#74 Phantom Sounds

At about 6 am one morning I woke up hearing the muffled sounds of a radio broadcast. Well, not really hearing. I heard noise that sounded like a radio but couldn’t distinguish the words. It was loud enough to wake me up. “Turn your radio off.  Please.”

My husband woke up and replied, “What? My radio is off.”

“I hear a radio.”

“I don’t hear a radio. Go back to sleep.”

Impossible. It was too loud for me to sleep.

A few weeks later I attended a support group meeting with a doctor talking about the hearing loss and balance issues of acoustic neuromas, both before and after treatment. When he talked about tinnitus, I remembered the radio noise that woke me up. I asked him about it.

The doctor replied it could have been phantom hearing. What? He explained how someone can have pain in a foot that is no longer there because of an amputation. The pain is real. The doctor went on to explain that the same thing can happen to ears. We lose our hearing, yet might hear all kinds of noises. He went on to explain phantom noises are one kind of tinnitus.  

Usually, my tinnitus is the buzzing of a bee or many bees or chirping of cicadas. One time I heard a phone ringing and ran around trying to find the phones. But a radio broadcast? That was a new one for me. I have heard it since, always early in the morning. It’s a loud sound and wakes me up.

Acoustic neuroma patients frequently ask, “Will treatment for my acoustic neuroma make my tinnitus better or worse? No easy answer for this question. Many patients are under the mistakable impression that if they have the tumor removed, it will take away the tinnitus. Most of the time this is not true. The tumor isn’t the cause of tinnitus. In fact, in one study 10% of patients felt surgery made it worse. Many patients said the tinnitus was the same. Some patients felt the tinnitus was better.

The Francis Audiology website offers these Ten Tips for Tinnitus: How to Cope with Phantom Sound. Here’s the link

1. Practice Prevention. The best way to avoid tinnitus (and other forms of hearing damage) is to protect your hearing in the first place. If you’re exposed to loud noises on a regular basis, wear earplugs or noise-canceling headphones, and always be aware of volume levels when listening to music. Even if you’re already suffering from tinnitus, these preventative measures can help ensure that your condition doesn’t become more severe.

2. Understand Your Symptoms. The symptoms of tinnitus can vary between patients – some experience a buzzing in the ears, some hear ringing, and some hear roaring. Sometimes the noise is continuous, and sometimes it’s intermittent. These differences in symptoms can be a helpful clue to your audiologist when developing a treatment plan, so come to your appointment prepared to describe your experience.

3. Don’t Wait to Seek Help. While some patients find their tinnitus goes away on its own, it’s more likely that the condition will persist without treatment. If you’re experiencing any symptoms you think may be tinnitus, make an appointment with your ear doctor as soon as possible – the quicker therapy and damage prevention begin, the less likely it is that your condition will worsen.

4. Have Your Ears Cleaned. In some cases, tinnitus is simply caused by earwax blockage. If your ear exam shows an excess of ear wax, you may be able to stop the ringing by having your ears cleaned. Remember – all ear cleanings should be performed by a professional, as improper technique used at home can cause damage to your ear canal.

5. Consider Underlying Conditions. Tinnitus itself is not a disease. Instead, it’s usually a sign of an underlying condition in your ears or even your brain. The most common cause of tinnitus is hearing loss; scientists believe the brain will produce its own noise to make up for a lack of sound signals when hearing declines. Mental health struggles such as depression and anxiety can also contribute to the onset of tinnitus.

6. Know Your Treatment Options. While there is no “cure” for tinnitus, you don’t have to live with the symptoms without hope for relief. Your audiologist can offer you several options, including hearing aids and masking devices to cover up the phantom sound. 

7. Practice Stress Management. Stress can exacerbate symptoms of tinnitus, and the stress caused by tinnitus itself can contribute to a vicious cycle. Try to practice stress management techniques like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises to cope with this symptom long-term. 

8. Cut Back on Stimulants. Consuming stimulants like coffee, cigarettes, and energy drinks can worsen your tinnitus symptoms. With this in mind, it’s worth trying to replace these products in your diet. 

9. Stay in the Know. Scientists continue to research tinnitus with the goal of finding more effective therapies and possibly even a cure. Additionally, new technologies are always being developed to help people cope with hearing loss. Your audiology center can help you stay up to date with the latest options to help you treat your tinnitus.

10. Build a Support Group. Any form of hearing loss can be an isolating experience, and tinnitus is no exception. In fact, the mental and emotional toll of constant noise can make tinnitus especially difficult to deal with. Try connecting with other people who share your condition, and perhaps even consider cognitive behavioral therapy to help you cope in a healthy way.

I never would have considered a radio muffling sound to be tinnitus had I not gone to the support group meeting. As I studied Phantom Sounds, I learned the difference between auditory hallucinations and phantom sounds. With hallucination voices are clear and distinct. While phantom voices are vague and indistinct.

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Readers, what kind of noises do you hear? Any tips that help you decrease the sounds?

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Dear Jesus, thank you I have an ear with decent hearing. Thank you for designing us with two ears. Amen.