Tinnitus: Ringing in the Ears and What Causes It

Tinnitus is usually described as ringing in the ears, but it can also sound like roaring, clicking, hissing or buzzing. It may be soft or loud, high or low, and heard in one ear or both.

Millions of Americans have tinnitus. When it is severe, it can make hearing, working and even sleeping difficult.

Causes

• Hearing loss that comes with age
• Exposure to loud noise
• Ear and sinus infections
• Heart or blood vessel problems
• Ménière's disease
• Brain tumours
• Hormonal changes in women
• Thyroid problems
• Certain medicines

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause. It may include hearing aids, sound-masking devices, medicines, and learning ways to cope with the noise.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Tinnitus," from the NIH National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. https://medlineplus.gov/tinnitus.html
• Rewritten in hubnx's own words.