{"id":74165,"date":"2026-01-20T07:12:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T14:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=74165"},"modified":"2026-01-20T07:18:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T14:18:33","slug":"how-long-does-tinnitus-last-do-hearing-aids-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/how-long-does-tinnitus-last-do-hearing-aids-help\/","title":{"rendered":"How long does tinnitus last? Do hearing aids help?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"UCHealth
Tinnitus is a common and frustrating problem for many people. What can you do if you have ringing or rhythmic sounds in one or both ears, and do hearing aids help? Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of us take the sound of silence for granted.<\/p>\n

Except for the millions of American afflicted with tinnitus. For them, the absence of noise is an elusive experience, though hearing experts say there are many ways to cope with tinnitus until a cure is found.<\/p>\n

We talked with Cory Portnuff<\/a>, an audiologist at the\u00a0UCHealth Hearing and Balance Clinic<\/a> on the Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a> for clues about to deal with this frustrating malady.<\/p>\n

\u201cTinnitus is a sound you hear that is not present in the room. It\u2019s incredibly common, with one in six people experiencing it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Some estimates put the number of people in the United States dealing with tinnitus at 50 million or more.<\/p>\n

Who suffers from tinnitus?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While tinnitus can occur at any time in a person\u2019s life, it usually begins when people are in their 50s or 60s.<\/p>\n

Researchers think that about 8 percent of children have it as well. It affects males and females equally, although in the past more men than women were affected because more were employed in occupations and industries where they were exposed to loud noise.<\/p>\n

What does tinnitus sound like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tinnitus can take many forms. The most common sounds include a buzzing, hissing or ringing in both ears. A less common version is known as pulsatile tinnitus. This version sounds like a throbbing heartbeat in the ear, which can occur in one ear and can be more dangerous.<\/p>\n

What causes tinnitus?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For those who remember stereos, Portnuff wants you to recall cranking up the volume without putting music on and hearing some electrical noise. In a sense, that\u2019s what is happening for people with tinnitus.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about tinnitus as overactive neurons in the brain. Tinnitus actually happens in the brain \u2014 not the ears. It\u2019s the brain\u2019s reaction to changes in, and a loss of, hearing. In many cases, what we see is the brain trying to turn up the volume when it is not getting enough sound from the ear. In essence, you\u2019re hearing your brain working. Tinnitus is the low level of neuron activity that you\u2019re not supposed to be hearing, but you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

How long will I have tinnitus?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tinnitus is often accompanied by some level of hearing loss. That\u2019s typically when people notice the onset of tinnitus. And then, the condition is typically permanent. Those who develop a sudden onset of tinnitus without a change in hearing have a good chance that it will go away on its own.<\/p>\n

How is tinnitus connected with hearing loss?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are many potential causes of tinnitus, the main one being hearing loss.<\/p>\n

\u201cTinnitus is strongly associated with hearing loss, but that is because we lose hearing as we age. Tinnitus, itself, does not cause hearing loss,\u201d said Portnuff, who is also a clinical audiologist at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> and an assistant clinical professor<\/a> at the University of Colorado School of Medicine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some other rare causes for tinnitus include:<\/p>\n