Re: Phantom ringing

[buzzard@world.std.com (Sean T Barrett)]

kim:
>Throughout my life I've had a very odd thing happen with my hearing. It
>happens rarely, once every other month or so. The hearing in one ear or 
>the
>other will do a complete fade out and be replaced by a high pitched tone. 
>I
>won't be able to hear anything else in that ear.

Just happened to me earlier today. :)

My recollection (I didn't test it this time), is that
other sounds didn't actually do a "complete" fade out;
but rather fade enough that all external sounds are panned
so hard to one side that it's hard to tell the difference.
I don't remember whether there's a variation in frequency
response or not anymore (i.e. high frequencies are damped
more than low).  But the above assertion (not a complete
fade out) can be tested by making a noise very close to
the ear.  Tapping on the ear itself works well but may be
allowing the sound to be transmitted directly through
fleshy matter instead of air, so I don't know how good of
a test that is; snapping one's fingers is probably better.
(The time available is short, so you pretty much have to
work with whatcha got on you.)

I've never worried about it either; I suspect this is
because at some point I read or asked other people and
found out that it's common; at least I've always _assumed_
it is, and the reason for that assumption is now lost in
the depths of time.

Sean