Tinnitus guides

Clear answers to common questions about tinnitus, written in plain language and linked to their sources: clinical guidelines, Cochrane reviews and peer-reviewed research.

Last reviewed: 28 October 2026

By the Tinnitus Haven editorial team.

Causes and symptoms

• What is tinnitus?What tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is, its symptoms and causes, and the warning signs that need a doctor.
• Pulsatile tinnitusWhat pulsing tinnitus is, why it should be checked, and which tests a doctor may do.
  • Hearing
• Ringing in one earWhy tinnitus in one ear usually has a simple cause, why it should still be checked, and what the doctor will do.

Treatment

• Tinnitus treatment optionsWhich treatments have good evidence, which do not, and when to see an audiologist or ENT doctor.
  • Sound therapy
  • Supplements and medicines
• CBT for tinnitusHow cognitive behavioural therapy helps with tinnitus distress and what the research shows.
  • Mind and stress
• Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT)What TRT involves, what the trials found, how it compares with CBT and what it asks of you.
  • Sound therapy

Sound therapy

• Sound treatment and notched soundWhat sound treatment and notched sound therapy are, and an honest look at the mixed evidence.
  • Treatment

Hearing

• Hearing aids and tinnitusWho hearing aids may help, what combination devices are, and what the research shows.
  • Treatment
• Checking your hearing at homeWhat a phone hearing check can and cannot tell you, and when to book a real hearing test.
  • Causes and symptoms

Sleep

• Tinnitus and sleepWhy tinnitus feels louder at night and practical, evidence-based ways to sleep better.
  • Sound therapy

Mind and stress

• When tinnitus flaresPractical steps for a bad tinnitus day, and the signs that mean you should see a doctor.
  • Sound therapy
  • Sleep
• Tinnitus, stress and anxietyHow stress and tinnitus feed each other, plus breathing, mindfulness and what research says.
  • Sleep

Supplements and medicines

• Supplements for tinnitusWhat the research says about ginkgo, zinc, melatonin, magnesium, vitamin B12, lipoflavonoids, astaxanthin and tinnitus formulas.
  • Treatment

How we write these guides

Each guide answers the main question first, then goes into detail. We rely on clinical guidelines (NICE in the UK, the AAO-HNSF in the US and the German S3 guideline), Cochrane reviews and peer-reviewed studies, and we say plainly when the evidence is limited or mixed. Every guide lists its sources at the end.

The guides are written and reviewed by the Tinnitus Haven editorial team. They have not been reviewed by a doctor, and they are not medical advice. For questions about the app itself, see the FAQ and support page.

Tinnitus Haven brings sound therapy, a hearing check and CBT-based lessons together in one calm iPhone app, coming soon to the App Store. Learn more about Tinnitus Haven.