Tinnitus sound masking

How sound masking helps with tinnitus

Tinnitus is hearing a sound that has no outside source: ringing, buzzing, hissing or humming. It usually feels loudest in silence, which is why many people notice it most when they try to fall asleep. Sound masking adds a steady, gentle background sound so the tinnitus stands out less. It does not remove tinnitus or repair hearing; it changes how much of your attention the ringing takes.

Sound therapy is one of the options in the 2014 clinical practice guideline on tinnitus from the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has the strongest evidence for reducing the distress tinnitus causes, and the two can be used together.

How to use these videos

• Choose a sound you enjoy. Rain, waterfalls, ocean waves and brown, pink or white noise all work as masking sounds. What matters most is that it is pleasant enough to leave on.
• Keep the volume low, at or just below the level of your tinnitus, so you can still hear both. Many sound-therapy approaches recommend this level instead of drowning the ringing out completely.
• At night, use a speaker rather than earbuds, and set a sleep timer if you prefer silence later.
• Give it time. Most people judge sound masking over weeks, not after a single night.

When to see a professional

See a doctor promptly if your tinnitus is in one ear only, pulses in time with your heartbeat, started suddenly, or comes with hearing loss, dizziness or ear pain. Sudden hearing loss needs urgent care. An audiologist or an ENT specialist can check your hearing and help you build a plan.