Tinnitus

Ringing in your ears? Let's talk about tinnitus.

That ringing, buzzing or hissing has a name, and for most people it travels with hearing loss. A hearing test shows whether that is true for you, and hearing aids are often the biggest relief.

Call or Text Book a Visit

A hearing test is the first step Hearing aids often help We point you to a specialist when needed

What it is

Tinnitus, in plain words

Tinnitus is sound you hear that is not coming from around you: ringing, buzzing, hissing, or a hum. It is common, it is usually not dangerous, and it most often shows up alongside some hearing loss.

Where it comes from

Years of noise, age-related hearing loss, or even a plug of earwax. When the ear sends the brain less sound, the brain often fills the quiet with its own.

How hearing aids help

Giving the ear back the sound it has been missing often pushes the ringing into the background. Many hearing aids also carry built-in sound features made for tinnitus relief.

What we do about it

A complete hearing test at your home to see whether hearing loss is part of the picture, then honest options. More advanced tinnitus testing and treatment is available, and we point you to it when it would help.

See a physician first if the ringing

started suddenly, or is in only one ear
pulses in time with your heartbeat
comes with dizziness, ear pain, or drainage
followed a head injury or a new medication

Book a Hearing Test

Good questions

Asked often, answered plainly

Can hearing aids cure tinnitus?

There is no cure for tinnitus. For many people, though, hearing aids make it much less noticeable, because the ringing is often loudest when the ear is missing other sound. Many models also include built-in sound features made for tinnitus relief.

Is tinnitus serious?

Usually it is not, and it most often travels with ordinary hearing loss. Ringing that starts suddenly, sits in only one ear, pulses with your heartbeat, or comes with dizziness, pain or drainage should be seen by a physician or an ENT first.

Why is my tinnitus worse at night?

Because the room is quiet. With less sound coming in, the ear and brain have nothing to listen to but the ringing. A little background sound, and treating any hearing loss underneath, usually helps.

Do you treat tinnitus?

We start with a complete hearing test, because hearing loss is behind most tinnitus and treating it is often the biggest relief. When more specialized testing or treatment would help, we point you to the right specialist.

Also see: the in-home hearing test · hearing aids · the blog