# Whats that ringing sound in your ear? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 27, 2000, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246 "2000-04-27T07:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Sparkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Mr.Sparkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Sparkle)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/1 "2000-04-27T07:32:00Z")
I dunno if someone asked this before but whats that randomly occuring ringing or high pitched frequency sound you get in your ears? Its not after loud music or an actual high pitched sound like the TV or monitor either, it just rings out of nowhere and stops a minute later… ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Fortune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Commander\_Fortune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Fortune)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/2 "2000-04-27T08:01:00Z")
I like to think of it as my own personal sound check. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/3 "2000-04-27T08:10:00Z")
Answered by the man himself: [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/941209.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/941209.html) * * * I have so many thoughts going through my head that sometimes it’s hard to finish a ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/4 "2000-04-27T10:32:00Z")
The medical term is Tinnitus and I have been suffering from it for over two years. If you are listening to loud music STOP! It is VERY important to limit the damage from loud noises, use ear plugs when you are exposed to loud noises like lawn mowers, jack hammers, etc., play music at a reasonable volume. Once tinnitus begins it almost never goes away so protect your ears from loud noises before it starts! ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/5 "2000-04-27T10:35:00Z")
You’ll have to speak up… ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/6 "2000-04-27T11:59:00Z")
This question keeps coming up, and I don’t know if it has ever been fully answered. Note the question is _not_ about standard tinnitus, which is a relatively steady sound over long periods of time, but a high-pitched sound that suddenly appears in one ear, and which disappears after a few seconds. This is actually the question which asked in the linked Cecil column, but Cecil just goes on to talk about standard tinnitus. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/7 "2000-04-27T14:35:00Z")
It’s a voice in your head trying to get thru. You should tune to it so you can hear it better. * * * “‘How do you know I’m mad’ said Alice. 'You must be, ’ said the Cat, ‘or you wouldn’t have come here.’” ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/8 "2000-04-27T20:40:00Z")
It can be caused by (among other things) impacted earwax, or excessive use of aspirin or quinine. Have you been taking aspirin with your gin and tonic? * * * Work is the curse of the drinking classes. (Oscar Wilde) ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/9 "2000-04-27T20:42:00Z")
It can be caused by (among other things) impacted earwax, or excessive use of aspirin or quinine. Have you been taking aspirin with your gin and tonic? * * * Work is the curse of the drinking classes. (Oscar Wilde) ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-ringing-sound-in-your-ear/11246/10 "2000-04-28T10:09:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by whitetho: > \*\*This question keeps coming up, and I don’t know if it has ever been fully answered. Note the question is _not_ about standard tinnitus, which is a relatively steady sound over long periods of time, but a high-pitched sound that suddenly appears in one ear, and which disappears after a few seconds. > > This is actually the question which asked in the linked Cecil column, but Cecil just goes on to talk about standard tinnitus.\*\* Ummm, read the article again. Cecil does mention it can be temporary, but he goes on to talk about the search for a cause and cure for chronic tinnitus. The temporary kind is too fleeting to study to pinpoint or even worry about curing, since, it is temporary. That’s why the focus is on chronic tinnitus. But since no one is sure what causes chronic tinnitus or what a cause may be for it, no one knows what causes your temporary tinnitus. Although, have you tried picking up the handset? That sometimes stops the ringing. Peace.