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Ringing in ears

Causes of Tinnitus

  • Age related hearing loss. About half of people age 60 and older will have a degree of hearing loss. It can be mild to severe. It usually comes on slowly over a period of years. The cause might not be clear, but could be linked to:
    • Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) affecting the blood vessels that supply the parts of the ear used in hearing
    • Exposure to loud noise over the years (a noisy workplace or hobby) or a single very loud noise (loud music at rock concerts, gun fire, an explosion).
    • Exposure to some medicines
    • Smoking
    • Genetics
  • Ear Wax. See Ear Congestion care guide.
  • Meniere's Disease affects the inner part of the ear. It most often starts to affect people aged 40 to 60 years. It often starts in one ear, but can go on to affect both. Symptoms are dulled hearing, dizziness (vertigo), tinnitus and a feeling of ear pressure. Attacks come and go and can last from minutes to hours. Severity can vary. Tinnitus and some hearing loss may become permanent.
  • Underlying Health Problems such as iron deficiency anemia, thyroid disease and diabetes can be linked with tinnitus. Your doctor will be able to rule these out as a cause or start the right treatment.
  • Ear Infection. Middle ear pus can also cause muffled hearing on that side. It may also cause tinnitus.
  • Otosclerosis affects the tiny bones which are behind the ear drum that allow us to hear sounds. It usually starts between ages 15 and 35 years and can affect one or both ears. It is not caused by exposure to loud noise. It is more common in women and can get worse during pregnancy. Symptoms include hearing loss, hearing better in a noisy environment and tinnitus.
  • Pulsatile Tinnitus (may be serious) is a rhythmic tinnitus noise. It pulses at the same time as the heartbeat. It is caused by a change in blood flow in the blood vessels near the ear. There are a number of causes (anemia, overactive thyroid or fluid behind the eardrum). Tumors of the head and neck can also be a cause. It is important to see you doctor if you have pulsatile tinnitus in one or both ears.