Tinnitus

Tinnitus | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Ears, nose and throat Tinnitus Tinnitus Tinnitus is the name for hearing sounds that come from inside your body rather than an outside source. Its not usually a sign of anything serious and may get better by itself. Symptoms of tinnitus Tinnitus is often called ringing in the ears but its not just ringing. You might hear: buzzing humming grinding hissing whistling music or singing noises that beat in time with your pulse You may also notice hearing loss or that youre more sensitive to everyday sounds. For some people, tinnitus may come and go. But sometimes it can impact your daily life and be very distressing. It can affect concentration and cause difficulty sleeping (insomnia) and depression . Tinnitus will sometimes get better over time, either by disappearing or by the body getting used to it. When to get medical advice Speak to your GP practice if: you continually or regularly hear sounds such as buzzing, ringing or humming in your ears your tinnitus is getting worse your tinnitus is bothering you  for example, its affecting your sleep or concentration, or is making you feel anxious and depressed you have tinnitus that beats in time with your pulse Diagnosing tinnitus Your doctor can examine your ears to see if the problem might be caused by a condition they could easily treat, such as an ear infection or earwax build-up . They can also check if you have any hearing loss . If needed, your GP can refer you to a specialist for further tests and treatment. What causes tinnitus? Tinnitus can develop slowly over time or happen suddenly. Its not known exactly why it happens but its often linked to: hearing loss inner ear damage caused by repeated exposure to loud noises or some medicines an earwax build-up a middle ear infection Mnires disease  a condition that also causes hearing loss and vertigo (a spinning sensation) otosclerosis  an inherited condition where an abnormal bone growth in the middle ear causes hearing loss Who is affected? Most people have tinnitus for a short time after being exposed to loud noises, such as after a music concert. Around 1 in 10 people have persistent tinnitus. Around 1 in 100 having severe tinnitus that affects their daily life. Tinnitus can affect people of all ages, including children. Its more common in people aged over 65. How is tinnitus treated Theres currently no treatment for tinnitus that works for everyone. If your tinnitus is caused by an underlying condition, then treating that condition may help your tinnitus. If a cause cant be found, treatment will focus on helping you manage the condition on a daily basis. This may involve: sound therapy  listening to neutral sounds to distract you from the sound of tinnitus counselling  to teach you about tinnitus and help you learn to cope with it better cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)  to help change the way you think about your tinnitus so it becomes less noticeable tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT)  to help you start to tune tinnitus out and become less aware of it Things you can do to help your symptoms Do try to relax  deep breathing or yoga may help try to find ways to improve your sleep, such as sticking to a bedtime routine or cutting down on caffeine try to avoid things that can make tinnitus worse, such as stress or loud background noises join a support group  talking to other people with tinnitus may help you cope Dont do not have total silence  listening to soft music or sounds (sound therapy) may distract you from the tinnitus do not focus on it, as this can make it worse  hobbies and activities may take your mind off it Source: ENT Scotland - Opens in new browser window Last updated: 05 March 2024 How can we improve this page? Help us improve NHS inform Thank You Your feedback has been received Dont include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions. Email Address e.g. you@example.com Message Maximum of 500 characters Send feedback Add this page to\n            Info For Me Also on NHS inform Hearing loss Other health sites British Tinnitus Association NHS inform About NHS inform Editorial policy Contact us Webchat Give feedback about NHS inform Info for Me tool Terms and conditions Privacy and cookies policy Freedom of information (FOI) Accessibility Other languages and formats  2023 NHS 24  v1.1.1.17852