What is Musical Ear Syndrome?

You might have had the experience of getting a song stuck in your head; it might even be stuck there long enough to become an annoyance. But for people who experience musical ear syndrome, that experience is one that never goes away.

It’s a condition that’s characterized by hearing music or singing in the ear even when there is no external music playing. We’re going to talk about the condition more today and what’s behind it. If you think you might be experiencing musical ear syndrome, we’ll also talk about some of the treatment options open to you. So read on now and find out more.

What is Musical Ear Syndrome (MES)?

As we’ve mentioned, the main characteristic associated with musical ear syndrome can be described as auditory hallucinations. That’s why your brain hears a sound that doesn’t actually exist. As a result, this can be classed as a type of hearing impairment.

Our brains process and respond to the information that’s provided to them by the senses. When there’s an impairment with one of the senses, such as the hearing, in this case, it can cause the brain to seek an input that’s failing and lead to some unexpected results, such as hearing sounds that were never made. As you might have guessed already, MES has similarities with tinnitus in that regard.

What Causes Musical Ear Syndrome?

Now that we have a better understanding of what musical ear syndrome actually is, we can start to think about what causes it. There are a few common causes of this condition, and you can find out about them below.

Hearing Loss

The most common reason for a person to experience the symptoms of MES is hearing loss. As we mentioned, the brain will try to fill in the gaps when it’s no longer getting enough information from the hearing systems in the ear. As a result, you might think you’re hearing a particular sound or some type of music when actual fact that music isn’t playing at all.

Medications

There are certain types of medications that are known to create hallucinations of various kinds, and these can sometimes include auditory hallucinations. This is something that’s quite rare though, and certainly shouldn’t be treated as normal or expected. If a new medication causes any kind of hallucinations, you should tell your doctor about it urgently.

Cochlear Implants

There have also been some reported cases of cochlear implants or their removal causing auditory hallucinations linked with musical ear syndrome. This is something that requires more research though as the link has not been fully researched and, as such, is not yet fully understood.

How Can Musical Ear Syndrome Be Treated?

If you’re already experiencing the symptoms commonly associated with musical ear syndrome, you might be wondering what can be done to treat the problem. There are some changes that can help, and you’ll learn about them next.

Lifestyle Changes

There are certain lifestyle changes that can help people who are experiencing the symptoms of MES. Using background noise and white noise is something that lots of people find useful, and this is similarly used by people who experience tinnitus as well. Deep breathing and meditation exercises can also be helpful for people experiencing this problem.

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are also commonly used as a treatment option for people experiencing MES. As we discussed, hearing loss is often associated with MES, so by treating the underlying hearing loss, you can often prevent the brain from filling in those gaps, which is what results in the symptoms associated with musical ear syndrome. This is something you can take to an audiologist about if you want to explore further.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Some people find that using cognitive behavioral therapy helps them to manage the symptoms that are associated with their MES a little better. Although it won’t completely eliminate the sounds that you’re hearing in the ear, it can make the problem and the symptoms far more manageable than they would otherwise be.

If you have any concerns at all about your hearing and you’d like to have your hearing assessed by a professional audiologist, simply contact our team here at Rametta Audiology & Hearing Aid Center. We’ll be more than happy to discuss your symptoms with you and book an appointment for an assessment.

If you want to contact our location in Tarentum, you can call us today at (724) 409-4439. And if you want to book an appointment at our location in Vandergrift, call us today at (724) 567-3233.