Does the brain pick up on electronic signals?

In summary, the conversation discusses a strange experience where the person hears a high frequency humming sound in their brain that stops when they turn their head 90 degrees. They discuss possible explanations such as residual noise from the TV or a signal picked up by the brain. Others suggest it could be related to tinnitus or a somatic disorder. The conversation ends with a test to determine if the sound is coming from outside or inside the ears/head.
  • #1
jreelawg
126
0
The other day, I was sitting down watching TV, then I turned the TV off, and the DTV, and I noticed a sort of ringing high frequency humming in my brain. But the strange part was that when I turned my head 90 degrees, it stopped or got really quiet. Turned my had back to normal position sound was back. Did this for a while, and noticed that if I tuned my head 90 degrees in either direction, the humming would stop, it I turned my head 180 degrees, still humming.

This really got me wondering. My conclusion was that my brain must be picking up on some sort of signal in the air, and that somehow my polarity had some sort of effect. Is this even possible, does this happen, is there a good explanation? It was really strange, I could do it fast and get a wah wah like sound going. This occurred for about 10 min. until I said oh well and went to bed.
 
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  • #2
Maybe, but more likely the TV was still making noises after you turned it off. Some of the TV is still powered if you turn it off with the remote control.

If it happens again, try pulling the plug at the wall socket. That should stop it making any noises.
 
  • #3
vk6kro said:
Maybe, but more likely the TV was still making noises after you turned it off. Some of the TV is still powered if you turn it off with the remote control.

If it happens again, try pulling the plug at the wall socket. That should stop it making any noises.

That was my initial thought, but I still can't explain why the ringing would stop when I turn my head. The volume change wouldn't be drastic enough to explain it. Maybe something weird is happening with my sense of hearing and my brain selectively blocked the sound out for some odd reason?

What it reminded me of was the way that some microphones can be affected by how they are oriented in relation to each other, and how power cords are supposed to be oriented 90 degrees to microphone cords where they intersect when it comes to recording.

My thoughts were that whatever polarity orientation my brain had was parallel to the source of the signal when I could hear it, and 90 degrees to the source when I couldn't hear it. Say that the brain could hear buzzing sounds from electric signals, would the brains orientation according to the source of the signal have this type of effect?
 
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  • #4
The ringing was probably in your ears and you just didn't notice it when the tv was on. And turning your head can affect the ringing because it moves around the muscles in your neck/head. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus
 
  • #5
You might have something going on in your head. Something like an inner ear infection, maybe. In that case, why would it not happen all the time?

Ears are very directional with high pitched sounds. I know you can move your head by a few degrees and it makes a difference. It might help if you try cupping your hands behind your ears like bats ears and see what a difference it makes.
We have an insect (a type of cricket) that makes an annoying high pitched noise and I can use this method to locate one in the house.

But, just be ready to cut the power at the wall. It is an easy test.

Actually, I notice you used the term "humming". This normally means a low pitched sound. Is that what you meant?
 
  • #6
russ_watters said:
The ringing was probably in your ears and you just didn't notice it when the tv was on. And turning your head can affect the ringing because it moves around the muscles in your neck/head. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus

This sounds like a very plausible explanation. I usually have a ringing in my ears from years of loud music, and running a chainsaw, but I have never noticed any effects based on how I turn my head. If it happens again, I'll test it by turning my head 90 degrees vs my whole body.

"...and somatic tinnitus, caused by disorders outside the ear and nerve but still within the head or neck. It is further hypothesized that somatic tinnitus may be due to "central crosstalk" within the brain, as certain head and neck nerves enter the brain near regions known to be involved in hearing."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus#Mechanisms_of_subjective_tinnitus
 
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  • #7
vk6kro said:
You might have something going on in your head. Something like an inner ear infection, maybe. In that case, why would it not happen all the time?

Ears are very directional with high pitched sounds. I know you can move your head by a few degrees and it makes a difference. It might help if you try cupping your hands behind your ears like bats ears and see what a difference it makes.
We have an insect (a type of cricket) that makes an annoying high pitched noise and I can use this method to locate one in the house.

But, just be ready to cut the power at the wall. It is an easy test.

Actually, I notice you used the term "humming". This normally means a low pitched sound. Is that what you meant?

No, humming was a pore choice of words. Like the sound you would hear in movie after a bomb blows up and a person is in slow motion shock. It was unusually pronounced compared to the normal ringing in my ears.
 
  • #8
Like a high pitched whistle?
 
  • #9
The obvious test is to just put your hands over your ears.

If you can still hear the noise, it is coming from inside your ears or your head.
 
  • #10
vk6kro said:
The obvious test is to just put your hands over your ears.

If you can still hear the noise, it is coming from inside your ears or your head.

Putting my hands over my ear now, I hear nothing like I heard the other night. Pretty much no ringing. The thing that struck me the other night, was that the sound I was hearing differed from the ringing in my ears after something like very loud music.

I would have to say that the frequency sounded lower in pitch than the normal ringing although still high. Not a whistle like sound, but more of a buzz. The difference in the sound was effected notably by the slightest turn of the head, and turned 90 degrees, I could hear pretty much no ringing.

It is hard to explain, but unlike after hearing loud sound, the buzz was very clear and controlled sounding if that makes any sense. I guess the best way I can explain the difference between the ringing have normally experienced and what I hear the other night, is that normally the ringing is more annoying of a pitch, while what I hear the other night seamed less annoying. Probably due to the lower pitch.
 
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  • #11
Maybe wait and see if it happens again.

In the meantime, you need to be careful with loud noises. You have already done some damage and you've only got one set of ears. Get some ear plugs or earmuffs and protect yourself.
 
  • #12
Is it possible you just left the tv on? The transformer in a tv operates at around 15Khz and thus produces a very high-pitched tone. It makes sense that you wouldn't be able to hear it if you turned your head the other direction because high frequency sounds like these are vary directional-they more or less travel in a straight line and don't spread out like lower frequencies do. Its also interesting that most people can't hear the sound a tv produces, I can, and it seems like you can as well. I am looking at my tv right now with it muted and I can hear the sound, but if I turn my head in either direction, it goes away, just like you said, so my money is saying that your tv was still on.
 

1. How does the brain pick up on electronic signals?

The brain picks up on electronic signals through specialized cells called neurons. These neurons have extensions called dendrites that receive electrical impulses from other neurons or sensory receptors. When a signal reaches a certain threshold, the neuron sends an electrical signal down its axon to other neurons, allowing for communication between different parts of the brain.

2. Can electronic signals affect the brain's functioning?

Yes, electronic signals can affect the brain's functioning. Our brains are constantly bombarded with electronic signals from various sources, such as electronic devices, WiFi signals, and power lines. While most of these signals are harmless, some studies have shown that prolonged exposure to certain electronic signals can have a negative impact on brain function.

3. Do electronic signals have any positive effects on the brain?

Yes, electronic signals can have positive effects on the brain. For example, neuroprosthetics use electronic signals to help individuals with disabilities control prosthetic limbs or communicate through brain-computer interfaces. Additionally, certain types of brain stimulation, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, use electronic signals to improve brain function and treat neurological disorders.

4. Can the brain control electronic signals?

Yes, the brain can control electronic signals to some extent. As mentioned before, neurons communicate with each other through electrical signals. The brain also has the ability to modulate the strength of these signals and control which neurons fire and when. This allows us to control our movements, thoughts, and behaviors.

5. Are there any risks associated with the brain picking up on electronic signals?

While there are potential risks associated with prolonged exposure to certain electronic signals, such as radiation from cell phones, there is no evidence to suggest that the brain picking up on electronic signals itself is harmful. In fact, our brains have evolved to effectively process and respond to these signals, and without them, we would not be able to function in our technologically advanced world.

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