answer:I suppose it could be a number of things: tinnitus (random ringing in your ears with no stimulus) or something more like spontaneous oto-acoustic emissions (SOAE – mammalian ears sometimes spontaneously produce their own tonal sounds), or evoked oto-acoustic emissions (EOAE), which occurs when a transient stimulus (like a click) hits your inner ear and then you hear a ringing sound. What’s the exact difference between tinnitus and SOAE? Unclear. As for deafness and hearing the ringing, I’m under the impression that there are many reasons for deafness. Regardless of the cause, I’m fairly certain that deaf individuals cannot hear oto-acoustic emissions. Much of the hearing mechanism happens in hair cells within the inner ear, as well as in the bones of the middle ear. Aside from all this, the sound then needs to be “interpreted” by the brain. So as you can see, there are many many many places where things can go wrong. I am not an Audiologist, so if anyone can comment on what I have said, please do so. I could be wrong.