What Are the Symptoms of Tinnitus?

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, affects 10 to 25% of adults in America. Although not considered a disease on its own, tinnitus can be a sign of underlying medical problems affecting both children and adults.

Chronic tinnitus lasting longer than 3 months can also lead to communication difficulties or mental health issues like anxiety and depression. With that in mind, it’s important to see a doctor for ringing in your ears as soon as you recognize the symptoms.

In this article, Ability Central addresses the symptoms and early signs of tinnitus, including:

What are the symptoms of tinnitus?
What are the symptoms of subjective tinnitus?
What are the symptoms of objective tinnitus?
What are the symptoms of neurological tinnitus?
What are the symptoms of somatic tinnitus?
When should I see a doctor about tinnitus concerns?
Is there an online screening option for ringing in the ear?
What is the diagnostic process for tinnitus?
Where can I get more information about tinnitus?

What are the symptoms of tinnitus?

There are four types of tinnitus:

Subjective
Neurological
Somatic
Objective.

Someone with tinnitus might hear ringing in one ear only, high-pitched ringing in both ears, or a variety of unique symptoms.

Tinnitus’s symptoms and severity develop based on the type and source of the condition. Typically, tinnitus symptoms present themselves in three ways.

In pulsatile tinnitus, you hear a pulsing sound that is rhythmic and often described as a whooshing noise.
With tonal tinnitus, there is usually a single sound or overlapping sounds, including buzzing, whistling, or ringing noises. Sounds from tonal tinnitus are typically continuous, but they may go away and return intermittently.
Musical tinnitus, also called musical ear syndrome, is a form of tinnitus that causes auditory hallucinations. People with this form of tinnitus are convinced that music is playing even when it is not. These phantom sounds may be attributed to things like dementia, hypersensitive hearing, or sensory deprivation.

Most forms of tinnitus go away with time or treatment, but some last much longer. Tinnitus that lasts longer than three months is considered chronic and may require medical care.

What are the symptoms of subjective tinnitus?

When a person has a ringing sound inside their head or ears that no one else can hear, they may have subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus is the most common form of ear ringing.

A person with subjective tinnitus may hear:

Buzzing
Ringing
Hissing
Pulsing
Clicking
Whooshing
Thumping
Roaring

Ringing in the left ear usually occurs alongside ringing in the right ear. Ringing in both ears, also called bilateral tinnitus, is the most common type of tinnitus, but high-pitched ringing can be one-sided in rare cases. This is called unilateral tinnitus.

What are the symptoms of neurological tinnitus?

When tinnitus impacts the brain’s auditory capabilities, it is called neurological tinnitus. People with neurological tinnitus think they hear sounds not because of an issue with their ears, but an issue with how the brain processes auditory information.

Most forms of neurological tinnitus are a symptom of other neurological conditions, including:

Genetic disorders
Injury to the brain, spinal cord, or nervous system
Brain tumors
Malnutrition
Trauma

For example, a condition called Meniere’s disease affects the middle ear. This can cause:

Dizziness
Balance issues
Light-headedness
Nausea
Vomiting
Ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears

What are the symptoms of somatic tinnitus?

Somatic tinnitus is a ringing of the ears that comes and goes, varying in volume, intensity, and location. Symptoms can also appear or disappear at different times of day, like ear ringing that starts right after waking up and stops by lunchtime.

Symptoms of somatic tinnitus also change based on body movements or manipulations, typically those around the head or neck. Somatic tinnitus symptoms might get worse or better while:

Moving the jaw
Rubbing the muscles around the eyes
Massaging the neck

While the early signs of somatic tinnitus are similar to other tinnitus symptoms, the ability to temporarily stop ear ringing separates this diagnosis from other kinds of tinnitus.

What are the symptoms of objective tinnitus?

Objective tinnitus is very rare. In objective tinnitus, there is a physical abnormality in the ear, such as a vascular disorder or muscle contractions. This physical abnormality causes an audible sound that others can hear as well, usually clicking, buzzing, or “whooshing.”

While the early symptoms of objective tinnitus are the same as other forms of tinnitus, it is often treatable by fixing the abnormality causing the ear ringing.

What mental health issues can accompany tinnitus?

Long-term or chronic tinnitus has been associated with mental health concerns like:

Depression
Anxiety
Feelings of loneliness or isolation
Difficulty sleeping
Poor concentration

Ongoing tinnitus can be frustrating and scary. While doctors work on treating the underlying condition causing tinnitus, many people with ringing ears benefit from relaxation techniques, talk therapy, or support groups. Understanding not only your tinnitus triggers but the way tinnitus makes you feel can go a long way toward developing day-to-day tinnitus coping skills.

When should I see a doctor about tinnitus concerns?

While many people have occasional ringing in the ears, see a specialist if:

The sound affects your quality of life.
The low or high-pitched ringing starts suddenly.
There are changes in the volume or duration of the sound.
You also experience hearing loss or dizziness.
The symptoms last longer than 3 months.

Is there an online screening option for hearing loss and tinnitus?

The National Council of Aging (NCOA) has tested multiple online hearing screeners. They recommend the following:

Phonak offers the most straightforward results.
MDHearing provides the most detailed results.
Eargo is the best for online follow-up appointments.
Jabra Enhance is the easiest to use.
Audicus has the most thorough tone test.

For tinnitus-specific online screeners, see Hearing Life, Audibel, and Starkey.

What is the diagnostic process for tinnitus?

Tinnitus is often diagnosed based on your symptoms, but to treat your symptoms, your doctor will try to identify any underlying tinnitus causes.

Possible tests include:

A hearing test
Mobility of your eyes, jaw, neck, arms, and legs and how those movements affect your tinnitus
CT or MRI scans
Blood tests for anemia, thyroid problems, heart disease, or vitamin deficiencies

Sometimes, these tests are not covered by insurance. See Chronic Tinnitus and Long-term Care for more information.

If you're not sure where to find an audiologist, try our Service Locator tool. Ability Central houses a searchable database of nonprofits that specialize in hearing loss and tinnitus. If you suspect you have tinnitus, these nonprofits can connect you with doctors, specialists, or tinnitus-specific programming in your area.

Where can I get more information about tinnitus?

To learn more about tinnitus, see:

To learn more about other hearing and processing-related conditions, see: