Psychosomatics of ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Ringing, buzzing, hissing or humming in the ears with no outside source is called tinnitus. It is usually not a sign of anything serious and can go away by itself. But if the sound is constant, gets worse, disturbs sleep or beats in time with your pulse, see a doctor. The Ladder method adds questions about what you hear inside yourself in the quiet.
Updated
When to see a doctor
Book a doctor’s appointment if you notice:
- Ringing, whistling, humming or hissing in the ears with no outside source
- The sound is in one ear, in both or in the head
- It is louder in the quiet and at night
- It disturbs sleep and concentration
- It gets worse with stress and after a sleepless night
- Hearing loss may come with it
Start with a general practitioner or an ear, nose and throat doctor: they will look in your ears and check your hearing. If needed, they will refer you to an audiologist, a neurologist or a therapist (cognitive behavioural therapy). The NHS advises seeing a doctor if tinnitus is constant, getting worse or affecting sleep and mood.
What medicine knows
The NHS defines tinnitus as hearing noises that do not come from an outside source: ringing, humming, hissing, whooshing, throbbing, sometimes music. You may hear them in one ear, in both or in your head, and they may come and go or be there all the time.
The cause is not always clear. Most often tinnitus is linked to hearing loss. The NHS and MedlinePlus also name Ménière's disease, diabetes, thyroid disorders, anxiety and depression, ear and sinus infections, problems with blood vessels, hormonal changes in women and some medicines.
A doctor looks in your ears: sometimes the cause is simple, such as earwax or an infection, and it can be treated. They also check your hearing. If the cause is unknown or cannot be treated, hearing aids, sound therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy, which reduces anxiety about the noise, can help (NHS).
You can help yourself: try to relax, improve your sleep, cut down on caffeine and avoid loud noise. Total silence usually makes tinnitus louder, so soft music or background sounds are better. Stress, as the NHS writes, can make it worse.
In the Ladder method
In the Ladder method ringing in the ears is not decoded as "you do not want to hear". It has physical causes, and a doctor looks for them. But the NHS links tinnitus with anxiety and says stress can make it worse, so questions to yourself are appropriate here.
The circle is often this: the sound is frightening, fear increases attention to it, attention makes it louder. The NHS advises not focusing on the noise and keeping your mind busy with things you enjoy.
On the ladder this shows up as steps made of anxiety and sleepless nights. You can go through them after an examination. A doctor chooses the treatment.
These are questions for reflection, not an explanation of what causes the condition and not a treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my ears ring?
The NHS writes that the cause is not always clear, but tinnitus is often linked to hearing loss. Among other causes the NHS and MedlinePlus name Ménière's disease, diabetes, the thyroid, anxiety, ear infections and medicines. So you start with a doctor, who looks in your ears and checks your hearing.
Can tinnitus be caused by stress?
The NHS links tinnitus with anxiety and depression and writes that stress can make it worse. This does not mean the cause is only nerves: problems with the ears and hearing need to be ruled out first. If the sound frightens you, cognitive behavioural therapy can help.
Will tinnitus go away by itself?
The NHS writes that tinnitus is usually not a sign of anything serious and may get better by itself. But if it is constant, getting worse or disturbing your sleep, see a doctor. A sound that beats in time with your pulse needs an urgent appointment.
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Psychosomatics does not replace tests and treatment. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.