The honest answer

Is there a cure for tinnitus?

No. Today there is no cure for the most common kinds of tinnitus, and no pill, supplement, device or app that has been shown to remove it. Research is active and you will see headlines about new approaches, but nothing has been shown to work reliably for everyone.

That is not the end of the story. Tinnitus often becomes much less bothersome with time and the right support, and sometimes it does go away when the cause is something a doctor can address.

When tinnitus has a specific cause

A minority of tinnitus has a specific cause a doctor can address:

• earwax or a blocked ear;
• an ear infection;
• a side effect of certain medicines (never stop one without asking);
• jaw or neck problems;
• sudden hearing loss, which needs urgent care.

This is why a first check matters.

What helps people live with it

• Sound enrichment. Steady background sound makes tinnitus less prominent, especially at night. See sleep sounds.
• CBT for tinnitus. Not a cure, but the best-supported way of reducing how much tinnitus distresses people.
• Addressing hearing loss. Hearing aids often make tinnitus less noticeable.
• Sleep, stress and hearing protection. See how to reduce tinnitus.
• Time. The brain often habituates: tinnitus stops being something you attend to.

What to be sceptical of

Anyone selling a guaranteed cure, "gone in 7 days", a miracle supplement or a secret method is selling hope. Ask which trial supports it and who ran it. Genuine research is cautious in its wording; so should a product be.

Red flags: see a doctor

Go promptly (the same day for the first two) if tinnitus:

• starts suddenly, especially with hearing loss;
• comes with weakness, a drooping face, severe dizziness or a bad headache;
• is in one ear only;
• pulses in time with your heartbeat;
• follows a head injury;
• is making you feel hopeless or think about harming yourself. In that case contact emergency services or a crisis line now.

Where Sylence fits

Sylence does not cure tinnitus and does not claim to. It is a masking and relief tool: you match the pitch of your ringing, then sound is generated on your phone with a notch at that pitch, so it sits around the ringing. Evidence for notched sound is mixed; some people find it gradually helps, and many simply sleep better with steady sound. Masking is free, with no ads and no account. Pro is optional ($4.99 a month, $29.99 a year, $59.99 once; 7-day trial). Try the pitch match first at the frequency matcher.

Frequently asked questions

Will there ever be a cure for tinnitus?

Researchers are working on it, but there is no confirmed timeline, and tinnitus has many causes, so there may not be one answer.

Can tinnitus be permanent?

It can be. Many people with long-term tinnitus find it fades into the background; how much it bothers them often improves even when the sound remains.

Does notched sound therapy cure tinnitus?

No. Studies are mixed; some show modest, gradual benefit, others none. Treat it as one relief option.

Can hearing aids cure tinnitus?

No, but if you have hearing loss they often make tinnitus less noticeable.

Should I see a doctor even if it is mild?

Yes, once, for a hearing test and an ear check, and always if it is new, sudden, one-sided or pulsing.

Try it

Find my frequency — free, in the browser

Then, if it helps: Try masking, free on Google Play.

Sylence is a sound-therapy and relief tool, not a medical device. It does not diagnose, treat, or cure tinnitus. If your tinnitus is new, sudden, changing, or in one ear only, see an audiologist or a doctor first — sudden one-sided tinnitus in particular is worth urgent attention.