Patient education: Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) (The Basics)

What is tinnitus? — 

This is when a person hears ringing, buzzing, hissing, or roaring in 1 or both ears. Many people have tinnitus. In some people, it can last for months or years. It can be annoying, but it is not usually a sign of a serious problem.

What causes tinnitus? — 

Tinnitus is usually caused by damage to cells in a part of the inner ear (figure 1). When these cells are damaged, they send signals to the brain that make you think you are hearing things that are not really there.

The damage that leads to tinnitus can be caused by:

●Normal aging and hearing loss

●Loud noise

●Medicines, including some antibiotics, anti-seizure medicines, and painkillers

●Head or neck injuries

●Certain diseases

Sometimes, tinnitus can happen even if there is no damage to the inner ear. Possible causes include problems with the blood vessels near the ears, problems with the Eustachian tubes (which connect the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat), or problems with the jaw joint and muscles.

What are the symptoms of tinnitus? — 

Most people with tinnitus hear a high-pitched, steady ringing. But for some people, it might sound like:

●Pulsing

●Rushing

●Humming

●Buzzing

●Roaring

These sounds sometimes get louder or softer during movement or exercise.

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — 

Yes. If you hear ringing or other sounds people around you do not hear, see your doctor or nurse. They can do tests to make sure there is nothing seriously wrong with your ears.

Is there a treatment for tinnitus? — 

Depending on what is causing your tinnitus, there might be treatments that can help. For example, if your tinnitus is caused by Eustachian tube dysfunction or abnormal blood vessels, treating that problem can help.

For people without a clear cause of tinnitus, there is no cure. But there are treatments that can make it easier to live with. These include:

●Hearing aids – People with tinnitus caused by hearing loss often find their symptoms get better if they wear a hearing aid. Hearing aids make outside sounds clearer and louder, which helps make tinnitus less noticeable.

●Tinnitus retraining therapy – This involves working with a tinnitus expert to "retrain" your brain. You learn to think of the ringing in your ears as normal background sounds. Over time, the sounds bother you less.

●Biofeedback – This involves learning to breathe deeply, relax, and change your reaction to your tinnitus. Doing this helps you be less bothered by the sounds.

●Cognitive behavioral therapy – This involves talking with a psychologist or counselor. You learn ways to distract yourself and cope with tinnitus.

●Masking – This means covering up tinnitus by listening to music or other soft sounds. You can even get a special masking device for tinnitus. This looks like a hearing aid and makes "white noise."

What will my life be like? — 

If you have had tinnitus for a long time, it probably will not go away. But it might bother you less over time.

Try to stay positive about your condition. If you are having a hard time coping, or if you feel anxious or depressed, talk to your doctor or nurse. They can help.

If your tinnitus makes it hard to sleep, talk to your doctor or nurse about that, too. Not getting enough sleep can make tinnitus even harder to cope with. But there might be treatments or other things that can help.

More on this topic

Patient education: Eustachian tube problems (The Basics)
Patient education: Hearing loss in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) (The Basics)
Patient education: Hearing loss in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Tools for people with hearing loss (The Basics)

Patient education: Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) (Beyond the Basics)