Tinnitus is an involuntary sound perception originating in your head. Although the tinnitus sounds can be perceived as quite loud, objective measurements show that they are often fainter than the sound of a leaf falling to the ground. Yet they can be intolerable.

Tinnitus is a perception in the brain. As you notice the tinnitus sound and start paying attention to it, a strong negative emotional response can be triggered. A vicious circle is created where you pay even more attention to the tinnitus, and your brain loses its ability to filter out the irrelevant noise before it reaches your consciousness.