On a stormy day with heavy rain, a young man drove from home to the hospital to see a doctor. Even though he had to wait for five hours in the clinic, he didn’t complain at all—he just wanted to know why his ears were ringing throughout the night. Was it caused by a physical abnormality?

I asked him, “Besides at night, do you hear any sounds in your ears?” He replied, no, never.

“When does it happen?” I asked. He said it only occurs when he has trouble sleeping in the middle of the night. In fact, this is a case of physiological tinnitus, which occurs naturally in the human body during normal physiological activity. Most people tend to ignore it, but in very quiet situations, it can be more noticeable. Physiological tinnitus is not a disease and can happen to anyone, especially if you have trouble sleeping at night.

Another young man visited the doctor, very concerned about the ringing in his ears. His hearing was normal, but because of the tinnitus, he traveled across northern, central, and southern regions of the country seeking treatment for over a year. Despite all his efforts, he couldn’t stop the ringing.

What do people usually do when they experience tinnitus? Most often, they search for answers online first.

For patients heavily reliant on the internet, it’s often difficult to convince them otherwise. When many people experience bodily changes, their first instinct is to seek online information rather than visit a doctor immediately. Searching on Google can easily provide numerous ideas, but this often creates unnecessary fear, which does not improve the condition.

These examples show that the more patients fear tinnitus, the more anxious they become. In clinics, we often see patients who are excessively worried and exaggerate their tinnitus experience. Additionally, misleading medical advice and inappropriate online information are major factors contributing to patients’ excessive anxiety about tinnitus.

Misconceptions include:

• “Tinnitus cannot be cured for life.”

• “Tinnitus will make you deaf.”

• “Tinnitus will cause kidney failure.”

• “Tinnitus is a type of stroke in the ear.”

• “Tinnitus must be treated with ginkgo and B-complex vitamins.”

These misunderstandings can lead to severe anxiety. While doctors may not always provide 100% definitive answers, their guidance significantly affects patients. Therefore, it is crucial to clarify certain misconceptions urgently.