Have you experienced a slight ringing in your ears after a loud bang or noisy fireworks? Now imagine if that ringing became permanent — something you could always hear, but no one else could. That, in a nutshell, is what tinnitus is.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is noise experienced in one or both ears that generally cannot be heard by anyone else. The sound may be in the form of ringing, buzzing, humming, clicking, roaring, hissing or another form. It may be constant, or it may come and go. It may be loud or soft, low pitched or high pitched. It can be experienced in the head as well. It is important to note that tinnitus is not a disease — it is symptom of one or more underlying condition.
Tinnitus is not uncommon, it’s global burden is fairly large: a 2022 research paper, Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, published in JAMA Neurology estimated that the annual incidence of tinnitus is approximately 1%, with 14% of adults experiencing any tinnitus and 2% experiencing a severe form of it. “The prevalence of tinnitus did not differ by sex, but increased prevalence was associated with increasing age, with any tinnitus being present in 10% of young adults, 14% of middle-aged adults, and 24% of older adults,” the paper noted.
What are the causes of tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be caused due to a number of health conditions. The exact causes of it are not fully understood, and in some cases, a cause may not be found. However, there are some common causes that may lead to tinnitus:
Hearing loss: This can be because of ageing or regular exposure to loud noises. The inner ear, or cochlea, contains, tiny sensory hair cells. These cells convert mechanical vibrations into electrical signals that the brain perceives as sound. With age or frequent exposure to loud sounds, these hairs can get damaged, and the brain may not receive the signals it is expecting, but abnormal activity can occur, resulting in the illusion of sound.
Another reason tinnitus can occur is because of ear, head and neck injuries — trauma that causes damage to the structure of the ear, nerves or parts of the brain that process sound. This form of tinnitus generally occurs in one ear.
Ear infections and ear canal blockages due to a build-up of earwax or other substances may also cause tinnitus.
Tinnitus can also be caused by certain medications. These include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSADs), certain antibiotics, cancer drugs, antidepressants and antimalarial drugs.
There are several other less common causes as well including blood vessel conditions — it is important to see a doctor to help determine the cause of tinnitus and for appropriate treatment.
What are the types of tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be subjective or objective. Most people have subjective tinnitus, which means that only they can hear the noise, and no one else can. In rare cases however, a patient may have pulsatile tinnitus, where the sound is rhythmic, often in time with the heartbeat. This is objective tinnitus, and may be heard by a doctor as well.
Tinnitus can be acute, when it lasts for less than three months, or can be classified as chronic, if it lasts for more than three months.
Is it necessary to see a doctor?
Not all people are bothered by tinnitus. However, a doctor can help diagnose the underlying condition. According to a World Health Organization post, Deafness and hearing loss: Tinnitus, while tinnitus is in most cases benign, it can, in rare circumstances indicate a more serious condition, such as vestibular schwannoma (a benign tumour on the vestibular nerve) or Ménière’s disease. It states that you should see a doctor if tinnitus is sudden and is accompanied by hearing loss, dizziness or pain; has persisted for over three months (chronic tinnitus) or affects your quality of life.
Severe tinnitus may cause disruptions in people’s everyday lives. People with severe tinnitus may have trouble concentrating or sleeping and this may, over time, impact mental health.
How is tinnitus treated?
In some people, tinnitus may resolve on its own, if caused by temporary factors. If there is an underlying cause of tinnitus, a doctor may be able to treat it, by addressing the cause through an accurate diagnosis.
There is no definitive cure for tinnitus as yet, but there are treatment strategies to help make it manageable and reduce its severity. These strategies include the use of devices as well as behaviour therapies. This may include the use of hearing aids or cochlear implants to help with hearing loss, or white noise/other noise machines, to help distract the brain and make the tinnitus less noticeable, as well as devices worn in the ear that produce a continuous white noise. Behaviour therapies include tinnitus retraining therapy, a personalised programme that combines sound masking and counselling, as well as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or other forms of counselling and stress management.
The WHO post states, that at this time, no pharmacological treatments have been shown to be effective for the management or resolution of tinnitus. It adds: “Helpful strategies for tinnitus management aim to focus attention away from tinnitus (e.g. concentrating on work or any other activity) and to reduce the emotional reaction to tinnitus.”
Published – July 06, 2025 01:00 pm IST
