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| URL | https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/keeplistening/tinnitus |
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| First Indexed | 2021-06-15 03:25:15 (4 years ago) |
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| Meta Title | Keep Listening | Are Your Ears Ringing? — Hearing Health Foundation |
| Meta Description | Tinnitus often is an early sign of hearing loss from excess noise exposure. People with hearing loss usually have tinnitus, and vice versa. And for many people, like those frequently exposed to loud sounds, say in the military, tinnitus doesn’t fully go away. It becomes constant and can even wreck your daily life, making it hard to focus or get decent sleep. |
| Meta Canonical | null |
| Boilerpipe Text | Tinnitus can sound like a buzzing, ringing, high-pitched tone, or pulsing. It can come on gradually, starting mildly at first, and then increase in intensity and frequency over weeks, months, and even years. You can get tinnitus in an instant. One minute you’re living in a quiet world—in the next your world has been invaded by a constant sound.Â
Studies estimate tinnitus to affect from
1 in 4
to
1 in 10
U.S. adults.
Young people ages 12 to 19
also report experiencing tinnitus.
Millions of adults struggle with chronic tinnitus that is bothersome in everyday life, and some have extreme and debilitating cases that can become a source of severe distress
leading to insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
What Causes Tinnitus?
The first thing to realize about tinnitus is that it is a
symptom, not a disease itself.
It is often an early sign of hearing loss as people with hearing loss usually have tinnitus, and vice versa. Scientists believe that hearing phantom sounds occurs because our brain is reacting to sound signals that are missing, due to a loss of hearing. In trying to make up for the missing sound input, the brain creates new sensations that exist only in our head.
Up to
90 percent of people with tinnitus have some level of noise-induced hearing loss.
Unfortunately, noise damage is insidious. As is often the case with skin damage from sun exposure, we may not realize our ears have been damaged for years to come. It’s not uncommon for tinnitus to begin years after exposure to loud noises.
Other conditions can cause tinnitus, such as earwax blocking the ear canal, or as a side effect of medications.
New research in Nature Communications Medicine from October 2021
shows the virus that causes COVID-19 can infect the inner ear, which may help explain reports of tinnitus and hearing loss among COVID-19 patients.
There are also studies investigating any link between tinnitus and COVID vaccines. In an
April 2023 report on NBC News,
researchers theorize that tinnitus in these cases may occur as a result of ongoing inflammation, especially in the brain and spinal cord; a preexisting risk factor for tinnitus that gets triggered by the vaccine; and/or the virus’s spike protein itself circulating in the body. (HHF recommends following CDC guidelines for vaccines, and consulting a medical professional with any questions.)
The flip side of tinnitus can sometimes be hyperacusis, or an oversensitivity to everyday sounds or volume levels that can lead to pain. Please see our
hyperacusis page for more information.
How Is Tinnitus Treated?
If you have tinnitus that interferes with daily life, please visit a hearing care professional to see if there is a treatable, underlying condition. In general, for those with bothersome tinnitus,
some type of therapy combined with sound masking as a safe volume
has been shown to provide relief. If earwax is the cause, removing it can relieve symptoms. Hearing aids that both treat the hearing loss as well as contain a sound masking program can also help.
There is no cure for tinnitus, but researchers are hopeful that finding
better treatments for hearing loss
will mean better treatments for tinnitus.
We have additional resources on Hearing Health Foundation’s
main tinnitus page,
also available
en Español.
We want you to
keep listening,
safely. |
| Markdown | Â
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# [](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/)
About
[Mission](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/mission)
[History](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/our-history)
[Leadership](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/leadership)
[Financials](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/financials-accreditation)
[FAQ](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/faq)
[How to Help](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/how-to-help)
[Resources](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/resources)
Research
[Programs](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/programs)
[Emerging Research Grants](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/emerging-research-grants)
[Hearing Restoration Project](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/hearing-restoration-project)
Hearing
[Do You Have a Hearing Loss?](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/do-you-have-a-hearing-loss)
[Hearing Tests](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/hearing-tests)
[Treating Hearing Loss](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/treating-hearing-loss)
[Hearing Aids](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/hearing-aids)
[Preventing Hearing Loss](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/preventing-hearing-loss)
[Common Myths and Helpful Tips](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/common-myths)
[How Hearing Works](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/how-hearing-works)
[Types](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/types-of-hearing-loss)
[Degrees](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/degrees-of-hearing-loss)
[Causes](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/causes-of-hearing-loss)
[Auditory Processing Disorders](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/about-auditory-processing-disorder)
[Hyperacusis](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/about-hyperacusis)
[Ménière’s Disease](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/menieres-disease)
[Tinnitus](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/tinnitus-resources)
[Usher Syndrome](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/about-usher-syndrome)
News
[Subscribe](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/subscribe)
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**Are Your Ears Ringing?**
\#KeepListening
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- [Are Your Ears Ringing?](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/keeplistening/tinnitus)
- [Protect Your Hearing](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/keeplistening/protect)
- [Hearing and Overall Health](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/keeplistening/health)
- [Test Your Hearing](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/keeplistening/test)
- [Headphone and Earbud Safety](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/keeplistening/headphones)
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Ver pagina en: English \| [Español](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/tinnitus-spanish)
# Tinnitus Can Be a Sign of Hearing Damage
Nearly everyone has had tinnitus at one point or another, but it might be most familiar after going to a concert or club without hearing protection. That muffled, ringing sound we hear as we make for the exit is tinnitus. Usually after a few hours, the tinnitus is gone. But the damage to our hearing has been done—and for some people, the tinnitus lingers.

Tinnitus can sound like a buzzing, ringing, high-pitched tone, or pulsing. It can come on gradually, starting mildly at first, and then increase in intensity and frequency over weeks, months, and even years. You can get tinnitus in an instant. One minute you’re living in a quiet world—in the next your world has been invaded by a constant sound.
Studies estimate tinnitus to affect from [1 in 4](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000293431000344X) to [1 in 10](https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing) U.S. adults. [Young people ages 12 to 19](https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/public_health_scientific_info.html) also report experiencing tinnitus.
Millions of adults struggle with chronic tinnitus that is bothersome in everyday life, and some have extreme and debilitating cases that can become a source of severe distress [leading to insomnia, anxiety, and depression.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5812676/)
## What Causes Tinnitus?
The first thing to realize about tinnitus is that it is a [symptom, not a disease itself.](https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus) It is often an early sign of hearing loss as people with hearing loss usually have tinnitus, and vice versa. Scientists believe that hearing phantom sounds occurs because our brain is reacting to sound signals that are missing, due to a loss of hearing. In trying to make up for the missing sound input, the brain creates new sensations that exist only in our head.
Up to [90 percent of people with tinnitus have some level of noise-induced hearing loss.](https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-tinnitus-basics) Unfortunately, noise damage is insidious. As is often the case with skin damage from sun exposure, we may not realize our ears have been damaged for years to come. It’s not uncommon for tinnitus to begin years after exposure to loud noises.
Other conditions can cause tinnitus, such as earwax blocking the ear canal, or as a side effect of medications. [New research in Nature Communications Medicine from October 2021](https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-021-00044-w) shows the virus that causes COVID-19 can infect the inner ear, which may help explain reports of tinnitus and hearing loss among COVID-19 patients.
There are also studies investigating any link between tinnitus and COVID vaccines. In an [April 2023 report on NBC News,](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-vaccine-side-effects-tinnitus-may-linked-inflammation-rcna80675) researchers theorize that tinnitus in these cases may occur as a result of ongoing inflammation, especially in the brain and spinal cord; a preexisting risk factor for tinnitus that gets triggered by the vaccine; and/or the virus’s spike protein itself circulating in the body. (HHF recommends following CDC guidelines for vaccines, and consulting a medical professional with any questions.)
The flip side of tinnitus can sometimes be hyperacusis, or an oversensitivity to everyday sounds or volume levels that can lead to pain. Please see our [hyperacusis page for more information.](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/about-hyperacusis)
## How Is Tinnitus Treated?
If you have tinnitus that interferes with daily life, please visit a hearing care professional to see if there is a treatable, underlying condition. In general, for those with bothersome tinnitus, [some type of therapy combined with sound masking as a safe volume](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/tinnitus-resources#tinnitus-treatments) has been shown to provide relief. If earwax is the cause, removing it can relieve symptoms. Hearing aids that both treat the hearing loss as well as contain a sound masking program can also help.
There is no cure for tinnitus, but researchers are hopeful that finding [better treatments for hearing loss](https://hhf.org/hrp) will mean better treatments for tinnitus.
We have additional resources on Hearing Health Foundation’s [main tinnitus page,](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/tinnitus-resources) also available [en Español.](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/el-tinnitus)
### *We want you to* [*keep listening,*](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/keeplistening) *safely.*
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 |
| Readable Markdown | Tinnitus can sound like a buzzing, ringing, high-pitched tone, or pulsing. It can come on gradually, starting mildly at first, and then increase in intensity and frequency over weeks, months, and even years. You can get tinnitus in an instant. One minute you’re living in a quiet world—in the next your world has been invaded by a constant sound.
Studies estimate tinnitus to affect from [1 in 4](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000293431000344X) to [1 in 10](https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing) U.S. adults. [Young people ages 12 to 19](https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/public_health_scientific_info.html) also report experiencing tinnitus.
Millions of adults struggle with chronic tinnitus that is bothersome in everyday life, and some have extreme and debilitating cases that can become a source of severe distress [leading to insomnia, anxiety, and depression.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5812676/)
## What Causes Tinnitus?
The first thing to realize about tinnitus is that it is a [symptom, not a disease itself.](https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus) It is often an early sign of hearing loss as people with hearing loss usually have tinnitus, and vice versa. Scientists believe that hearing phantom sounds occurs because our brain is reacting to sound signals that are missing, due to a loss of hearing. In trying to make up for the missing sound input, the brain creates new sensations that exist only in our head.
Up to [90 percent of people with tinnitus have some level of noise-induced hearing loss.](https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-tinnitus-basics) Unfortunately, noise damage is insidious. As is often the case with skin damage from sun exposure, we may not realize our ears have been damaged for years to come. It’s not uncommon for tinnitus to begin years after exposure to loud noises.
Other conditions can cause tinnitus, such as earwax blocking the ear canal, or as a side effect of medications. [New research in Nature Communications Medicine from October 2021](https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-021-00044-w) shows the virus that causes COVID-19 can infect the inner ear, which may help explain reports of tinnitus and hearing loss among COVID-19 patients.
There are also studies investigating any link between tinnitus and COVID vaccines. In an [April 2023 report on NBC News,](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-vaccine-side-effects-tinnitus-may-linked-inflammation-rcna80675) researchers theorize that tinnitus in these cases may occur as a result of ongoing inflammation, especially in the brain and spinal cord; a preexisting risk factor for tinnitus that gets triggered by the vaccine; and/or the virus’s spike protein itself circulating in the body. (HHF recommends following CDC guidelines for vaccines, and consulting a medical professional with any questions.)
The flip side of tinnitus can sometimes be hyperacusis, or an oversensitivity to everyday sounds or volume levels that can lead to pain. Please see our [hyperacusis page for more information.](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/about-hyperacusis)
## How Is Tinnitus Treated?
If you have tinnitus that interferes with daily life, please visit a hearing care professional to see if there is a treatable, underlying condition. In general, for those with bothersome tinnitus, [some type of therapy combined with sound masking as a safe volume](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/tinnitus-resources#tinnitus-treatments) has been shown to provide relief. If earwax is the cause, removing it can relieve symptoms. Hearing aids that both treat the hearing loss as well as contain a sound masking program can also help.
There is no cure for tinnitus, but researchers are hopeful that finding [better treatments for hearing loss](https://hhf.org/hrp) will mean better treatments for tinnitus.
We have additional resources on Hearing Health Foundation’s [main tinnitus page,](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/tinnitus-resources) also available [en Español.](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/el-tinnitus)
### *We want you to* [*keep listening,*](https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/keeplistening) *safely.* |
| Shard | 137 (laksa) |
| Root Hash | 9592927216406332537 |
| Unparsed URL | org,hearinghealthfoundation!/keeplistening/tinnitus s443 |