Nearly 10% of adults worldwide have experienced chronic tinnitus. Managing chronic tinnitus typically requires a multi-faceted approach. You might have tried cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to manage your reaction to the ringing, but swapped it for sound masking therapy. When you’re looking for the right management tool, or combination of management tools, it’s helpful to keep track of your symptoms throughout the process to better understand what works.
Let’s look at a few ways to track your tinnitus symptoms to ensure you’re on the right management path.
Tinnitus Tracking Tips
Grab a pocket-sized notebook from Archer Paper Goods or start a note in the notes app on your phone to keep track of the following:
- When it starts and ends. Write down the time and date of each tinnitus episode and when the sound stops. This factor is crucial in determining whether your management method is reducing the frequency of your tinnitus.
- Your mood when it starts. Our reactions to tinnitus will often dictate how much it affects our lives, and negative emotions may even worsen the tinnitus itself. For example, a 2023 study found that stress is a significant trigger for the development and worsening of tinnitus. Write down how you were feeling before and after the tinnitus started. This information will also help your tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) or CBT administrators guide you towards less intense reactions.
- Suspected triggers. An estimated 95% to 98% of tinnitus is subjective, meaning you’re the only one who can hear it. Because tinnitus is subjective, it can be hard for hearing specialists to pinpoint its cause. Every time the ringing starts, write down what you were doing. Include things you were eating and drinking, and any potential stressors.
Keeping track of these four factors will help you not only identify possible causes of tinnitus but also assess how well your tinnitus management strategy is working. Here are two entries you could model your notes after:
- March 25th, 2026: The ringing started at 9:30 am and lasted for seven minutes. It was moderately loud, but I could still focus on other things. I was sitting at my desk at work, drinking coffee and reading my list of tasks for the day.
- April 30th, 2026: I heard a faint buzzing noise in my right ear after playing my music too loudly in the car. The tinnitus lasted only a few seconds, and I didn’t notice any negative response to it.
The two entries above show that the writer has had a small improvement in their tinnitus from one entry to the next, indicating that their management strategy is helping, and offers clues as to possible triggers.
Schedule Your Tinnitus Evaluation
Our experts can go over your symptoms and help you find the right management strategy. If you’ve been taking notes on your tinnitus, you can bring them in to help us create an informed plan. Contact Advanced Hearing today to schedule your appointment.