01 Nov Musical Hallucinations
Tinnitus is the perception of sound within the ears or head when no external sound is present. Tinnitus is generally experienced as a ringing, buzzing or humming sound. Tinnitus is a symptom of wide range of underlying causes but most often it accompanies hearing loss and/or noise exposure.
Some people experience tinnitus as music and this is called musical hallucinations. Most often it is reported as fragments of songs or melodies that may be instrumental or may include singing. At first it may be mistaken for music in the environment until it is discovered that no one else can hear the music. Often those with hearing loss report that the music sounds the same as when they were younger prior to hearing loss. Musical hallucinations should not be confused with mental illness or psychiatric disorders. Most often those with mental illness hear voices rather than the short melodies of musical hallucinations. The cause of musical hallucinations is often unknown.
If you experience musical hallucinations a full hearing evaluation by an audiologist is recommended.