Tinnitus Awareness Week: A guide to symptoms, causes and treatments

Published 07 February 2022  | Updated 18 December 2022  | 2 mins read

Did you know that 30% of people in the UK will suffer from tinnitus at some point in their lives? So if you’re hearing unexplained ringing sounds or other noises, you’re not alone.

While there’s no cure for tinnitus, there are lots of ways to manage your symptoms to make your life more comfortable. You can find out more here.

As it’s Tinnitus Awareness Week (7-13 February 2022), we’ve put together a guide to the symptoms, causes and management options of tinnitus for anyone who suffers or knows someone who suffers from the condition.

Tinnitus symptoms

The most common symptom of tinnitus is a ringing in the ears, but it can also manifest itself as other sounds, such as:

  • Buzzing
  • Roaring
  • Hissing
  • Whooshing

And this can occur in either just one or both ears.

Tinnitus causes

Experts are not 100% sure of the causes of tinnitus, but some factors could trigger it or make it worse:

  • Ear infections
  • Build-up of ear wax
  • Hearing loss
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Prolonged exposure to loud noise

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but if you’ve experienced any of these conditions and are also suffering from tinnitus, it’s possible that one of these could be causing it.

relaxed women reading a book

Tinnitus treatments

As we mentioned above, unfortunately there’s no cure for tinnitus. But there are plenty of ways you can manage your symptoms:

  • Sound Enrichment Therapy – uses sound to ‘distract’ your brain from tinnitus.
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – seeks to reduce stress levels associated with tinnitus.
  • Tinnitus Retraining Therapy – combines sound enrichment and CBT therapy
  • Ear wax removal
  • Relaxation and meditation
  • Exercise

You can find out more about these and how you can get started with The Hearing Care Partnership here.

Concerned about tinnitus? Time to see an audiologist

If you or a loved one have been suffering from unexplained ringing or other sounds and would like some professional advice about tinnitus relief, you can book an appointment to see one of our expert audiologists.

We can give you more information and help you discover the best tinnitus treatment to suit your lifestyle.

Book an appointment online or call us on 0800 52 00 546, and we’ll see you soon at your local practice.