In most cases, a person’s tinnitus is subjective. This means that they are the only person who can hear the sounds.
However, in rare cases, the tinnitus sounds pulsate rhythmically, often in time with the person’s heartbeat. In these cases, a doctor may be able to hear the sounds using a stethoscope.
When this happens, a doctor may diagnose the person with objective tinnitus. Often, objective tinnitus has an underlying cause that a doctor can treat.