Tinnitus hum, but it can also arise as a subjective phenomenon from an increased awareness of blood flow in the ear. Rarely, pulsatile tinnitus may be a symptom of potentially life-threatening conditions such as carotid artery aneurysm or carotid artery dissection. Pulsatile tinnitus may also indicate vasculitis, or more specifically, giant cell arteritis. Pulsatile tinnitus may also be an indication of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Pulsatile tinnitus can be a symptom of intracranial vascular abnormalities and should be evaluated for "irregular noises of blood flow" (bruits). The mechanisms of subjective tinnitus are often obscure. While it is not surprising that direct trauma
Tinnitus retraining therapy eliminate tinnitus. The efficacy of TRT in reducing the distress of tinnitus has not been established. TRT is not a medical treatment for tinnitus or any other condition, and is not administered by a medical doctor or other medical professional. An alternative to TRT is tinnitus masking, the use of noise, music or other environmental sounds to obscure or mask the tinnitus. Hearing aids can provide a partial masking effect for the condition. Results from a review of tinnitus retraining therapy trials indicate that it may be a more effective treatment than tinnitus masking. Not everyone who experiences tinnitus is