Tinnitus is a medical term used to describe the buzzing, ringing, hissing, and/or whistling noises in the ears. Individuals hear a noise even when there is no external sound source. For this reason, the noises are sometimes referred to as phantom sounds.
As we will highlight below, a common cause of tinnitus is damage to the inner or middle ear. One way to prevent tinnitus is to protect the ears from loud noises. Musicians frequently suffer from tinnitus due to the loud music they are exposed to.
In this blog post, we will look at the causes and symptoms of tinnitus and focus on some famous musicians with tinnitus.
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is often referred to as ”ringing in the ears.” It can be incredibly frustrating, leading to stress, anxiety, and even depression. While it is more common in older adults, people of any age can develop tinnitus in one or both ears.
As noted, one common cause of tinnitus is damage to the inner or middle ear. When the middle ear picks up sound waves, the inner ear is prompted to transmit electrical impulses to the brain, at which point these signals are turned into sounds that a person can hear.
Damage to the ear interferes with sounds being processed. Tumors in the ear may also result in people experiencing ringing in the ears, as can the use of certain medications and other medical conditions such as high blood pressure.
Musicians That Struggle With Tinnitus
Some musicians that struggle with tinnitus include Chris Martin, Will.i.am, Noel and Liam Gallagher, Moby, Neil Young, Ozzy Osbourne, Eric Clapton, Anthony Kiedis, Pete Townshend, and Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk.
Martin, of the internationally popular band Coldplay, has been open about his struggles with tinnitus. He announced a decade ago that he had been suffering from it for 10 years and has since started to protect his ears. He admitted at the time that he wished he had “thought about [tinnitus] earlier”.
William Shatner, an actor and musician best known for his role in the Star Trek franchise, has also spoken about his battle with tinnitus. He has described how some days he didn’t know how he could “survive the agony” and was “tormented by the screeching in my head.”
The movie A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, also brought attention to tinnitus. Cooper’s character, Jackson Maine, highlights the impact that tinnitus can have on a person’s life throughout the movie.
Treatment for Musicians With Tinnitus
As this article has pointed out, tinnitus is very common in musicians. Exposure to high volumes of music for sustained periods of time can result in damage to the ears.
If you suffer from tinnitus, AudioCardio™ is a wonderful app that uses Threshold Sound Conditioning technology to generate personalized sound therapies that help stimulate and strengthen the cells in your ears.
Try our free trial and experience the benefits of AudioCardio™ for yourself.
