The Ear LabThe Ear Lab

How it presents

10 notes in this shelf

Types

The different patterns, timings, and sound descriptions readers use to name what they notice.

Latest in Types

Sorted by publish date.

  1. 01Jul 15, 2026

    Tinnitus changes pitch when I turn my head, is that normal?

    A pitch change when turning your head is often somatic tinnitus. It is usually not dangerous alone, but sudden or one-sided changes need care. What to watch.

    Read note
  2. 02Jul 15, 2026

    Why does my tinnitus click when I swallow?

    Clicking or ringing when swallowing often comes from middle-ear pressure changes or tiny ear muscles. Learn what is common and what needs care. What to watch.

    Read note
  3. 03Jul 15, 2026

    Why does my tinnitus pulse when I lie on one side?

    Pulse-like tinnitus when lying on one side may reflect pressure, blood-flow awareness, or true pulsatile tinnitus. Persistent pulsing needs care. What to watch.

    Read note
  4. 04Jul 15, 2026

    Why does my tinnitus switch ears during the day?

    Tinnitus can seem to switch ears when attention, congestion, hearing input, or sound contrast shifts. Persistent one-sided tinnitus needs care. What to watch.

    Read note
  5. 05May 21, 2026

    Acute vs chronic tinnitus: the three-month line and why it matters

    How clinicians distinguish acute (under three months), subacute (three to six), and chronic tinnitus, and why the treatment menu changes at each stage.

    Read note
  6. 06May 21, 2026

    Hyperacusis vs tinnitus: when ordinary sounds become painfully loud

    Hyperacusis is sound intolerance, tinnitus is phantom sound. They share central-gain mechanisms and often co-occur. How clinicians distinguish them.

    Read note
  7. 07May 21, 2026

    Pulsatile tinnitus explained: when ringing pulses with your heartbeat

    Pulsatile tinnitus is mechanically different from ordinary ringing. Its causes range from benign sinus congestion to vascular anomalies that need imaging. What every adult should know.

    Read note
  8. 08May 21, 2026

    Somatic tinnitus: when neck and jaw movement changes your ringing

    Somatosensory tinnitus is modulated by physical input from the neck, jaw, or eye. How clinicians test for it and why the diagnostic distinction matters.

    Read note
  9. 09May 21, 2026

    Subjective vs objective tinnitus: which 1% can a doctor actually hear

    Why nearly all tinnitus is subjective (only you hear it), what the rare objective forms sound like to a clinician, and how the distinction changes the workup.

    Read note
  10. 10May 21, 2026

    Unilateral tinnitus: why one-sided ringing warrants a closer look

    Tinnitus in only one ear is uncommon enough that AAO-HNS guidelines treat it as a red flag warranting imaging to rule out acoustic neuroma and other treatable causes.

    Read note