hearing loss · 6 min read
Tinnitus: Causes, Its Link to Hearing Loss & Management
What tinnitus is
Tinnitus is sound perceived without an external source — ringing, hissing, buzzing or cricket-like tones. It affects roughly 1 in 10 adults. In most cases it is the brain's response to reduced input from damaged hair cells: deprived of certain frequencies, the auditory system 'turns up its internal gain' and the resulting neural noise is heard as ringing. Around 80–90% of chronic tinnitus cases have measurable hearing loss at the tinnitus frequency.
Red flags that need a doctor first
One-sided tinnitus, pulsatile tinnitus (heartbeat-synchronised), or tinnitus with sudden hearing loss or vertigo warrant prompt ENT evaluation to rule out treatable or serious causes. Routine bilateral high-pitched tinnitus alongside gradual hearing difficulty is the common, benign pattern.
Evidence-based management
There is no universal cure, but outcomes are good with: (1) treating the underlying hearing loss — hearing aids alone reduce tinnitus perception for most wearers by restoring the missing input; (2) sound therapy — Signia devices include built-in tinnitus programs including static noise and ocean-wave maskers, plus Notch Therapy, which trains the brain to de-emphasise the tinnitus frequency; (3) habituation counselling (TRT/CBT approaches) for distress reduction. Our audiologists configure tinnitus programs free during any Signia fitting.
Not sure where to start? Book a free hearing test — home visits available across India — or browse the full Signia range.
This article is educational and reviewed against published audiology guidance. It is not a medical diagnosis. Online screening indicates risk only — a clinical audiogram by a qualified audiologist is the diagnostic standard.