What Tinnitus Is, and Why It Shows Up More After Age 60

Tinnitus is the medical word for sounds you hear in your ears or head when nothing outside is making that sound. People describe it as ringing, buzzing, hissing, clicking, whooshing, or a high-pitched tone. Around 30 percent of adults over 60 live with some form of tinnitus, and about 1 in 10 deal with it every day.

The sound is real to you. But it is generated inside your hearing system, not in the room. After age 60, tinnitus becomes more common for a few reasons. The tiny hair cells inside the inner ear wear down over decades of normal hearing, much the way joints wear down. When those cells stop sending steady signals to the brain, the brain sometimes fills the silence with phantom sound. That is one of the main theories behind age-related tinnitus.

Other triggers add up: years of loud noise exposure (mowers, power tools, concerts, military service), high blood pressure, certain medications, ear wax buildup, jaw and neck problems, and stress. Any of these can make tinnitus louder or more noticeable.

Here is the good news: tinnitus itself is almost never dangerous. It is a symptom, not a disease. Most people learn to manage it well, and many find that the sound fades into the background over time once they stop fighting it. Treatments exist, and several are covered by Medicare or available for free.

This guide is educational only and is not medical advice. If your tinnitus is new, is only in one ear, comes with hearing loss or dizziness, or is interfering with your sleep or mood, schedule a visit with an audiologist or ENT doctor.

(Sources: American Tinnitus Association — ata.org; National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders — nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus; AARP Hearing Center)