Not medical advice. This guide is educational. Tinnitus has many causes, some treatable - a hearing professional can evaluate yours. See the red-flag list below for symptoms that warrant prompt medical attention.
What tinnitus is (and why sound helps)
Tinnitus is the perception of sound with no external source - most often a high-pitched ringing or hiss, frequently accompanying some degree of hearing loss. The leading model: when the ear delivers less signal at certain frequencies (often from noise damage or age-related loss), the brain turns up its internal gain, and that amplified neural activity is heard as ringing.
Sound therapy works on two levels. Masking gives the brain real external sound in the same frequency region, so the tinnitus blends in and attention can release it. Habituation is the longer game: with consistent, low-level sound enrichment, the brain gradually reclassifies the tinnitus as unimportant background - the same way you stop hearing a refrigerator hum. Total silence works against both, which is why tinnitus feels loudest in a quiet bedroom.
White vs pink vs brown noise for tinnitus
All three are broadband noises differing in how energy is distributed across frequencies - and the best one for you is the one you can comfortably ignore. Try each in our noise generator:
| Noise | Character | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| White | Equal energy per Hz - bright, hissy | Tinnitus is very high-pitched; strongest high-frequency coverage |
| Pink | Energy falls 3 dB/octave - balanced, rain-like | Good default; covers highs without white noise's harshness |
| Brown | Energy falls 6 dB/octave - deep, waterfall-like | For sleep and long sessions; least fatiguing, gentler masking of high tinnitus |
Nature-like layered sound is equally valid - many people ignore rain and stream sounds more easily than steady noise. Our soundscape builder lets you mix ambient layers to taste.
Find your tinnitus frequency
Pitch-matching your tinnitus takes five minutes with a tone generator and makes your masking more targeted:
- Sit somewhere quiet with headphones at low volume.
- Start a sine wave around 4000 Hz - the most common tinnitus region.
- Sweep slowly up and down, comparing the tone against your ringing. Most tinnitus matches between 3000 and 8000 Hz.
- When the pitch feels close, fine-tune in 100 Hz steps. Note the frequency.
- Double-check an octave up and down - octave confusion is common in pitch matching.
Knowing your frequency helps you verify a masking sound actually covers that region, and it is the starting point for notched sound therapy - listening to music or noise with your tinnitus frequency filtered out. Research on notched therapy shows mixed but promising results for some listeners; treat it as an experiment, not a guarantee.
A sensible daily routine
Volume rule: keep masking sound at or just below your tinnitus level - blending, not drowning. If someone next to you can hear your headphones, it is too loud.
Bedtime: brown noise or a soundscape on a timer or all night at whisper level. Silence at bedtime is when tinnitus intrudes most.
Work: low-level pink noise under your normal audio, or just quiet music - the goal is never giving the tinnitus a silent stage.
Protect what you have: noise damage worsens tinnitus. Use earplugs at concerts and with power tools, and check your hearing range periodically with our hearing test.
Red flags - see a doctor promptly
- • Tinnitus in one ear only
- • Pulsatile tinnitus (beats with your heartbeat)
- • Sudden onset, or sudden change in hearing
- • Accompanied by dizziness or vertigo
- • Following a head or neck injury
- • With ear pain, discharge, or a feeling of fullness
These can indicate treatable or serious conditions. And even without red flags: if tinnitus lasts beyond two weeks, a hearing evaluation is worth it - if hearing loss is present, treating it (often with hearing aids) is one of the most effective tinnitus interventions known.
Tinnitus FAQ
What sound is best for masking tinnitus?
There is no single best sound - effectiveness is individual. Broadband noise (white, pink, or brown) works for most people because it covers a wide frequency range. Many prefer pink or brown noise because they are less harsh than white noise while still covering the high frequencies where tinnitus usually sits. Experiment at low volume and keep whichever lets you stop noticing the ringing.
Should masking sound be louder than my tinnitus?
No - most clinicians recommend partial masking: set the sound just below or at the level of your tinnitus, so both blend together. Complete masking (drowning the tinnitus out entirely) can work short-term but may hinder habituation, and louder playback risks aggravating the underlying hearing damage.
Can a tone generator make tinnitus worse?
Played at moderate volume, no. But protect your ears: keep any masking or matching sound at a comfortable conversational level, avoid extended listening at high volume, and stop immediately if your tinnitus temporarily spikes. Loud sound exposure is a leading cause of tinnitus in the first place.
Does tinnitus ever go away?
Temporary tinnitus after loud exposure (a concert, power tools) usually fades within hours to days. Chronic tinnitus often persists, but most people habituate - the brain learns to filter it out, especially with sound enrichment, good sleep, and stress management. Treating an underlying cause (earwax, medication side effects, hearing loss with hearing aids) can also reduce it substantially.
When should I see a doctor about tinnitus?
See a professional promptly if tinnitus is in one ear only, pulses with your heartbeat, started suddenly, accompanies hearing loss or dizziness, or follows a head injury. These patterns can indicate treatable or serious conditions. Even without red flags, a hearing evaluation is worthwhile for any tinnitus lasting more than a couple of weeks.