Tinnitus
Basics
Description
- Tinnitus is a perceived sensation of sound in the absence of an external acoustic stimulus; often described as a ringing, hissing, buzzing, clicking, or whooshing
- Derived from the Latin word tinnire, meaning “to ring”
- May be heard in one or both ears or centrally within the head
- Two types: subjective (most common) and objective tinnitus
- Subjective tinnitus: perceived only by the patient; can be continuous, intermittent, or pulsatile
- Objective tinnitus: audible to the examiner; rare
- Primary tinnitus: idiopathic with or without sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) (1)
- Secondary tinnitus: associated with a specific cause (other than SNHL)
Epidemiology
Incidence
- Incidence is increasing in association with excessive noise exposure.
- Higher rates of tinnitus in smokers, hypertensives, diabetics, and obese patients
Prevalence
- Tinnitus reported by 35 to 50 million adults in the United States; although underreported, 12 million seek medical care.
- Affects 10–15% of adults (2)
- Prevalence increases with age and peaks in 6th decade of life; estimated 8% prevalence reported post–COVID-19 infection
- Prevalence of 13–53% in general pediatric population
- Ethnic: whites > blacks and Hispanics
- Gender: males > females
Etiology and Pathophysiology
- Precise pathophysiology is unknown; numerous theories have been proposed. Ototoxic agents or noise exposure damage hair cells so that there is abnormal neural activity in the auditory cortex. Inflammation may play a role.
- Causes of secondary tinnitus (2):
- Otologic: cholesteatoma, cerumen impaction, foreign body, middle ear effusion, otosclerosis, Ménière disease, vestibular schwannoma, patulous Eustachian tube
- Medications: anti-inflammatory agents (aspirin, NSAIDs); antimalarial agents, antimicrobial drugs (aminoglycosides, macrolides); antineoplastic agents, loop diuretics, miscellaneous drugs (antiarrhythmics, antiulcer, anticonvulsants, antihypertensives); anesthetics
- Somatic: temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, head or neck injury
- Neurologic: multiple sclerosis, spontaneous intracranial hypertension, vestibular migraine, type I Chiari malformation, palatal myoclonus, idiopathic stapedial muscle spasm
- Infectious: viral (impact of COVID-19 on tinnitus is unknown), bacterial, fungal
- Metabolic: diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, vitamin B12 deficiency
- Vascular: aortic or carotid stenosis, venous hum, arteriovenous fistula or malformation, vascular tumors, high cardiac output state (anemia)
Genetics
Limited evidence to support a genetic component
Risk Factors
- Hearing loss (but can have tinnitus with normal hearing)
- High-level noise exposure
- Advanced age
- Use of ototoxic medications (Some are irreversible.)
- Otologic disease (otosclerosis, Ménière disease, cerumen impaction)
- Depression and anxiety are associated with increased odds of tinnitus.
General Prevention
- Avoid loud noise exposure and wear appropriate ear protection to prevent hearing loss.
- Monitor ototoxic medications and avoid prescribing more than one ototoxic agent concurrently.
Commonly Associated Conditions
- SNHL caused by presbycusis (age-associated hearing loss) or prolonged loud noise exposure
- Conductive hearing loss due to cerumen, otosclerosis, cholesteatoma
- Psychological disorders: depression, anxiety, insomnia, suicidal ideation
- Despair, frustration, interference with concentration and social interactions, work hindrance
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Citation
Domino, Frank J., et al., editors. "Tinnitus." 5-Minute Clinical Consult, 33rd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2025. Medicine Central, im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688668/1.1/Tinnitus.
Tinnitus. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, et al, eds. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688668/1.1/Tinnitus. Accessed December 9, 2024.
Tinnitus. (2025). In Domino, F. J., Baldor, R. A., Golding, J., & Stephens, M. B. (Eds.), 5-Minute Clinical Consult (33rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688668/1.1/Tinnitus
Tinnitus [Internet]. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, Stephens MBM, editors. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. [cited 2024 December 09]. Available from: https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688668/1.1/Tinnitus.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Tinnitus
ID - 1688668
ED - Domino,Frank J,
ED - Baldor,Robert A,
ED - Golding,Jeremy,
ED - Stephens,Mark B,
BT - 5-Minute Clinical Consult, Updating
UR - https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688668/1.1/Tinnitus
PB - Wolters Kluwer
ET - 33
DB - Medicine Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
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