What Is Tinnitus and Can It Be Treated?
A tinnitus assessment at AudioHearing Aylesbury costs £95 and includes a full diagnostic hearing test, tinnitus pitch and loudness matching, a THI questionnaire, and a written personalised management plan. No GP referral is required.
Tinnitus - the perception of sound in the ears or head without an external source - affects approximately 1 in 7 adults in the UK. For many people it is a mild inconvenience; for others it can significantly disrupt sleep, concentration, and quality of life.
Tinnitus is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom - often of an underlying auditory condition such as hearing loss, ear wax blockage, or noise damage. A thorough assessment is therefore essential to rule out treatable causes and to guide the most appropriate management strategy. Our Aylesbury tinnitus clinic offers the full range of evidence-based management options under one roof.
What Does a Tinnitus Assessment Include?
Your tinnitus assessment is a comprehensive, unhurried appointment lasting approximately 60–90 minutes. It covers:
- 1
Detailed Case History
A thorough history of your tinnitus - when it started, what it sounds like, whether it is in one or both ears, and how it affects your daily life and sleep.
- 2
Otoscopic Ear Examination
A visual inspection of your ear canals and eardrums to check for wax, infection, or structural abnormalities contributing to your tinnitus.
- 3
Diagnostic Audiometry
A full hearing test to establish your thresholds across all frequencies. Even mild, unnoticed hearing loss is a common driver of tinnitus.
- 4
Pitch & Loudness Matching
Specialised audiometric techniques identify the frequency and perceived loudness of your tinnitus, guiding sound therapy and TRT.
- 5
Tinnitus Handicap Assessment
Validated questionnaires such as the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) measure the impact on your quality of life.
- 6
Personalised Management Plan
Your results explained in plain English with a written plan - sound therapy, TRT, hearing aids, ear wax removal, or onward referral.
What Does the Sound of My Tinnitus Mean?
The nature of the sound you hear can provide important diagnostic clues. The table below outlines common tinnitus sounds and their likely associations:
| Sound Type | Possible Causes | Common? |
|---|---|---|
| High-pitched ringing | Noise-induced hearing loss, age-related hearing loss, acoustic neuroma | Very common |
| Low-pitched ringing / humming | Ear canal blockage (wax), Ménière's disease, otosclerosis | Less common |
| Pulsing / whooshing | Vascular causes, high blood pressure - often called pulsatile tinnitus | Less common |
| Clicking | Muscle contractions in or around the ear (palatal myoclonus) | Less common |
| Hissing / static | Noise exposure, hearing loss, medication side effects | Very common |
Tinnitus Management & Treatment Options in Aylesbury
Following your assessment, your audiologist will recommend the most appropriate management approach for your specific tinnitus profile.
Sound Therapy
Carefully calibrated background sound - white noise, nature sounds, or notched music - reduces the contrast between tinnitus and the surrounding environment, making it less intrusive.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
A structured 12–24 month programme combining directive counselling with sound enrichment, retraining the brain's response to tinnitus.
Hearing Aid Fitting
For patients with co-existing hearing loss, hearing aids amplify external sound and reduce perceived tinnitus. Many include dedicated masking programmes.
Ear Wax Removal
Where wax blockage is a contributing factor, professional microsuction can provide rapid relief from tinnitus symptoms.
Lifestyle Guidance
Practical advice on reducing triggers: caffeine and alcohol intake, hearing protection, sleep hygiene, and stress reduction.
CBT Referral
Where tinnitus causes significant anxiety, depression, or sleep disruption, we can refer you for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions - Tinnitus Assessment Aylesbury
Clinical References & Sources
- NICE CKS (2024). Tinnitus: clinical knowledge summary. cks.nice.org.uk
- NHS (2023). Tinnitus. nhs.uk
- Tinnitus UK (2024). About tinnitus. tinnitus.org.uk
- RNID (2025). Facts and figures about hearing loss. rnid.org.uk
Reviewed 27 July 2026. Next scheduled review: September 2026.