The "wall of sound" created by this year's cicada invasion may help people with tinnitus.
This is according to Fatima Husain, a researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois and professor of speech and hearing science, who talked about the oncoming cicada invasion in a recent press statement.
This year, two cicada broods are set to emerge from underground at the same time. This means areas of the U.S. are going to be seeing more of them than usual, leading to the heightened presence of cicada noises around, which can often be quite loud.
Although an invasion of insects may not sound pleasant, this could have an unexpected benefit for those with tinnitus: a condition where the sufferer can hear a sound that is not external, meaning only they can hear it. The sound is often a high-pitched ringing, or sometimes even a buzzing or roaring.
Husain points to two previous cicada emergences: in 2004, and in 2021 across Maryland and the East. She said that during this time, some individuals claimed the cicada sounds masked the sound of their tinnitus.
"In masking, what happens is that the external sound (the cicadas) is loud enough and of sufficient breadth of frequencies that it reduces all or some part of your tinnitus, such that the tinnitus becomes soft or inaudible," Husain said in a statement.
Sound therapy is a popular treatment route for tinnitus, where sufferers listen to soothing, relaxing sounds that help distract from the internal ringing or buzzing. So for some, the cicada noises may be beneficial.
However, Husain said it would not be the same for everyone.
"This effect is temporary: once the external sounds go away, the masking itself ends. This is the same idea behind popular sound generators in hearing aids or smartphone apps. But this depends on the type of tinnitus sounds you perceive, and the sounds produced by the different species, so the effect is not universal," she said.
She noted that for some, the cicada noises may make it worse, meaning it completely depends on the individual.
For those who find it makes it worse, there are several precautions they can take.
For example, the time of day will alter how extreme the cicada sounds are. The sound is largely produced by males, as a mating call to females. And they typically only do this during warmer parts of the day. This means the sound will be less loud at dusk, Husain said.
"If you need to be outside near where the cicadas are buzzing, and the sounds are really loud, you should consider wearing foam ear plugs or earphones of your choice," she said. "If you have hyperacusis or tinnitus, check to see if the sounds actually bother you. Maybe you find the sounds to be not as bothersome as you imagined, or in cases of tinnitus, there might even be masking effects. If however, you find them bothersome, please use hearing protection. You can play music (at comfortable loudness levels) to mask the sounds of the cicadas or draw your attention away from them."
Whether those with tinnitus find the invasion helpful or not, the invasion should not last longer than about six weeks.
As the insects only emerge periodically every 13 or 17 years, it will be a while before the next one comes along.
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