When tinnitus flares: things you can do right now

There is no proven way to switch tinnitus off instantly. When it gets louder for a while, a few simple steps may help you through it: avoiding silence, gentle background sound, slow breathing, resting your ears from loud noise and protecting your sleep. A sudden change that comes with hearing loss, dizziness or a pulsing sound needs a doctor.

Last reviewed: 28 October 2026

By the Tinnitus Haven editorial team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. If your tinnitus is new, one-sided, pulsing or comes with hearing loss or dizziness, see a doctor.

Can you stop tinnitus immediately?

No treatment can switch tinnitus off on demand, and there is no medicine approved to treat it^[1]. What you can change is how much it intrudes and how you feel about it, and many people find that bad spells pass. Tinnitus often comes and goes^[2], and its volume can vary from one episode to the next^[3].

Short videos online show tricks such as tapping on the back of the head. We found no clinical trials of these, and they do not appear in the clinical guidelines we rely on, so there is no evidence that they work. If you try one, be gentle, and do not let it replace the steps below.

What can make tinnitus louder for a while?

Loud noise. Exposure to loud sound can cause or worsen tinnitus^{[4, 5]}. After a concert, for example, ringing and dulled hearing often fade within a day or two, although the noise may still leave some lasting damage^[5].
Stress. Stress is one of the things that can make tinnitus worse^{[4, 2]}.
Paying close attention to it. Focusing on tinnitus can make it worse^[2].
Food and drink may affect some people, but this varies a lot^[6]. A review cited in the German guideline found that cutting down on caffeine had no effect on tinnitus^[7].

What can I do right now?

Avoid silence. Soft music, the radio, a fan or nature sounds such as rain can make tinnitus less noticeable^{[2, 6]}. Keep the volume low and comfortable. Our sound therapy guide explains the evidence.
Slow your breathing. Breathe in gently through your nose and out through your mouth, counting steadily to five each way, and keep going for at least five minutes^[8]. The NHS suggests relaxing, with deep breathing or yoga, as a way to cope with tinnitus^[2].
Turn your attention to something absorbing. A conversation, a walk, a task or a hobby can make it easier to forget the tinnitus for a while^{[2, 6]}.
Give your ears a rest from loud noise. Move away from noise you cannot turn down, and wear earplugs or ear defenders for loud activities^[5].
Talk to someone. Support groups and tinnitus helplines can help you cope^{[2, 6]}.

What if a flare keeps me awake?

Background sound through the night helps some people^[6]. Try not to fight it: worrying about lost sleep is one of the things most likely to keep poor sleep going^[9]. A regular bedtime routine helps over time^[2]. Our tinnitus and sleep guide has more ideas.

What can I do in the following days?

If you suspect a food or drink, cut out one thing at a time for a couple of weeks, and only keep avoiding it if the same result happens again^[6].
Practise relaxation regularly, not only on bad days; it takes practice^{[6, 8]}. See tinnitus, stress and anxiety.
If flares are frequent or distressing, ask about cognitive behavioural therapy, which has the strongest evidence for reducing the impact of tinnitus^[10]. Read our guide to CBT for tinnitus and tinnitus treatment options.

When does a flare need a doctor?

Get help straight away (emergency department or emergency number) if:

the tinnitus started after a head injury^[2]
it comes with sudden hearing loss, weakness in your face or a spinning feeling (vertigo)^[2]
you have other sudden neurological symptoms^[4]
you have thoughts of harming yourself^[4]

Be seen within 24 hours if:

your hearing dropped suddenly, over three days or less^[4]

See a doctor soon if:

the sound beats in time with your pulse; ask for an urgent appointment^[2] and read our guide to pulsatile tinnitus
it is in one ear only^{[4, 11]}
your hearing is getting worse over days or weeks^[4]
your tinnitus keeps getting worse, or is affecting your sleep, concentration or mood^[2]

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.

Sources

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), NIH. Tinnitus. 2023.
NHS. Tinnitus. NHS website, 2024.
Tinnitus UK. Pulsatile tinnitus. 2022.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Tinnitus: assessment and management (NG155), Recommendations. NICE guideline, 2020.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), NIH. Noise-induced hearing loss.
Tinnitus UK. Self help tips.
Mazurek B, Hesse G, Sattel H, et al. S3 Guideline: Chronic Tinnitus. German Society for Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (DGHNO-KHC). HNO, 2022. English version of the German AWMF guideline 017/064 (2021).
NHS. Breathing exercises for stress. NHS website, 2026.
Tinnitus UK. Tinnitus and sleep disturbance.
Fuller T, Cima R, Langguth B, et al. Cognitive behavioural therapy for tinnitus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020.
Tunkel DE, Bauer CA, Sun GH, et al. Clinical practice guideline: tinnitus. Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 2014 (AAO-HNSF).