The Buzz About Tinnitus
Do your ears constantly ring or buzz? You may be one of over 50 million Americans who experience tinnitus.
In this Q&A, originally published in Porch + Prairie Magazine, Dr. Grace Gore Sturdivant of OtoPro Technologies breaks down what tinnitus is, why it happens, and what you can do about it.
Tinnitus is not generated by the ear — it is produced by the brain in response to changes in auditory input. When noise damages the hair cells responsible for certain frequencies, the region of the brain that expected that input begins producing a phantom signal in its place. That is the ringing, buzzing, or hissing you hear. The condition affects people differently: for some it is occasional and mild, for others it becomes a persistent presence that disrupts sleep, concentration, and quality of life. There is no cure, but the experience of tinnitus is highly modifiable — particularly when you understand what the brain is doing and why.