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Hearing health
By admin, Hearing Instrument Specialist · September 29, 2026 · 5 min read
Ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus, is most commonly caused by noise-induced hearing loss, age-related hearing changes, or earwax buildup. American Family Hearing Aid Center in Marietta, GA provides tinnitus evaluations alongside comprehensive hearing testing to identify the underlying cause and develop a management plan. Schedule a hearing test if your tinnitus has lasted more than a few weeks.
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no external sound source is present. It is most commonly described as ringing, but patients also describe buzzing, hissing, humming, clicking, or whooshing sounds. The sound may be constant or intermittent, may vary in pitch and loudness, and may be present in one ear, both ears, or seem to come from inside the head. American Family Hearing Aid Center in Marietta evaluates tinnitus as part of a comprehensive hearing assessment.
Tinnitus is not a disease but a symptom, one that can have many different underlying causes. Understanding the most likely cause in any given patient is the first step toward effective management. A comprehensive hearing evaluation at American Family Hearing Aid Center is typically the starting point for that understanding.
Most Common Cause: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
The most frequently identified cause of chronic tinnitus is damage to the hair cells of the inner ear from noise exposure. These hair cells are responsible for converting sound vibrations into electrical signals the brain interprets as sound. When they are damaged by loud noise, whether from a single intense event or years of cumulative exposure, they can produce spontaneous electrical activity that the brain interprets as sound even in the absence of an external stimulus.
This is why tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss so often occur together. The same mechanism that damages hearing also triggers tinnitus. People who have worked in loud industries, served in the military, or spent years attending loud events without ear protection are among the most commonly affected groups.
Age-Related Hearing Change
Presbycusis, the gradual hearing loss associated with aging, is another leading cause of tinnitus. As the auditory system ages, the same spontaneous neural activity that produces tinnitus in noise-damaged ears can develop in ears experiencing age-related degeneration. Tinnitus that develops gradually in one’s 50s, 60s, or beyond, without an obvious noise exposure history, often falls into this category.
A hearing test is the most direct way to determine whether age-related hearing loss is present and whether it correlates with the onset of tinnitus symptoms.
Earwax Impaction
Earwax blocking the ear canal is a reversible cause of tinnitus that is often overlooked. When the canal is partially or fully blocked by wax, the change in acoustic environment within the canal can trigger tinnitus. Patients with earwax-related tinnitus often notice the sound developing alongside a feeling of ear fullness or muffled hearing.
Professional ear cleaning at American Family Hearing Aid Center can resolve earwax-related tinnitus in many of these cases. If tinnitus persists after ear cleaning, further evaluation is needed to identify other contributing factors.
Other Causes Worth Knowing
Beyond the three most common causes, tinnitus can also be associated with middle ear disorders such as otosclerosis or Eustachian tube dysfunction, medication side effects from certain drugs including high-dose aspirin, some chemotherapy agents, and certain antibiotics, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, cardiovascular conditions that produce pulsatile tinnitus synchronized with the heartbeat, and less commonly, acoustic neuromas or other structural causes.
Tinnitus that is sudden in onset, one-sided, pulsatile, or accompanied by dizziness or significant hearing loss should be evaluated promptly. These patterns may warrant referral for further medical investigation.
When to Get a Hearing Test for Tinnitus
A hearing evaluation is appropriate any time tinnitus has been present for more than two to three weeks, particularly if it is accompanied by hearing difficulty, affects sleep or concentration, or if the character of the tinnitus is changing over time.
The hearing test itself is not a tinnitus treatment, but it serves two essential functions. First, it determines whether hearing loss is present and at what degree and configuration, which guides treatment decisions. Second, it rules out reversible causes such as conductive hearing loss from earwax or middle ear conditions.
Contact American Family Hearing Aid Center in Marietta to schedule a hearing evaluation if you are experiencing persistent tinnitus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tinnitus is rarely a sign of a serious medical condition, but it warrants evaluation, particularly when it is sudden, one-sided, or accompanied by hearing loss or dizziness. In most cases it is associated with noise exposure or age-related hearing loss and is manageable with the right support.
Tinnitus that follows a single noise exposure event, such as attending a loud concert, often fades within hours to days. Tinnitus that persists for more than a few weeks is typically chronic and unlikely to resolve without active management.
Not always, but the association is strong. The majority of people with tinnitus have some measurable degree of hearing loss, even if they are unaware of it. A hearing test can reveal whether loss is present and guide appropriate management.
Common factors that can intensify tinnitus include caffeine, alcohol, stress, sleep deprivation, loud noise exposure, and certain medications. Identifying and managing individual triggers is an important part of a tinnitus management plan.
Many tinnitus patients find their symptoms more noticeable in quiet because the brain focuses on the internal sound in the absence of external stimulation. Sound therapy, which involves introducing gentle background sound, is often helpful for this reason and is part of the tinnitus care offered at American Family Hearing Aid Center.
Stress does not typically cause tinnitus directly but can trigger it in people who are predisposed, and can significantly worsen the perception of existing tinnitus. Managing stress is an important component of overall tinnitus management.
Hearing Instrument Specialist with more than 25 years in hearing healthcare, and the person who runs every hearing test, fitting and adjustment at American Family Hearing Aid Center in Marietta. A Hearing Instrument Specialist tests hearing and fits hearing aids. We do not diagnose medical ear conditions, and we refer to a physician when something needs one.
This article is general information, not medical advice about your own hearing. If you have sudden hearing loss, one-sided loss, ear pain or drainage, contact a doctor promptly.
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A consultation takes about 45 minutes, and you leave with an audiogram and a plain explanation of it.
