Tinnitus as a signal: why the brain creates phantom noises

Tinnitus—a medical term for ringing or buzzing in the ears—is rarely a primary disease. It typically serves as a neurological signal that the auditory system is overloaded or losing sensitivity. In silence, the brain lacks external acoustic stimulation and compensates by increasing the volume of internal signals, making the noise more prominent. Mechanisms and Triggers Tinnitus occurs when neurons in the auditory cortex become hyperactive to compensate for a deficit of incoming information in specific frequency ranges. While ambient city or office noise masks this effect during the day, the absence of sound at night forces the brain to focus on these internal phantom signals. General practitioner Elena Morozova notes that absolute silence often catalyzes discomfort. She suggests using acoustic masking—such as a fan or recordings of rain—to shift the brain's attention toward an external sound source to aid sleep.