Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentComplicationsDiagnosisWhen to See a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Complications
Diagnosis
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Ringing in the ears often occurs as a result of another health condition. Common causes includehearing loss,earwaxbuildup, medications, diabetes,head injuries, and certain ear conditions.Treatment for ringing in the ears depends on the cause. Talk with your healthcare provider if you experience symptoms of tinnitus.
Peter Dazeley / Getty Images
Ringing in ears affects people differently. It may be faint or loud. The pitch of the sound can also vary. It can be erratic or, at times, seem to keep pace with your heartbeat. Types of sound can include:
Types of Ringing in the Ears
People who have ear ringing usually experience one of the following types of the condition:
Other Effects
In addition to physical symptoms, some people may experience psychological effects from ringing in the ears. These can cause distress and significantly impact quality of life:
Some studies have identified shared pathways in the brain for both tinnitus and stress-related disorders. The findings suggest that more research is needed to understand how tinnitus and mental health can affect each other, or which might influence the other.
Help for DepressionIf you or a loved one is struggling with depression, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
Help for Depression
If you or a loved one is struggling with depression, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
The causes can range from simple to complex. For some people, there isn’t an obvious reason for the sound they hear. Common causes of ringing in the ears include the following:
Hearing Loss
Ringing in the ears is often linked tosensorineural(inner ear) hearing loss. This type of damage results from harm to the inner ear or the nerve pathways that connect the inner ear to the brain.
This problem often occurs as the result of noise-induced hearing loss, either from one incident or over time, such as work-related exposure.
Ringing in the ears can also result fromage-related hearing loss. This normal deterioration of hearing usually starts around age 60 and affects both ears. It often begins with the loss of high-frequency sounds, such as a whistle or squeal.
Outer Ear Canal Obstruction
Sources of middle ear obstruction can include:
Health Conditions
Ringing in the ears is often linked to certain health conditions. These can include:
Pulsatile tinnitus causes a rhythmic type of ringing that may be associated with ablood vesseldisorder, such as narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) or high blood pressure affecting the cranium (skull).Tell your healthcare provider if your tinnitus pulsates.
Medications
Ringing in the ears can occur as a side effect of more than 200medications. These medications are referred to asototoxic. In many cases, the problem disappears when the medication is stopped. These medications include:
Treatment for ringing in the ears depends on the source of the problem and how it affects you. Temporary ringing can resolve without treatment. If your tinnitus is linked to a health problem, that issue is treated first.
If the ringing remains, the treatment goal is to reduce it and help you live with it. Depending on your age, medical history, current condition and medications, you may benefit from one or more of these treatments:
Some people don’t achieve the results they desire with traditional treatments and may want to try an alternative approach, such asacupunctureandbiofeedback.These treatments may lack evidence of success or they may provide relief for some people.
Check with your healthcare provider before trying commonnatural remedies for ringing in ears.
Complications and Risk Factors
Ringing in the ears often occurs as the result of an underlying condition. The symptom doesn’t cause harm on its own but can impact your quality of life and emotional well-being.
Ringing in the ears is associated with mental health problems that include:
The following factors can increase your risk of developing ringing in the ears:
Be sure to protect your ears when you’re around loud noises. Sources of hearing damage can include rock concerts, power tools, and fireworks.
If you have ringing in your ears, a healthcare provider (such as anaudiologist, or hearing specialist) will likely start with a general physical exam and hearing exam to diagnose your condition.
Depending on the results of these preliminary exams, your provider may advise the following tests:
Contact your healthcare provider if you have ringing in your ears that continues longer than a week. Seek evaluation for any type of sound that interferes with your sleep and/or concentration.
In some cases, tinnitus is associated with the risk ofmental health problems. Report feelings of depression or anxiety to your healthcare provider as soon as you recognize them.
Summary
Ringing in the ears is a common problem that occurs as a result of hearing loss or damage to the areas that control hearing. It can also be linked to a health condition or medication side effect. It becomes a problem when it persists longer than a week.Treatment involves finding if the problem is linked to an underlying health condition, medication use, or other causes. Chronic tinnitus may improve with hearing aids and other hearing devices. Treatments that include counseling can help you deal with the challenges of living with the problem.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Family Physicians.Tinnitus.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Tinnitus.Hearing Health Foundation.Diagnosing tinnitus.Langguth B, de Ridder D, Schlee W, Kleinjung T.Tinnitus: Clinical Insights in Its Pathophysiology-A Perspective.J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2024 Jun;25(3):249-258. doi:10.1007/s10162-024-00939-0Gross J, Knipper M, Mazurek B.Candidate Key Proteins in Tinnitus-A Bioinformatic Study of Synaptic Transmission in the Cochlear Nucleus.Biomedicines. 2024 Jul 19;12(7):1615. doi:10.3390/biomedicines12071615American Tinnitus Association.Facts and causes.American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.Sensorineural hearing loss.New York University Langone Health.Diagnosing Tinnitus.American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).Ototoxic medications (medication effects).Xu X, Xie H, Liu Z, Guo T, Zhang Y.Effects of acupuncture on the outcome of tinnitus: An overview of systematic reviews.Frontiers in Neurology. 2022;13. doi:10.3389/fneur.2022.1061431Hearing Health Foundation.Protecting your hearing means protecting your mental health.Basso L, Boecking B, Brueggemann P, Pedersen NL, Canlon B, Cederroth CR,et al.Gender-Specific Risk Factors and Comorbidities of Bothersome Tinnitus.Front Neurosci. 2020 Sep 23;14:706. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00706Bhatt, Ishan Sunilkumar.Prevalence of and risk factors for tinnitus and tinnitus-related handicap in a college-aged population.Ear and Hearing.2018;39(3):517-526 doi:10.1097/AUD.0000000000000503American Tinnitus Association.Measuring Tinnitus.American Tinnitus Association.Tinnitus patient navigator.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Family Physicians.Tinnitus.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Tinnitus.Hearing Health Foundation.Diagnosing tinnitus.Langguth B, de Ridder D, Schlee W, Kleinjung T.Tinnitus: Clinical Insights in Its Pathophysiology-A Perspective.J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2024 Jun;25(3):249-258. doi:10.1007/s10162-024-00939-0Gross J, Knipper M, Mazurek B.Candidate Key Proteins in Tinnitus-A Bioinformatic Study of Synaptic Transmission in the Cochlear Nucleus.Biomedicines. 2024 Jul 19;12(7):1615. doi:10.3390/biomedicines12071615American Tinnitus Association.Facts and causes.American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.Sensorineural hearing loss.New York University Langone Health.Diagnosing Tinnitus.American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).Ototoxic medications (medication effects).Xu X, Xie H, Liu Z, Guo T, Zhang Y.Effects of acupuncture on the outcome of tinnitus: An overview of systematic reviews.Frontiers in Neurology. 2022;13. doi:10.3389/fneur.2022.1061431Hearing Health Foundation.Protecting your hearing means protecting your mental health.Basso L, Boecking B, Brueggemann P, Pedersen NL, Canlon B, Cederroth CR,et al.Gender-Specific Risk Factors and Comorbidities of Bothersome Tinnitus.Front Neurosci. 2020 Sep 23;14:706. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00706Bhatt, Ishan Sunilkumar.Prevalence of and risk factors for tinnitus and tinnitus-related handicap in a college-aged population.Ear and Hearing.2018;39(3):517-526 doi:10.1097/AUD.0000000000000503American Tinnitus Association.Measuring Tinnitus.American Tinnitus Association.Tinnitus patient navigator.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Tinnitus.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Tinnitus.Hearing Health Foundation.Diagnosing tinnitus.Langguth B, de Ridder D, Schlee W, Kleinjung T.Tinnitus: Clinical Insights in Its Pathophysiology-A Perspective.J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2024 Jun;25(3):249-258. doi:10.1007/s10162-024-00939-0Gross J, Knipper M, Mazurek B.Candidate Key Proteins in Tinnitus-A Bioinformatic Study of Synaptic Transmission in the Cochlear Nucleus.Biomedicines. 2024 Jul 19;12(7):1615. doi:10.3390/biomedicines12071615American Tinnitus Association.Facts and causes.American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.Sensorineural hearing loss.New York University Langone Health.Diagnosing Tinnitus.American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).Ototoxic medications (medication effects).Xu X, Xie H, Liu Z, Guo T, Zhang Y.Effects of acupuncture on the outcome of tinnitus: An overview of systematic reviews.Frontiers in Neurology. 2022;13. doi:10.3389/fneur.2022.1061431Hearing Health Foundation.Protecting your hearing means protecting your mental health.Basso L, Boecking B, Brueggemann P, Pedersen NL, Canlon B, Cederroth CR,et al.Gender-Specific Risk Factors and Comorbidities of Bothersome Tinnitus.Front Neurosci. 2020 Sep 23;14:706. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00706Bhatt, Ishan Sunilkumar.Prevalence of and risk factors for tinnitus and tinnitus-related handicap in a college-aged population.Ear and Hearing.2018;39(3):517-526 doi:10.1097/AUD.0000000000000503American Tinnitus Association.Measuring Tinnitus.American Tinnitus Association.Tinnitus patient navigator.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Tinnitus.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Tinnitus.
Hearing Health Foundation.Diagnosing tinnitus.
Langguth B, de Ridder D, Schlee W, Kleinjung T.Tinnitus: Clinical Insights in Its Pathophysiology-A Perspective.J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2024 Jun;25(3):249-258. doi:10.1007/s10162-024-00939-0
Gross J, Knipper M, Mazurek B.Candidate Key Proteins in Tinnitus-A Bioinformatic Study of Synaptic Transmission in the Cochlear Nucleus.Biomedicines. 2024 Jul 19;12(7):1615. doi:10.3390/biomedicines12071615
American Tinnitus Association.Facts and causes.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.Sensorineural hearing loss.
New York University Langone Health.Diagnosing Tinnitus.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).Ototoxic medications (medication effects).
Xu X, Xie H, Liu Z, Guo T, Zhang Y.Effects of acupuncture on the outcome of tinnitus: An overview of systematic reviews.Frontiers in Neurology. 2022;13. doi:10.3389/fneur.2022.1061431
Hearing Health Foundation.Protecting your hearing means protecting your mental health.
Basso L, Boecking B, Brueggemann P, Pedersen NL, Canlon B, Cederroth CR,et al.Gender-Specific Risk Factors and Comorbidities of Bothersome Tinnitus.Front Neurosci. 2020 Sep 23;14:706. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00706
Bhatt, Ishan Sunilkumar.Prevalence of and risk factors for tinnitus and tinnitus-related handicap in a college-aged population.Ear and Hearing.2018;39(3):517-526 doi:10.1097/AUD.0000000000000503
American Tinnitus Association.Measuring Tinnitus.
American Tinnitus Association.Tinnitus patient navigator.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
