How to Diagnose Signs of Tinnitus

If you've ever experienced ringing in your ears, you're not alone. Approximately 36 million Americans are bothered by noise in their ears, a medical condition known as tinnitus. While tinnitus itself is not life threatening, it can interfere with daily activities. Look for these signs to diagnose tinnitus.

Instructions

• 1

  Listen for odd noises in your ears that occur independent of any external source. Sounds that you may hear include ringing, swooshing, buzzing or whistling. The sounds may be high pitched or similar to the rumbling roar of a train.

• 2

  Verify that other people around you can't hear the sounds that you are hearing.

• 3

  Recognize that either a continuous or sporadic noise can be a sign of tinnitus. It can be isolated to one ear or occur simultaneously in both ears.

• 4

  Notice if the noise in your ears gets worse at night. Tinnitus tends to subside during the day as noise from the environment masks the noise in your ears. The noise often becomes worse when the environment is quiet and you're tired.

• 5

  Visit your general practitioner or an otolaryngologist to rule out serious causes of tinnitus. Allow your doctor to give you an audiological exam.