Frequently Asked Questions

Tinnitus is the perception of sound - ringing, buzzing, hissing or humming - when no external sound is present. It is not a disease in itself but a symptom, most often of hearing loss, noise exposure, ear injury or a circulatory issue. Around 10-15% of adults experience it.

There is currently no proven cure that eliminates tinnitus for everyone. However, most people habituate over time, and treatments such as sound therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), hearing aids and stress management can substantially reduce how intrusive it feels. Be sceptical of any product promising a guaranteed cure.

For many people, yes. White noise and other broadband sounds work by partially masking the tinnitus and giving the brain something else to attend to, which is why they help most at night and in quiet rooms. It does not cure tinnitus, but it can make it far less noticeable. Use it at a level just below your tinnitus, not louder.

Genetics play a modest role. Twin and population studies suggest heritability of roughly 20-40% for chronic tinnitus, and it appears stronger for bilateral (both-ear) tinnitus in men. Family history can raise your susceptibility, but noise exposure, age and ear health matter more.

See a doctor promptly if your tinnitus is new and only in one ear, pulses in time with your heartbeat, appears alongside sudden hearing loss, dizziness or facial weakness, or follows a head injury. These patterns can point to a treatable underlying cause and should be investigated rather than managed at home.

There is no single best app - the right one depends on whether you mainly need sound masking, sleep support, or a structured therapy program. We compare the main options side by side, including our own, in our guide to the best tinnitus apps.

Our Zen Collection is free to listen to and includes white noise, water sounds, bird and nature sounds, fire sounds, morning and evening soundscapes, notched sounds and more. Every collection streams on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer and 30+ other platforms, and is also built into our app.

The Tinnitus Help app is free to download on iOS and Android, and you can read the full article library and listen to the Zen relief sound collection without paying anything. Some extras are available as in-app purchases, and you never need an account to use the app.

Articles are written by Oktay Shakirov, the founder of TinnitusHelp.me, who lives with tinnitus himself. He is not a doctor or audiologist. Health articles cite primary sources such as the NIDCD, the American Tinnitus Association and peer-reviewed research, and nothing on the site is a substitute for professional medical advice.

Email contact@tinnitushelp.me or use the contact page. We read every message, and corrections to our articles are especially welcome.