Tinnitus is hearing a sound, such as ringing, buzzing or hissing, when there is no outside source. It can be in one ear or both, and it is often more noticeable at night when the room is quiet.

Common causes

  • Hearing loss that comes with age
  • Exposure to loud noise, such as music through earphones or loud workplaces
  • Earwax blockage
  • Ear infections
  • Some medicines
  • Stress, poor sleep and high blood pressure, which can make it worse

See an ENT doctor urgently if

  • you suddenly lose hearing in one ear; treatment works best within the first few days
  • the tinnitus is in one ear only
  • it comes with dizziness or a spinning feeling
  • it beats in time with your pulse

A hearing test (audiometry) helps find the cause.

What helps day to day

  • Keep earphone volume low and take breaks
  • Use soft background sound, like a fan, at night
  • Don't clean your ears with buds or keys
  • Manage stress and get regular sleep

Where homeopathy fits

Tinnitus often can't be switched off completely, and the realistic aim is to make it less loud and less bothersome. After an ENT check, Dr Amit Kumar looks at when the sound started, what makes it worse, your sleep and stress before prescribing homeopathic medicine.

Dr Amit Kumar (BHMS, Delhi Homoeopathic Board Reg. No. 2350) has practised in Sector 4, Vaishali, Ghaziabad since 1994. The clinic is at B-3, Basement, Mini Reliance Plaza, near Sarvodaya Hospital, open Monday to Saturday, 11 AM to 1 PM and 6 PM to 8 PM. A consultation costs ₹500.

See clinic timings and book a consultation