Emergency: Hearing, Tinnitus, and Balance Safety Guide
This page helps you choose the right level of care for sudden hearing changes, tinnitus (ringing or “whooshing”), and severe dizziness/vertigo. It does not diagnose you.
What to do right now
Step 1: Check for danger signs
If any danger sign is present, do not wait for a clinic appointment.
Call 911 or go to the ER now if you have hearing/tinnitus/dizziness symptoms plus any of these:
- Facial weakness or facial numbness (new)
- New weakness or numbness on one side of the body
- Trouble speaking, understanding, or new confusion
- Severe headache that is new or “worst headache,” especially with neurologic symptoms
- Fainting, seizure, or you cannot stay awake
- Severe vertigo/dizziness and you cannot walk safely
- Major head injury or symptoms after trauma (especially blood/fluid from the ear)
Step 2: If no danger signs, decide “today vs soon”
Urgent evaluation today (same day) is recommended for:
- Sudden hearing loss (one ear or both) that starts over hours to 3 days
- A sudden “muffled” ear with new tinnitus or ear fullness
- Severe vertigo/dizziness with new hearing change (even without neurologic symptoms)
- Hearing change after a very loud noise or blast
If you cannot reach a clinic quickly, urgent care or the ER can still be appropriate—especially for sudden hearing loss.
Get checked soon (within days) for:
- Pulsatile tinnitus (a whooshing or thumping that matches your heartbeat), especially if new
- New one-sided tinnitus or one ear clearly worse (even without sudden hearing loss)
- Dizziness/imbalance that is persistent or worsening (but no danger signs)
Pulsatile tinnitus is often not dangerous, but it can sometimes be a sign of a condition that needs medical evaluation.
What to say when you call
Try this script:
“I have a [sudden hearing drop / new pulsatile tinnitus / severe vertigo] that started on [date/time]. I also have [ringing / one-sided symptoms / ear fullness / nausea]. I need advice on the right level of care and whether I should be seen today.”