Anything that makes your ears ring has damaged your hearing. I have LOUD tinitus, mostly from industrial noise and it sucks. +1 that it can lead your wife to think you aren't listening to her. I hear a lot of stuff that makes no sense because I didn't hear what was really said.
Ummm. I also have the 'industrial' tinitus from 20+ years in machine shops. And I'm married for over 37 years. The "hearing stuff that makes no sense" thing is not from tinitus.... it's from being married. (snicker):laugh: