Tinnitus 

Introduction 

Tinnitus

An audiologist explains the possible causes and effects of tinnitus, plus how to deal with them. Ashleigh, who was diagnosed with tinnitus in 2005, describes how she copes with it.

Go on a noise diet

It’s never too early, or too late, to look after your hearing. Go on a ‘noise diet’ to protect your ears from damage

Tinnitus is the medical name for the perception of noise in one ear, both ears or the head. The noise comes from inside the body rather than an outside source.

People with tinnitus can experience different types of sound. Most people describe it as a ringing sound but other sounds may include:

  • buzzing
  • humming
  • whistling
  • music

Sometimes, the noise associated with tinnitus beats in time with a person’s pulse. This is known as pulsatile tinnitus.

Read more about the different sounds of tinnitus.

Tinnitus is often worse at quiet times, such as when you are trying to get to sleep. This is because there is less background noise to distract you from the sounds of tinnitus. The sound may also be more noticeable when you are tired.

The sounds of tinnitus are usually heard only by the person who has tinnitus, although in a few rare cases, they can also be heard by other people.

Temporary tinnitus can be caused by a cold, a blow to the head, or prolonged exposure to a loud noise, such as a music concert.

Read more about the causes of tinnitus.

Treating tinnitus

The treatment for tinnitus will depend on the underlying cause.

For example, for tinnitus that is caused by a build-up of earwax, eardrops or ear irrigation may be recommended. Irrigation involves using a pressurised flow of water to remove the earwax.

However, in many cases of tinnitus, there is no cure and treatment aims to manage the symptom on a daily basis.

Read more about treating tinnitus.

How common is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a common condition. Approximately 1 in 10 people in the UK have some awareness of tinnitus. However, only 1 in 200 people are severely affected by it.

People of all ages can have tinnitus, including young children, but it is more common in older people.

Outlook

Most people learn to live with tinnitus but it can have a significant effect on daily life. For example, it can affect concentration and cause sleeping problems and depression.

There is currently no cure for long-term tinnitus. Therefore, the aim of treatments, such as sound therapy, relaxation therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), is to help people manage their symptoms effectively.

Read more about the treatments for tinnitus.

Last reviewed: 14/11/2011

Next review due: 14/11/2013

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29 Comments

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Comments are personal views. Any information they give has not been checked and may not be accurate.

Martin2013 said on 01 April 2013

I have suffered with tinnitus for 11 years and it is certainly a slippery beast. The doctor who finds the cure will win the Nobel prize for medicine. Technology is moving quite fast now. Try googling dysfunstional Eustachian tubes. I think narrowing and blocking of these tubes with age could well account for a lot of tinnitus.

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MegLeo said on 18 March 2013

I'm not sure if it's tinnitus, but I occasionally get a loud, very high-pitched ringing sound in one ear after a few seconds of sudden deafness. Sometimes it's accompanied by pain, and is more apparent when there's no background noises. Does anyone know what this could be? It's annoying when it happens but not life affecting.

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mikepeters471 said on 12 December 2012

I agree Tinnitus is definitely a medical condition, that can be difficult to manage. The US veterans audiology team have developed a progressive tinnitus management programme. This plan aims to manage tinnitus and is effective and well researched. For more information and a series of articles please see:
http://www.enetmd.com/content/tinnitus

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giorgione3 said on 03 October 2012

I'm delighted that NHS choices have finally listened to the previous comments complaining about this webpage claiming that tinnitus wasn't a medical condition and have corrected this webpage.

Specifically NHS Choices have removed the sentence:

"Tinnitus is a symptom rather than a condition itself

From this page.

This confusing sentence appeared to deny that tinnitus was a medical condition. I'm glad that NHS Choices have seen sense and removed this sentence.This is a victory for all tinnitus activists. Now all NHS choices need to do is admit that they should never have included the sentence in the first place.

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emm1990 said on 21 September 2012

Why is NHS choices patronising and disrespecting tinnitus sufferers by claiming that tinnitus is not a medical condition. This trivializes a serious medical condition. Until NHS Choices remove this unpleasant and untrue statement we can have no faith in anything else that they claim.

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gt1985 said on 19 September 2012

NHS Choices claim that tinnitus is not a condition. How disrespectful to the many thousands of people with tinnitus in the UK. On what evidence does NHS Choices base this dubious claim? - We are not told.

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dcunningham1 said on 19 September 2012

NHS Choices continues its policy of belittling tinnitus sufferers by refusing to recognize that tinnitus is a medical condition. Just a symptom not a condition say NHS choices - on the basis of whose medical judgement they refuse to say - tell that to the many thousands suffering from this mere "symptom".

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rathomo said on 09 September 2012

My tinnitus has recently got worse after a bout of sore throat. I am trying to be positive and would appreciate opinions on CBT

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DebbieMc said on 30 August 2012

I have been suffering with the ringing/buzzing in both ears for several months and my doctor said it was most likely caused by a virus that causes nerve damage. Thus nothing that can be done. I don't mind the days when it's rather quiet, but some days it drives me crazy!!!

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Grandma White said on 15 May 2012

I have suffered from Tinnitus for over 30 years. I have different sounds in each ear. One whistles and the other has a throbbing noise. I also feel quite dizzy all of the time. I, as everyone else, have mentioned it to my doctor on several occasions but know that physically not much can be done, other than try to mask the noise - and I have found that it is best to just try and get on with life. It is not a life threatening condition and I think that being quite a placid person helps. I have a friend who is not at all placid and she cannot cope with her tinnitus. Yes it is a jolly nuisance and if I get a cold or sinisitis it becomes even louder. I am sorry to say that if you can tell yourself that it could be worse - cancer or ms then you can most of the time try to ignore it and have quiet music playing to try and consentrate of other things when your environment is quiet. Being in a car with well fitting doors and windows also makes the sounds louder, so I put the radio on quietly. I also have a problem with my eyes and this makes me even more unstable on my arthritic feet! All good fun - not! But take heart, live life to the full, and thank God for all the bits of us that do work!

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jayveecee said on 09 May 2012

In the 1940's when I was a small child I developed pulsatile tinnitus, which followed a severe case of mumps. My mother took me to the old family doctor, as I couldn't sleep with the noise of it. He dismissed it & told me lots of people had this problem, but I just had to stop listening to it - his words. As a doctor in the 40's was next to God my mother told me to do just that. I suppose it worked as now in my 70's I am only troubled by it when I am very tired, late at night. Easier for a small child to adjust than an adult, I did as I was told, unacceptable as this attitude would be today.

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Ron555 said on 06 May 2012

Hi menace61, like you I have suffered with this for as long as I can remember, some days worse than others, at the moment I have 2 tones in both ears really loud, its as if I reckon that if you put a stethoscope to my head you would hear it. I also had dizzyness a couple of years ago, went to a specialist and was diagnosed with Benign Peroxysmal Positional Vertigo, BPPV, caused by "small rocks" moving about in the middle ear and was given some excercises to perform which I did, it seemed to help but not entirely. So I googled BPPV and found this thing called " Dizzyfix", I sent off for it because it made sense to me, after a few sessions with this contraption the dizzynes completely stopped, it looks cheap, but there has been alot of research put in to this thing and it really works. Sadly, the tinnitus is still there, but feeling much better about the fear of falling over, or worse when driving. Hope this helps, and I wish you well..

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menace61 said on 24 April 2012

I also have been suffering from this condition for over 30 years now, and the sound is also gotten louder and louder in my left ear, and it has caused me dizziness, I also fall over people think I am drunk, my family have been superb and my wife is a God send as she know's what to do after all these years, and the sustained attacks with the dizziness. I also have a problem concentrating on anything for long, and the noise makes it so hard for me to get to sleep. My GP over thr years has sent me for so may tests MRI - Ultrasound - also wearing Monitors for ages but to no avail - they also said I might have a thing called Labyrinthitis I am not convinced but I do have all the symptoms of this, I was given tablets which made me worse so I stopped taking them, I am resigned to having this for the rest of my days I am now 62 yrs old and have done my hell on Earth with this dibiliting and distressing disorder. I fell sorry for all those who have it or will suffer as I am, dont give up, I have a wonderful family, I thank God every day for my Children and Grandchildren and my Beautiful wife, talk to other sufferers they are living it now..



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rhinoman said on 12 April 2012

i have suffered with tinnitus now for six months i suffer horrendous head aches at times i am sick nearly every morning the buzzing and whistling is driving me mad,i can not concentrate at work and because of the pressure in my head i have become severely absent minded. i have these symtoms twenty four seven,i have recentley been for two mri scans which i bottled at the last minute because i came across very clostraphobic,i have to play a walkman all day and night to mask the noises i am at my wits end any advise please age 51 male

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dhc1970 said on 09 April 2012

I found the information in this website unhelpful for the following reasons:
1. “Tinnitus is a symptom rather than a condition itself” this downgrades the importance of tinnitus for its many sufferers. Yes, tinnitus can be a symptom of other illnesses but it is also a very serious condition in itself. NHS choices then contradicts itself by going on to state that “Tinnitus is a common condition”. So which is it NHS Choices – please make your mind up Is it a condition or not?
2. You state that” only 1 in 200 people are severely affected by tinnitus”. What is the evidence for this sweeping claim? If it is based on a survey, when was the survey done and what was the number of respondents? Once again this is an unproven assertion designed to downplay the significance of tinnitus.
At the moment there is a no medicine to treat tinnitus. Tinnitus research has been severely underfunded. If we wish to search for the reasons why we don’t need to look far.

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dhc1970 said on 09 April 2012

I found this website unhelpful in the information provided about tinnitus for the following reaons:

1. Stating that tinnitus "is a symptom rather than a condition itself" downplays the importance of tinnitus - and is in fact contradicted within your own website where you state that "tinnitus is a common condition". So is it a condition or not NHS Choices? Please make your mind up as definitions are important.

2. You state that "only 1 in 200 people are severely affected by it." Where is your factual evidence for such a sweeping generalisation? If it is based on the results of a survey please state the date of this survey and the number of respondents so that we can make our own judgements about the accuracy of this information.

Once again, you are downplaying the significance of tinnitus and how it has affected lives. If we need to know why there is such a lack of funding for tinnitus research and why no drugs have been developed to treat it we don't need to look far for the reasons.

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herehere said on 09 April 2012

Just been reading something from America which talks about surgery for tinnitus which has been very successful according to some patients - has anyone heard anything over here about this treatment?

Can relate to all who have commented about not being able to sleep due to the sounds!! I also suffer from hot soles of feet and legs whilst trying to get to sleep which is a very disturbing combination of both problems!

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GraS said on 02 March 2012

I will not use the term 'suffering from this condition' but have had this condition for 31 years.
Although I experience ringing/buzzing in both ears, the right is much louder.
Listening to conversation is a problem especially in places where there is other sounds.
My GP at the time explained that there was no cure and could only offer an advice group.
I have never lost any sleep or concentration to this condition and can only agree with an earlier comment 'that you just have to get on with it'.
Very much a 'mindset' that if there is no cure, you have the problem and learn to accept that prognosis.
After all these years I would miss the ringing/buzzing if it could be cured.

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Claire 0785 said on 01 February 2012

Hi. I'm hoping there is someone that can help or would be willing to offer me some advice. I'm not sure if i have Tinnitus but i have been experiencing a ringing in my ears since the beginning of December 2011, and in my right ear everytime a lady/child talks close to me it feels like my ear drum is 'squirming' around and it sort of crackles. I hear the ringing when i am in quiet places or at night when i am tired. I went to the doctors on 2 occasions and they said that the ear canal/drum looks ok and that there was a small amount of wax and they removed it but nothing has changed. Im so sensitive to sound now and wimper when people are talking to me when they are standing too close. I don't want to keep going back to the doctors for them to keep saying that everything is ok. Can anyone help me? I feel like i'm going mad!! My friends baby has been crying now and its got louder.

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HatterJo said on 16 January 2012

I've had a ringing, buzzing or pulsing noise constantly in my ears ever since I can remember. I remember going to the doctors when I was 5 or 6 and being told I was making it up for attention, and getting really upset because I thought there must be something really wrong with me if even the doctor didn't believe there was a problem.
I'm 18 now and the problem has got progressively worse, up until the point where there are days where I simply cannot hear people speaking to me. I have to use subtitles of the television and usually feel completely alienated in conversations because I miss out on so much. Yet my GP is offering no help whatsoever. I've brought it up on more than one occasion with more than one doctor, but nobody seems to be able to offer any help whatsoever. My dad has the same problem and tells me to just get on with it.
I recently had an inner ear infection, closely followed by ear ache, and this has made the problem much worse. I can't get to sleep, something which has always been a problem but it's never been so distressing as this, and I feel dizzy all the time. It's driving me mad!

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radarman said on 11 January 2012

I have quite loud tinnitus in sometimes a monaural pattern ie. from the centre of my head both sides in phase I presume. Then at another time it appears to be from each side of my head seperately ie out of phase?.
Very occasionally one side may vanish for a fraction of a second but come back, or, both sides, hence my tinnitus has gone completely but again only for a fraction of a second.
I find this difficult to put down to any form of `ear wax` or similar since I think it would not be able to do this.
I sometimes wonder if in fact the part of my brain that deals with hearing is increasing the sensitivity (as possibly happens normally during sleep to protect from predators in the distant past) when it shouldn`t ie during waking hours, is it possible as in electronic circuits that sensitivity can be increased seperately to the volume?
In fact is tinnitus caused by the brain and not hearing?
I would like to hear any other sufferers views.

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Phil Osophy said on 16 December 2011

I'm into my 4th week with tinnitus...a loud, intense and high-pitched noise in my head...feel devastated.
I've discovered there is help - The British Tinnitus Association website is very helpful -:
http://www.tinnitus.org.uk/
Also there brilliant forum provides support and knowledge from other sufferers.

Get a referral from your GP to see an ENT consultant...to determine possible causes...often there is no identifiable cause. Thereafter, you should be referred on to an audiologist or/and hearing therapist.. If your Doctor is not amenable to provide a referral, see another Doctor(s).

Avoid quiet rooms. Playing natural sounds in the background can help distract the brain from tuning in to the noise. Try to avoid stress and be positive...I know, easy to say...

To help me sleep, my GP has precribed Temazepam...they can be addictive, but I'm desperate for some sleep.

Goodluck....

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User621878 said on 03 December 2011

I had Tinnitus 8 years ago. I just had the ringing in the ears and loss of balance, but fortunatley it went after a few months.
Recently i,ve been diagnosed with Tinnitus again, this time its a lot worse. Its unbearable.
Not only do I have a high pitched "percussion" band in my head, my balance is affected, and because of that I get nausious.
I cant/dont sleep well, I average 4 hours before I wake up. I,ve also started getting bad headaches...I dont know if thats related to Tinnitus or maybe severe lack of sleep.
I have to have "aids" fitted in a couple of weeks, so hopefully this will make a change. My G.P wont give me anything to help me sleep, but she did tell me I looked "tired"..good god, "tired" i,m knackered !
Well I,ve had a good moan now...

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Napoleon Plural said on 31 October 2011

I feel there is some misinformation about tinnitus in terms of whether it is curable or not. It depends what kind of tinnitus you have, not all of it is down to loud noise that's damaged the tiny hairs in the ears.

If you've experienced flu, have a recent tendency to drink pints and pints of water, feel exhausted just climbing the stairs, then you may have a virus-related tinnitus which is treatable and can disappear. It can reappear at times of stress or when you are run down. For this I recommend 2 liquid capsule Neurofens before you go to sleep; the reason it wakes you up at night is the body temperature rises, and with it the tendency to inflammation.

Also, have a low, ambient soothing CD on very low to take you out of yourself a bit more, it is when the room is dead silent that you only hear the ringing. This works whether your tinnitus is permanent or not. And avoid most types of coffee, even decaff, and cola drinks.

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llulu said on 30 October 2011

Hello, for the past two weeks i have had a ringing and buzzing senstion in my ears. I had my ears sucutioned yeterday as it was due to wax blockege. When i originally saw my doctor he warned me that the noise can last for about a week after haveing the procedure but when i went to have the treatment, the first thing the nurse said to me was that it could be permanent. I dont think the noise has got any worse but my ears still feel blocked (the left one particularly) and feel as though they are trying to pop and i've noticed a bit of pain too as well as the fact that i can hear myself swallowing.. Is this normal and is it more likely that the noise will go within a few days as it's just down to wax?

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wroostanov said on 04 January 2010

@dragonfly

Have you looked up Meniere's disease? The loss of balance reminded me of this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ménière's_disease

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Menieres-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Hope that helps!

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JEROMEB said on 01 November 2009

I would recommend you see a specialist.
Go to this webpage, it might be of aid to you. this is a french doctor but I believe many information are in English.
http://www.clinique-causse.com/index_uk.html

Hearing tinnitus, noise in the ear is either something due to stress and your brain cannot filter noises out it used to (very simplified) or due to a physical trauma in your ear. The ear got wounded and healed with a scar. the ringing can be the signature of this scar.
Pay attention also that this is not linked with a loss of auditive capacity. If you are exposed to a sudden violent noise (disco very loud, any enclosed places) you might have a sudden hearing trauma (translation from the French)
The loss in hearing related to this is DEFITNITIVE
I was recently told however that if you act very quicly after the trauma (within hours on the same day) you can save your hearing capacity. Acting means going to the right doctor who will probably give you the right type of medication and will probably have you hospitalised for a couple of days maybe a week. I received such a treatment 10 years ago in Germany.

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Mloclam said on 16 July 2009

I've suffered about 7 months now in the left ear. Similarly, it is having a real effect on many aspects of my life - concentration is very difficult and studying my MCP coursework is getting to be impossible, and I've given up hoping for much than four hours sleep a night, until every fourth or fifth night I am so knackered I manage a good nights sleep. It's driving me nuts.

Went to see the GP - he says its all in my head (well, duh!) and suggested inhaling Olbas Oil. Didn't make a bit of difference.

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dragonfly said on 16 May 2009

Have been suffering from this condition for over a year now, and the sound is getting louder and louder.
Only in one ear, and it has caused me dizziness, which then 'helped' me to fall over and cause damage to knees and wrists. I cannot concentrate on anything for long and the noise makes it take ages for me to get to sleep.

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