Safety guide
Sounds for Tinnitus is a listening tool. It isn't a cure, a treatment, a medical device or a hearing test, and nothing here is medical advice.
See a doctor first
Please have your tinnitus checked by a doctor, ideally an ear, nose and throat specialist or audiologist. Some causes can be treated, and some need treatment quickly. Using this tool shouldn't delay that, and your doctor's advice comes before anything on this site.
Get urgent medical care today for
- Sudden hearing loss, or hearing that drops over a few days
- A pulsing sound in your ear that started suddenly
- Severe dizziness or the room spinning
- Facial weakness, or other new problems with speech, vision, balance or strength
- Tinnitus that started after a head injury
Sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency, because treatment can depend on acting quickly. Don't wait to see whether it passes.
Book a check-up soon for
- Tinnitus in only one ear
- A pulsing sound that matches your heartbeat, even if it came on slowly
- Ear pain, discharge or a feeling of fullness
- Hearing that seems to be getting worse
Ask your doctor before using this if
- You have hearing loss, a hearing aid or a cochlear implant
- Everyday sounds feel painfully loud to you
- You have an ear infection, or you've recently had ear surgery or an injury
- You're under 18. Young people should only use this with a parent or guardian, and hearing limits are lower for children
Listening safely
- Start low. Turn your device volume down before pressing Play, then raise it slowly.
- Remember the page can't measure loudness. The volume cap limits the signal the page sends out. The real loudness also depends on your device volume and your speakers or headphones, and a cap can't account for those.
- Check the time as well as the level. The World Health Organization gives 80 dB for up to 40 hours a week as the safe limit for adults, and allowed time drops quickly as sound gets louder. Listening for hours every night counts toward that time.
- Take care overnight. Use the lowest level that works for you and set the sleep timer. A speaker across the room is usually a safer choice than earbuds, which can shift while you sleep.
- Be careful with saved audio. A saved audio file plays at whatever volume your player is set to, so turn it down before you start.
- Stay aware of your surroundings. Don't use it while driving or cycling, or anywhere you need to hear alarms, traffic, a baby monitor or someone calling you.
Stop and get advice if
- Your tinnitus gets louder, or stays worse after you stop listening
- You notice ear pain, fullness or dizziness
- Your hearing seems to change
- Everyday sounds start to feel too loud
If it's getting too much
Living with constant sound can be exhausting, and it can affect your sleep and mood. If you're struggling, tell your doctor. Help for the distress itself is available, even when the sound can't be changed.
If you're thinking about harming yourself, please reach out now.
- In Lebanon, call the national lifeline on 1564
- In the US or Canada, call or text 988
- Elsewhere, find a helpline at findahelpline.com
- If you're in immediate danger, call your local emergency number
What we can't promise
Reviews of sound therapy haven't found clear evidence that it reduces tinnitus (masking review, sound generators and hearing aids review). The tool's settings, including notched sound and the blending level, are there for you to explore. They aren't proven therapy, and we make no claim that they'll change your tinnitus.
This guide is general information written by a non-clinician, based on the linked sources and published clinical guidance. It may not cover your situation.