A ringing or buzzing you hear in a quiet room at night may be tinnitus. The NHS says tinnitus is not usually a sign of anything serious and may get better by itself. It says don’t have total silence, don’t focus on it, try to relax, and improve your sleep. See a GP if you have it regularly or constantly, it’s getting worse, it’s affecting your sleep or concentration, or it’s making you anxious or depressed; ask for an urgent GP appointment if it beats in time with your pulse; and call 999 or go to A&E for tinnitus after a head injury, or with sudden hearing loss, facial weakness or a spinning sensation. This sets out the NHS page “Tinnitus”.
1. It’s not usually a sign of anything serious and may get better by itself.
2. Avoid total silence and don’t focus on it. Soft music or sounds (sound therapy), relaxing, better sleep.
3. Constant, worsening or disturbing sleep: GP. Beating with your pulse: urgent appointment. After a head injury or with sudden hearing loss: 999 (119 in Korea).
What it sounds like — NHS
The NHS says tinnitus can sound like ringing, buzzing, whooshing, humming, hissing, throbbing or music, heard in one or both ears, or in your head.
Things you can try — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Do | Try to relax — deep breathing or yoga | — |
| Do | Improve your sleep — a bedtime routine, cutting down on caffeine | See insomnia |
| Do | Listen to soft music or sounds (sound therapy) | — |
| Do | Join a support group | — |
| Don’t | Have total silence | — |
| Don’t | Focus on it | It can make it worse |
The NHS sleep advice is in insomnia; protecting your ears from loud sound is in safe listening.
When to get help — NHS
| If | Where | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| You have tinnitus regularly or constantly | GP | — |
| It’s getting worse | GP | — |
| It’s affecting your sleep or concentration | GP | — |
| It’s making you feel anxious and depressed | GP | — |
| It beats in time with your pulse | Urgent GP appointment | — |
| Tinnitus after a head injury | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
| Tinnitus with sudden hearing loss, weakness in the muscles of your face or a spinning sensation | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
The NHS thresholds for vertigo itself are in dizziness. The Korean emergency number is 119 (our gloss).
Causes and treatment — NHS
The NHS says it’s not always clear what causes tinnitus, but it’s often linked to hearing loss, Ménière’s disease, conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders or multiple sclerosis, anxiety or depression, and some medicines.
| Treatment | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Sound therapy | Using sound to retrain your brain to tune out the tinnitus | — |
| CBT | Changing the way you think about your tinnitus | — |
| Tinnitus retraining therapy | May be available for severe or persistent tinnitus | UK NHS provision |
| Hearing aids | May be recommended | We read this as where there’s hearing loss |
Checklist
- ☐ Avoid total silence; play soft background sound
- ☐ Don’t focus on it; deep breathing
- ☐ A bedtime routine; less caffeine
- ☐ Constant, worsening, disturbing sleep or causing anxiety: GP
- ☐ Beating with your pulse: urgent appointment; after a head injury or with sudden hearing loss, facial weakness or vertigo: 999 (119 in Korea)
Questions that remain
It’s louder when it’s quiet.
The NHS says avoid total silence and listen to soft music or sounds — what it calls sound therapy.
Is it from using earphones a lot?
This page lists hearing loss as often linked to tinnitus. Volume and time limits for earphones are in our WHO-based safe listening post.
Sources
- NHS — Tinnitus — source (page shows: reviewed 12 January 2024, next review 12 January 2027; checked 19 October 2026). Sounds, seriousness, 4 dos and 2 don’ts, 4 GP, 1 urgent and 2 999 reasons, causes, 4 treatments.
- Not read. Korean agency guidance on tinnitus; Korean tinnitus services.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean care gloss.
Where else to check
- An ENT clinic — if it’s constant or getting worse.
Written on 19 October 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours.
