Superstitions Busted: Ringing Of The Ears - Daily Sabah

Is it possible to know whether someone is talking about you or not? Can your psychic sense of hearing know when somebody is gossiping about you? Well, according to one of the most common superstitions of all time, yes you can.

Superstitions are common cultural elements shared by groups of people regardless of their nationality or religion, and most of these superstitions go back to more ancient times when mankind was not able to answer questions with science.

The sensation of ringing in the ear is such a thing. It is believed that when your ears are ringing or burning, somebody is probably talking about you behind your back. Sometimes, it is also important which of your ears is ringing, as it is commonly believed that if your right ear itches, someone is speaking well of you and if your left ear itches, someone is speaking ill of you.

The first evidence of the belief that ringing ears means someone is talking about you is mentioned in Roman philosopher Pliny's "Natural History" encyclopedia written more than 2,000 years ago. In the Middle Ages, people actually believed that if someone's ears were ringing, angels were talking about them. Some, on the other hand, think that the ringing is actually the sound of their chakras.

In fact, this whole thing has a simple explanation; namely, tinnitus.

Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing buzzing, whistling, ringing or other sounds. They may be of high or low pitch, vary in the type of sound produced and one or both ears may be affected. It can be related to high blood pressure, blockages in the ear, head trauma or even stress.

Although it is annoying, tinnitus is actually not a disease, and unfortunately, there is no cure for it. Most people become accustomed to it and learn to tune it out. Ignoring it rather than focusing on it can provide relief. It is also said that it is beneficial to try treating the effects of tinnitus such as insomnia, anxiety and hearing difficulties.