have no external cause. 

In most situations, tinnitus can be caused by repeated exposure to loud sounds, such as music or construction activity. If you’re a fan of using earphones or going to loud concerts, or you work in a field with heavy machinery, you’re likely to experience a form of tinnitus if no protective equipment is available for use. 

Subjective

This is the most often seen type of tinnitus by hearing aid specialists all over the world. It’s common thanks to the relatively easy nature in which it is picked up: exposure to loud noise. It can come and go and last anywhere between a couple of months to a couple of years, and in some cases may never quite disappear entirely. Most often described as a ‘ringing in the ears,’ this type of tinnitus can only be heard by the person experiencing it. 

Somatic

Somatic tinnitus is a form of subjective tinnitus, and can either be caused or exacerbated by the somatosensory system. Most often attributed to muscle spasms in the neck and jaw, this type of tinnitus usually occurs when sensory signals are interrupted throughout the cervical spine area. 

Neurological

This form of tinnitus relates back to the brain, and is caused by a disorder that a person is already living with. The auditory systems within the brain are once again affected, but through an internal cause, rather than via the ear canal sending out ‘faulty’ signals. 

Objective

This is the rarest form of tinnitus we know about. Objective tinnitus can be heard by other people. However, it’s not something a stranger walking past would be able to pick up on. Usually, it can be immediately noticed by a hearing professional using specific equipment. 

This tinnitus type is most often caused by involuntary muscle spasms or some issue with the vascular system in the upper body. This is the one form of tinnitus that can be cured via medical intervention, usually through fixing the muscle or vascular issue that’s causing it. 

Understanding your tinnitus

If you experience a persistent ringing, buzzing, whooshing or murmuring in the ears, it’s likely you have a form of the tinnitus mentioned above. Talking to a hearing care professional will help you to understand what form of tinnitus you have, and the next steps to take to control it. 

Talk to Galco Hearing Aid Service

Tinnitus can be a challenge when you’re not sure what you’re dealing with. But at Galco Hearing Aid Service, you can book an appointment with an experienced and well-trained HIS to investigate. We will talk to you about the kinds of symptoms you are experiencing and work with you to determine if you could benefit from hearing aids equipped with masking features.   

If that sounds like the kind of solution you’re seeking, feel free to get in touch via our website, or by calling (281) 245-0520. We understand the significant impact tinnitus can have on the way you enjoy your life, and would be happy to discuss the numerous relief options available to you.