Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the sensation of sound that does not result from an external acoustic stimulus. Tinnitus is variously described as a ringing, whistling, or noisy sensation and is frequently associated with the abrupt high-frequency hearing losses that result from exposure to either intense noise or certain drugs.

Even though tinnitus is typically not very loud, its continual presence can be extremely annoying. Temporary relief can be obtained by introducing external sounds that are sufficiently strong to mask the tinnitus. For many tinnitus sufferers, listening to a stronger sound that originates outside is preferable to a weaker one that is internal. It is impossible to demonstrate the annoyance that tinnitus sufferers experience with brief sound clips. The demos here only give you an impression of what tinnitus sounds like, not the distress that would come from being unable to turn it off.

Click here to open the HeLPS Tinnitus Demo in a new window.