The two are often difficult to differentiate due to the fact that some patients can have both tinnitus and cerebral tinnitus, combined with the patient’s poor description, the similarity of the sites of sound production, the similar nature of the sounds, the similarity of remission and exacerbation factors, and the lack of characteristic accompanying symptoms. Tinnitus can be differentiated by the following points. Tinnitus is more accurately localised, often on one or both sides of the ear, whereas cerebral tinnitus is widespread and vague.
In addition, patients with tinnitus have a previous history of ear-related medical problems, often with symptoms of hearing loss, and the tinnitus is often intermittent. Most tinnitus in the brain has no symptoms such as hearing loss and is often associated with neurological dysfunctional disorders such as headache, hemiplegia, jet vomiting and eye distention.