Musical ear syndrome

Musical ear syndrome (MES) is a condition seen in people who have hearing loss and subsequently develop auditory hallucinations.

[5] Investigations such as magnetic resonance imaging or CT scanning and electroencephalograms (EEGs) may be worthwhile, but will rarely show any serious pathology.

It is believed that because this kind of phenomenon is usually heterogenous in causation, a wide variety of factors need to be considered, which could give a possible explanation for why MES is seen as underdiagnosed.

[6] Some of these factors may include significant trauma to the head or any side-effects from substances such as antidepressants, marijuana, alcohol, procaine, or general anesthesia.

[6] Other than treatment by medicinal means, individuals have also successfully alleviated musical hallucinations by cochlear implants, listening to different songs via an external source, or attempting to block them through mental effort, depending on how severe their condition is.

[8] The occurrence of MES has been suggested to be very high among the hearing impaired through acquired deafness or the ear condition known as tinnitus.

The "release phenomenon" says that individuals with acquired deafness may experience musical hallucinations because of the lack of stimulation, which can give room for the brain to interpret internal sounds as being external.