Daniel Bennett You hear a high whistle for a short time, then it fades. A few days later, you notice it again. Tinnitus can be intermittent. If it keeps returning, gets worse, or disrupts sleep or concentration, arrange a medical appointment. Tell the clinician whether you notice it in one ear or both and whether your hearing … Read more
You yawn and the ringing briefly changes pitch. Or you notice that it gets louder when you clench your teeth and settles when you relax your jaw. A change in tinnitus with jaw movement is worth mentioning at an appointment. It tells the clinician how the sound behaves and gives them another detail to consider … Read more
Some medicines can cause ringing, buzzing, or other sounds known as tinnitus. If the sound began after you started a medicine or changed the dose, contact your prescriber or pharmacist and explain the timing before making any changes yourself. The timing is a clue. Your prescriber can consider it alongside your dose, other medicines, and … Read more
Yes. Earwax that blocks the ear canal can cause ringing or buzzing, sometimes alongside muffled hearing or a feeling of fullness. A clinician can look inside the ear to see whether wax is blocking the canal. If your hearing dropped suddenly or worsened quickly over a few days, seek medical care immediately. An inner-ear problem … Read more
You sit down to read an email and find yourself listening to the ringing halfway through the first paragraph. By the time you look back at the screen, you’ve lost your place. If that keeps happening, make it easier to return to the task when the sound draws your attention. Start with one activity that … Read more
Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) combines counselling with low-level sound. The aim is for tinnitus to draw less attention and interfere less with everyday life over time. You may still hear the ringing while finding it easier to finish a task, read in a quiet room, or settle at night. If you’re considering a programme, ask … Read more
If ringing makes it difficult to settle at bedtime, you may start worrying about sleep hours before you get into bed. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for tinnitus can help reduce the distress the sound causes and make it easier to get on with everyday activities. You may still hear the sound while finding that it … Read more
Hearing aids can make tinnitus less noticeable for some people who also have hearing loss. They amplify sounds around you, which can make speech easier to hear and leave the ringing less prominent. Some models also play background sounds you can adjust separately. If you’re considering hearing aids because of ringing, start with a hearing … Read more
If your hearing report says conductive, sensorineural, or mixed, it’s describing where the difficulty occurs along the hearing pathway. The type can help guide the next step, such as an ear examination, specialist assessment, or a discussion about hearing aids. Two people may both say that voices sound muffled and have different test findings. An … Read more
Start with one mark at one pitch. The number along the top or bottom tells you which pitch was tested. The number down the side tells you how loud the tone had to be for you to hear it. The symbol identifies the ear and the way the tone was delivered. Once you know how … Read more