Understanding Tinnitus: The Phantom Sound in Your Ears

🔊Tinnitus is a medical disorder that causes a phantom sound in the ears and affects 50 million Americans

🧠The brain generates the sound of tinnitus, which can be a high-pitched tone, hissing, or cricket-like noise

🔇Tinnitus is often caused by loud noise exposure and stress

💊Research suggests that dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters associated with happiness, may play a role in tinnitus

⚡️Deep-brain stimulation, a treatment used for Parkinson's disease and major depression, shows promise in treating tinnitus

What is tinnitus?

—Tinnitus is a medical disorder that causes a ringing or phantom sound in the ears.

How common is tinnitus?

—Tinnitus affects about 50 million Americans, with 10 million suffering severely.

What causes tinnitus?

—Tinnitus is often caused by loud noise exposure and stress.

Is there a cure for tinnitus?

—At present, there is no cure for tinnitus, but research is ongoing to find effective treatments.

What are the treatment options for tinnitus?

—Treatment options for tinnitus include sound therapy, counseling, and in some cases, medication or deep-brain stimulation.

00:17Tinnitus is a medical disorder that affects 50 million Americans

02:05Loud noise exposure and stress are common causes of tinnitus

05:53Tinnitus is similar to phantom limb pain, with the brain generating the sensation

07:11Tinnitus involves the auditory cortex and higher brain functions

13:47Two regions in the brain, the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens, play a role in tinnitus