Tinnitus is the medical term for "hearing" noises in your ears. It occurs when there is no outside source of the sounds.
Tinnitus is often called "ringing in the ears." It may also sound like blowing, roaring, buzzing, hissing, humming, whistling, or sizzling. The noises heard can be soft or loud. The person may even think they're hearing air escaping, water running, the inside of a seashell, or musical notes.
Alternative Names
Ringing in the ears; Noises or buzzing in the ears; Ear buzzing; Otitis media - tinnitus; Aneurysm - tinnitus; Ear infection - tinnitus; Meniere disease - tinnitus
Considerations
Tinnitus is common. Almost everyone notices a mild form of tinnitus once in a while. It only lasts a few minutes. However, constant or recurring tinnitus is stressful and makes it harder to focus or sleep.
Tinnitus can be:
- Subjective, which means that the sound is only heard by the person
- Objective, which means that the sound is heard by both the affected person and the examiner