ELI5: What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is when you hear a sound, like ringing or buzzing, in your ears even when there is no actual sound around you.

Imagine your ears are like radios that pick up sounds. Usually, they only play music when someone is actually playing it. But sometimes, the radio gets a little messed up and starts making its own noise, even when nobody is playing anything. That's kind of like tinnitus!

Here's a simpler breakdown:

• Normally, your ears hear sounds from the outside world.
• These sounds travel to your brain.
• With tinnitus, your brain thinks it's hearing a sound, even when your ears aren't picking anything up from the outside.

• Imagine you just came from a loud concert. Your ears might ring for a little while afterward. That's a temporary form of tinnitus.
• Sometimes, this ringing doesn't go away, and that's when it becomes a problem.

• Loud noises: Like listening to music too loud or working in a noisy factory.
• Ear infections: When your ear gets sick.
• Certain medicines: Some medicines can have tinnitus as a side effect.
• Sometimes, doctors don't even know exactly why someone has tinnitus.