First Signs and Stages of Tinnitus

The five stages of tinnitus.

The onset of tinnitus can be swift and brutal, but it often sneaks in and takes a while to recognize. If you haven’t been exposed to a dangerously loud sound, you may find yourself doing some odd things to find out where that darn noise is coming from.

What are the 5 stages of tinnitus?

Denial. Denial is probably too strong a word, especially at the first notice of tinnitus symptoms. Ignorance, a lack of information, is better, especially early on. This stage begins with the sufferer attempting to determine where the sound is coming from.
Anger. You may be angry at yourself (for risky behaviors) or mad at God (for letting this happen to you). Anger, in this context, is a surprisingly helpful emotion. You are defending yourself—you are building a solid argument for why you don’t deserve this condition.
Bargaining. Next, you will bargain with whomever you are angry with. If you feel you brought this on yourself, you will make lifestyle choices to relieve or reverse the disease. If you blame God, you’ll make spiritual bargains. The bargaining stage turns anger into action. Now, at least, you are beginning to fight back.
Depression. At this stage, grief sets in. A sense of hopelessness and deep sadness pervade your thoughts. You cannot imagine living with tinnitus. There does not appear to be any future left for you. It is a vital part of the recovery process, as hard as this stage is. Depression’s most crucial impact is it gives us a bottom to stand on. From here, we can work our way back up.
Acceptance. It is the moment you realize your tinnitus may be permanent, but you can evade the noise for large parts of the day and eliminate the emotional effect it has on you.

Each stage also plays an essential part in providing time for two critical steps toward your eventual recovery:

Your brain has time to begin recognizing and filtering out the false alarm.
You progress through the habituation process.

Tinnitus stages — Photo credit: Shutterstock/rdgraphe

What is the first sign of tinnitus?

The first sign of tinnitus is a ringing, roaring, hissing, clicking, buzzing, humming, music in one or both ears. The sound may be so faint it is heard only at night or loud enough to block out external sounds.

Why should you always see a doctor about tinnitus.

Tinnitus is often a symptom and not necessarily a disease itself. At the onset of tinnitus, immediately seek medical attention. A doctor may be able to help identify and treat the condition.

You should also consult with a doctor if your tinnitus is causing mood changes or affecting the quality of your life.

Which tinnitus symptoms require immediate medical attention?

Tinnitus in one ear. There are two reasons why you should see your doctor if you can only hear your tinnitus in one ear.

There may be a serious underlying cause (such as a tumor).
Tinnitus in one ear is often a reversible condition if adequately treated.

Pulsatile tinnitus. If your tinnitus sounds like a rhythmic pulsing noise in sync with your heartbeat, you may have a severe medical condition.

Personality changes. If your tinnitus affects your ability to walk or speak or causes dramatic changes in your behavior or mood, you should see your doctor right away.

Sudden onset. If your tinnitus appeared immediately after an accident, injury, or illness, your doctor might order tests to determine the reason.

Can tinnitus develop suddenly?

In certain situations tinnitus symptoms can develop quite suddenly.

Exposure to an extremely loud sound, like an explosion or a gunshot, can cause an immediate ringing in your ears.

You may also develop tinnitus after attending a rock concert or working in a ship’s engine room for a short time. Immediately upon leaving such locations, you may hear a high-pitched whine in your ears for several hours to a couple of days.

Sudden tinnitus symptoms can be scary. If you work or play in environments that expose you to sounds loud enough to cause sudden, short-term tinnitus, you need to start using hearing protection. If you don’t protect your hearing, your acute tinnitus may become chronic.

Tinnitus can develop slowly, beginning as a soft whine or buzzing you hear only at bedtime. Over time, the sound increases, reaching a point where you become concerned and start investigating your condition.

Slowly developing tinnitus can lead you to engage in some strange behaviors. Most of these activities relate to finding what you believe to be an external source. For example, you tap lightbulbs, unscrew and shake them and then replace them. Battery chargers get moved into another room. You use thermal scanners to see if the electrical wires inside your walls are getting hot.

Eventually, you realize the truth, that you have tinnitus. From here, you will search for a cure (seeking medical assistance is your first, best step) and if that fails, look for a way to reduce your symptoms.

Your recovery will take a little time through the natural process of tinnitus habituation. But for nearly 97% of tinnitus sufferers, every day, happy life is the eventual outcome.

Life with tinnitus