On the view of : tinnitus as a symptom of a neurological disease rather than just a localized hearing disease.
And in some cases could be an underlining hyperacusis issue.
People notice maybe a certain kind of tinnitus first??
I have read of this before in people's descriptions of their expirences.

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/funding/programs/wkshp_tinnitus.htm