Night Shift
XACTLY
Then its in your head. Tinnitus.
Being outside with environmental noises allows the brain to "ignore" the ringing. If he plugged his ears and it went away it would be environmentally interdasting. BUT if he plugs his ears and its still there then ITS biologically interdasting. High frequencies don't travel well through the skull.
Now that is something… not to freak you out..but before you tim foil hat..and I'm saying this honestly… you may want an MRI