Tinnitus arises without an external acoustic source, likely from central nervous system mechanisms.

Evidence

“You’ve heard of the phantom-limb effect,” he says, “this is the same thing.” In other words, the brain, knowing it cannot rely on the implants, invents what it longs to hear. — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 324 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Another related effect due to damage to the hair cells is noise-induced tinni­ tus. Tinnitus is the name given to a condition in which the cochlea sponta­ neously generates noise, which can be tonal or random noises, or a mixture of the two. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 664 (#contradicts, via linked claim)

Hearing loss and tinnitus have a high correlation,” Melcher adds. “Less coming in causes gains in amplitude inside, which continue to increase to the point that normal neuronal firing is amplified.” — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 563 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Tinnitus affects 5-10 percent of people with CNS mechanisms largely unknown; Hearing loss causes the brain to amplify then fabricate sound as tinnitus — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 331; Near-total silence reveals that most people generate internal sound perceived as tinnitus — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 571 (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• The brain fabricates phantom sound when expected sensory input is absent #corroborates (0.90) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 324
• Hearing loss causes the brain to amplify then fabricate sound as tinnitus #expands (0.85) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 331
• Tinnitus arises when the cochlea spontaneously generates its own noise #contradicts (0.85) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 664
• In sound’s absence the brain amplifies its own internal signals to compensate #corroborates (0.85) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 610
• Reduced auditory input causes the brain to amplify internal neural noise #corroborates (0.85) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 563
• Tinnitus affects 5-10 percent of people with CNS mechanisms largely unknown #corroborates (0.80)
• Tinnitus is a phantom auditory event with multiple causes #corroborates (0.80)
• The brain amplifies internal noise so total silence cannot be perceived #corroborates (0.80) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 609
• Near-total silence reveals that most people generate internal sound perceived as tinnitus #complicates (0.75) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 571
• Tinnitus signals damaged inner-ear nerve cells #complicates (0.75) — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 1695
• Hearing is mostly internal neural processing, not raw external sound reception #expands (0.75) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 561
• Low-frequency sound can awaken silent inner ears to emit spontaneous tones #contradicts (0.70)
• Tinnitus pitch spans the entire region of hearing loss, not a single frequency #expands (0.70) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1744