Tinnitus | UCSF EARS

Tinnitus: start here

Ringing, buzzing, humming, or hissing? This hub helps you choose the next right step—a map, not a diagnosis.

Sudden Hearing Loss is an Emergency

If you have sudden hearing loss, a new heartbeat/pulsing sound (pulsatile tinnitus), severe dizziness/vertigo, or new neurologic symptoms, use: Emergency: Hearing, Tinnitus, and Balance Safety Guide.

Start points

Pick the option that matches what you need right now.

Recommended first

Tinnitus & Hearing Survey

Quick screening to see what’s driving the bother: tinnitus, hearing difficulty, sound sensitivity—or a mix. Includes direct deep links to next steps.

Care pathway

Tinnitus Self-Triage

Not sure how urgent this is? Use a safety-first router to decide: urgent care now, evaluation soon, or non-urgent next steps.

Evidence-based

Tinnitus: what to do next

A practical roadmap focused on the most common impact areas: sleep, focus, emotions, and attention capture—plus “when to get checked.”

Quick links (jump to the exact section)

If you already know what’s hardest, jump straight to the matching plan.

Sound sensitivity (hyperacusis)

Sound sensitivity can overlap with tinnitus and/or hearing difficulty. Your Survey flags it for safer next steps.

Bring this to your visit (copy/paste summary)

Fill in what fits. This creates a copy-friendly summary you can bring to audiology/ENT or urgent care. It does not save your information.

Your quick details

Survey (+ audio check)

  • What: 10-min screener.
  • Why: Checks for hearing loss and tinnitus impact.
  • Result: Personalized report + doctor discussion guide.
Start Survey →

Self-Triage

  • What: 2-min router.
  • Why: Rapid check for "red flags."
  • Result: Tells you if you need ENT, Audiology, or ER.
Check Symptoms →
If any urgent flags are present, the safest first stop is /en/emergency.

Tip: You can also run the Survey first, then come back here.

Related EARS tools

Tinnitus often overlaps with hearing difficulty, sound sensitivity, and communication strain.

Care Navigator

Figure out the right next appointment (audiology, ENT, urgent evaluation) and what to bring.

Hearing Test Results Decoder

Make sense of your audiogram and what it suggests for real-world hearing.

Hearing Technology Pathway

Explore hearing aids, assistive tech, and pathways based on hearing needs.

UCSF EARS
Evidence-based tools + trusted guidance for hearing, tinnitus, and balance.