Tinnitus is the perception of noise that no one else can hear. It may sound like ringing, hissing, buzzing, rushing, or cicadas when there’s no external noise. These sounds can be so soft you barely notice them, or so loud that they seem to block out sounds in your environment.

Tinnitus isn’t usually a problem with your ears; it’s how your brain processes silence, often starting in the ear (like loud noise or age-related hearing loss), but generated by your brain.

How do you cure tinnitus?

As of 2026, there is no cure for tinnitus. However, there are many treatments to reduce the severity of your symptoms, including wearing hearing aids.

Managing tinnitus is less about silencing the sound and more about getting used to the sounds. Tools like sound therapy and mindfulness train your brain to relegate the noises to the background.

Hearing aids are one of the main treatment options for people with tinnitus. Approximately 90% of people with tinnitus also have some level of hearing loss. Hearing aids improve overall hearing and provide sound enrichment by giving easier access to everyday environmental sounds. Most people find their tinnitus is less noticeable when their hearing aids are switched on. Some hearing aids also have special masking features designed for tinnitus management.

Sound therapy is a common way of managing tinnitus. This involves using external sounds to reduce how noticeable tinnitus feels. There are many devices used in sound therapy, such as white noise machines, sound generators, household fans, or hearing aids. Tinnitus is often more noticeable in quiet environments, so adding background sound can help reduce the contrast between tinnitus and silence. The aim of sound therapy is to reach a point where tinnitus is filtered out by the brain most of the time, even though it may still be present. This is known as habituation.

Research suggests that there is a link between stress and tinnitus. Stress management approaches such as mindfulness, relaxation exercises, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are often used to help people develop coping strategies and reduce the impact of tinnitus on their lives.