What do ringing ears sound like

Some people even say it sounds like a motorboat or car engine in their ears. It's important to know that tinnitus can be a symptom itself—it's linked to many different medical conditions, and even some medications can trigger it. It's also strongly linked to hearing loss and loud noise exposure. However, whenever a medical cause can't be uncovered, tinnitus can be considered a disease in and of itself. In most cases, there is no known cure, though treatments and related alternative relief strategies can help.

Occasional bouts of brief noise that lasts a few seconds is considered "transient" and something most people experience from time to time. A diagnosis of chronic tinnitus usually means a person reports episodes of tinnitus that last for at least five minutes and occur at least twice a week.

You may also experience tinnitus spikes. It's possible to have tinnitus in just one or both ears, and it can come and go. Tinnitus can get loud enough to interfere with concentration, and sometimes, it can mask natural sounds. Tinnitus is most commonly experienced by adults, especially those who have hearing loss.

In a very large survey of American adults with tinnitus, nearly a third reported having symptoms nearly constantly. About the same number of people noticed tinnitus at bedtime. Note : If you experience tinnitus and sudden hearing loss , seek prompt treatment.

Having a constant ringing in your ears is not pleasant, and you may have trouble falling asleep or concentrating at work. The constant annoyance, lack of sleep and inability to live your life as you used to may even cause increased anxiety.

Anxiety is especially common if tinnitus is getting in the way of work or causing other stressful situations. Many people who have tinnitus often describe a connection between tinnitus perception and stress. You may even suffer from depression or thoughts of suicide in response to the persistent buzzing or ringing that feels inescapable.

Along with treatments, behavioral strategies can make tinnitus more manageable. Having a good grasp of the tinnitus sounds you hear, when you hear them and how often you hear them may be able to help your hearing care professional or physician determine the best way to treat your tinnitus.

Keeping a symptom diary for a few weeks is a good idea. A tinnitus evaluation from a hearing healthcare practitioner will begin with a series of questions designed to get a clear description of your symptoms such as:. In most cases, no. Most tinnitus sounds like a ringing, hissing or buzzing sound.

If you do hear a persistent clicking sound, it's worth investigating, though. You can experiment to find out if this is the cause by walking slowly and smoothly to see if the clicking is present.

Then, try walking quickly and with a lot of motion to see if you hear the clicking. You can also test for the seismic effect by moving your head up and down quickly.

If you do detect the seismic effect, it is likely nothing that indicates a serious medical condition. However, if it is a constant annoyance, by all means discuss it with your hearing care professional. Or get care from an audiologist. If tinnitus is affecting your quality of life and daily activities, a healthcare provider can help you manage your condition. Anyone who has tinnitus should get medical care to rule out any physical problems.

If you have both hearing loss and tinnitus, see your provider for help with both problems. You may want to try these treatments:. A masking device.

This device makes a low-level sound. It helps you to ignore the tinnitus and fall asleep. Listening to radio static at low volume also can help. A tabletop sound generator. This device uses nature sounds to help you ignore tinnitus. This includes sounds such as a babbling brook, ocean waves, or forest life.

Medicine therapy. Medicines are available that may ease tinnitus. But more research is needed to confirm how well they work. If your provider prescribes a medicine, ask if there are any side effects. Tinnitus retraining therapy. This method also uses a masking device. But this is done at a lower intensity than the tinnitus. This can help the brain filter out habituate to the sound. Cognitive behavioral therapy is included to help treat the person's emotional reaction to tinnitus.

This relaxation method often helps to ease tinnitus symptoms, by helping to reduce stress. Other treatments that help some people with tinnitus include cochlear implants. These are only available to people who are totally deaf.

Your brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken — this happens as you age or when you are regularly exposed to loud sounds — they can "leak" random electrical impulses to your brain, causing tinnitus. A number of medications may cause or worsen tinnitus. Generally, the higher the dose of these medications, the worse tinnitus becomes.

Often the unwanted noise disappears when you stop using these drugs. Medications known to cause tinnitus include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs and certain antibiotics, cancer drugs, water pills diuretics , antimalarial drugs and antidepressants. Less common causes of tinnitus include other ear problems, chronic health conditions, and injuries or conditions that affect the nerves in your ear or the hearing center in your brain.

Tinnitus affects people differently. For some people, tinnitus can significantly affect quality of life. If you have tinnitus, you may also experience:. Treating these linked conditions may not affect tinnitus directly, but it can help you feel better. In many cases, tinnitus is the result of something that can't be prevented. However, some precautions can help prevent certain kinds of tinnitus. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Tinnitus Open pop-up dialog box Close. Tinnitus Tinnitus can be caused by a number of things, including broken or damaged hair cells in the part of the ear that receives sound cochlea ; changes in how blood moves through nearby blood vessels carotid artery ; problems with the joint of the jaw bone temporomandibular joint ; and problems with how the brain processes sound.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. More Information Tinnitus and antidepressants. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. Non-pulsatile tinnitus.