Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease, and hearing loss is behind most of it. Here are the six causes to rule out first.
Six things account for most tinnitus. Hearing loss from age or noise. Earwax or an ear infection. Certain medicines. Jaw joint problems. A head or neck injury. Blood vessel conditions.
Tinnitus is not a disease. It is a sound your brain makes when the signal from the ear changes. Most often the tiny hair cells in the inner ear have been bent or broken.
Below are the six causes to rule out and what an audiologist can do about each. You will also see when ringing is a reason to be seen quickly. The cheapest fix on the list is wax removal.
Six causes behind most ringing in the ears
Tinnitus is a symptom, so the useful question is what is causing it.
Cleveland Clinic puts hearing loss at the top of the list (Cleveland Clinic, 2026). About 8 to 9 people out of 10 with long-term tinnitus have an underlying hearing loss.
- Hearing loss, from age or from noise. Cleveland Clinic calls this a very common cause and says age related hearing loss is the most common kind that leads to tinnitus. Mayo Clinic says about 9 of 10 people with tinnitus have some hearing loss caused by noise.
- Earwax buildup or an ear infection. Cleveland Clinic says a wax buildup or an infection makes it harder to hear the sounds around you, so tinnitus becomes more noticeable. Mayo Clinic adds that a blockage can change the pressure in the ear.
- Medicines you are already taking. Mayo Clinic names anti inflammatory drugs, some antibiotics, cancer medicines, water pills and some antidepressants. It says the higher the dose the worse the noise, and that it often goes when the medicine stops.
- Jaw joint problems. Cleveland Clinic calls temporomandibular joint disorders a common cause and lists dental or bite issues separately. Mayo Clinic notes the joint sits on both sides of the head, just in front of the ears.
- A head or neck injury. Cleveland Clinic names concussion and whiplash. Mayo Clinic says head or neck trauma can affect the inner ear, the hearing nerves or the hearing center of the brain, and usually causes tinnitus in only one ear.
- Blood vessel conditions, if you hear your heartbeat. Mayo Clinic says pulsatile tinnitus is usually caused by vascular conditions such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, or malformed blood vessels. Cleveland Clinic says to contact your doctor if you hear your heartbeat in your ears.
Mayo Clinic adds a figure that puts the list in proportion. Tinnitus is a symptom of more than 200 health conditions. Often no exact cause is found.
What actually quiets tinnitus, and what only masks it
There is no pill that switches it off, which is why the device ads work so well.
Mayo Clinic says tinnitus is usually caused by another condition (Mayo Clinic, 2026). For many people it gets better once that condition is treated. Other treatments lessen or mask the noise.
Cleveland Clinic lists what an audiologist may recommend. Hearing aids. Sound therapy using white noise or nature sounds. Cognitive behavior therapy. Dental care when a jaw issue is the cause. Physical therapy.
Harvard Health adds one caution. Noise canceling headphones are not recommended for tinnitus, because they cancel the background noise that helps.
About 8 to 9 people out of 10 who have long-term tinnitus have an underlying hearing loss.
Keep the six causes with you
Your free one page plan turns these six causes into three steps: the test to book, the label to read, and the sound to put by the bed tonight.
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⬇ Download your plan (PDF)How to protect the hearing you still have
Noise induced hearing loss is the one cause on the list you can still act on.
Harvard Health advises learning your triggers (Harvard Health, 2022). Write down the circumstances when symptoms bother you. That helps you anticipate and change the situations that make tinnitus worse.
Cleveland Clinic names the exposures worth protecting against. Concerts and loud movies. Construction sites and factories. Stage amplifiers. Power tools, lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Firearms. Earbuds at high volume.
Mayo Clinic adds heart health, because exercise and healthy blood vessels can help prevent tinnitus linked to obesity and vascular conditions.
Three things people get wrong about ringing ears
Three beliefs about ringing ears travel further than the evidence behind them.
Tinnitus means something is wrong with your ear. Not necessarily. Mayo Clinic says tinnitus is a symptom of more than 200 health conditions rather than a disease itself. In many cases no exact cause is found.
Coffee and alcohol cause it. The evidence is thinner than the advice. Harvard Health says some people feel their tinnitus worsens after alcohol or caffeine. It also says there is little evidence either one causes tinnitus very often.
Nothing can be done about it. Something usually can. Cleveland Clinic says treating the underlying condition may calm the noise. Its options include hearing aids, sound therapy, cognitive behavior therapy and dental care.
To your health,
Ageless Coach
Age Strong. Live Long.
This article is education, not medical advice. Mayo Clinic says to see a healthcare professional as soon as possible if tinnitus comes with sudden hearing loss, dizziness, numbness, or weakness in the face, arm or leg. Ageless Coach is an affiliate partner and may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this page.