Sound Therapy for Tinnitus: What Works and What Doesn't

When you hear ringing, hissing, or buzzing in your ears with no outside source, you’re dealing with sound therapy for tinnitus, a non-drug approach that uses external sounds to reduce the brain’s focus on internal noise. Also known as tinnitus masking, it’s one of the most widely used strategies for people who live with persistent ear noise. Unlike pills or surgeries, this method doesn’t try to eliminate the sound—it helps your brain stop noticing it. Thousands of people report relief not because the ringing vanished, but because it stopped feeling overwhelming.

How does it work? Your brain gets stuck on the tinnitus sound like a song you can’t get out of your head. Sound therapy introduces gentle, steady noise—like white noise, ocean waves, or even customized tones—that gives your brain something else to focus on. Over time, this trains your brain to ignore the tinnitus. It’s not magic. It’s neuroplasticity: your brain rewires itself when given consistent, calm input. Studies from the American Tinnitus Association show that people using sound therapy daily for 8–12 weeks often report better sleep, less anxiety, and improved concentration.

Not all sound therapy is the same. Some use simple white noise, a steady, flat sound that covers a wide range of frequencies, like a fan or radio static. Others use tinnitus masking devices, small, wearable gadgets that emit specific frequencies tuned to match a person’s tinnitus pitch. Then there are hearing aids for tinnitus, devices that amplify environmental sounds while delivering built-in sound therapy. These are especially helpful if you also have hearing loss, which is common in tinnitus patients. You don’t need expensive gear to start—many people get relief using free apps on their phones or even a simple bedside sound machine.

What doesn’t work? Loud music to drown out the ringing. That can make things worse. Silence isn’t the answer either—many people find that quiet rooms make tinnitus louder. The goal isn’t to block the sound, but to retrain your brain so it doesn’t react to it. Consistency matters more than intensity. Five minutes a day won’t cut it. Most people need at least four hours spread through the day, especially during quiet times like reading or sleeping.

You’ll find real-world examples in the posts below: how people used sound therapy while working, sleeping, or traveling. Some combined it with supplements. Others paired it with breathing exercises. A few switched from white noise to nature sounds after months of trial. No single method works for everyone—but the common thread? They all stuck with it long enough to see a shift. This collection gives you the facts, the tools, and the stories that actually helped real people. No fluff. No hype. Just what works.