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Listening at home⏱️ Estimated reading time: 11 min
On this page: Overview
Key Takeaways
The NHS advises a GP appointment when ringing is regular or constant, getting worse, or affecting sleep, concentration or mood. RNID adds ringing that has not gone away after a few days, or that stays in one ear only.
The NHS says to go to A&E or call 999 for ringing after a head injury, or ringing that comes with sudden hearing loss, weakness in the face muscles or a spinning sensation (vertigo). Do not drive yourself there.
Yes. RNID advises seeing a GP when ringing is consistently in one ear only, and NICE guideline NG155 asks clinicians to consider a referral for persistent one-sided tinnitus.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment. The NHS lists a sound that beats in time with the pulse, often called pulsatile tinnitus, as its one urgent GP trigger for tinnitus.
The GP looks in the ears for things like an ear infection or a build-up of earwax, may check for hearing loss, and can refer to audiology or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.
Tinnitus UK runs a free helpline on 0800 018 0527. If the ringing comes with any of the emergency signs, call 999 instead.
Knowing when to see a GP about ringing in your ears is mostly a matter of timing and a short list of warning signs. Ringing after a gig or a noisy day often settles once the ears get some quiet, and why that happens is covered in our guide to ringing in your ears after loud noise. This page covers the rest: ringing that won’t fade or keeps coming back, and ringing that turns up alongside other symptoms.
We are Bollsen, a hearing protection brand, not a clinic. Everything below follows what the NHS, NICE and RNID actually say, with links so you can check the wording yourself.
When should you see a GP about ringing in your ears?
According to the NHS guidance on tinnitus (page last reviewed 12 January 2024), you should book a routine GP appointment when the ringing, buzzing or humming is regular or constant, getting worse, or starting to affect daily life. Here is the NHS see-a-GP list, quoted word for word apart from the square brackets:
- “[you hear] tinnitus regularly or constantly”
- “[the] tinnitus is getting worse”
- “[the] tinnitus is bothering you – for example, it’s affecting your sleep or concentration, or is making you feel anxious and depressed”
Two more signs come from RNID’s advice on what to do about tinnitus rather than the NHS page. RNID says it’s best to see a GP if the ringing “does not go away after a few days”, and also when it sits consistently in one ear only. NICE guideline NG155 backs this up for one-sided ringing that persists.
Sleep comes up a lot in that third NHS point, and questions about earplug use at night have their own guide on earplugs for tinnitus at night. Children are a separate case too. A child may not describe ringing at all, so our guide to signs of hearing damage in children lists what parents tend to notice instead.
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The NHS splits urgent ringing into two tiers: an urgent GP appointment for one sign, and A&E or 999 for a small group of others. The difference decides where you go.
Urgent GP appointment. Ask for one if the sound is tinnitus “that beats in time with your pulse”. This is often called pulsatile tinnitus, and it is the only urgent GP trigger on the NHS tinnitus page.
A&E or 999. The NHS says to go to A&E or call 999 for tinnitus “after a head injury”, or tinnitus “with sudden hearing loss, weakness in the muscles of your face, or a spinning sensation (vertigo)”. On getting there, it is blunt: “Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.”
If the GP surgery is closed and none of the 999 signs apply, NHS 111 can give urgent advice by phone or online.
How long should you wait before booking a GP appointment?
For ordinary ringing with no warning signs, a few days is the usual point to book, based on RNID’s guidance, while anything sudden or pulsing should not wait at all. The table below puts the NHS, RNID and NICE timings side by side. It is general guidance, not a forecast of how long any individual’s ringing will last.
| When | What the guidance says | Who to contact |
|---|---|---|
| Any time, with a head injury, sudden hearing loss, face weakness or vertigo | NHS: immediate action. NICE NG155: sudden hearing loss in the past 30 days should be seen by a specialist within 24 hours | A&E or 999 |
| Any time, if the sound beats with the pulse | NHS: urgent advice | Urgent GP appointment |
| First 24–72 hours after a loud event, no other signs | Rest the ears and keep away from loud noise | No appointment needed if it fades; Tinnitus UK helpline if worried |
| Still there after a few days to a week, or in one ear only | RNID: best to see a GP | Routine GP appointment |
| 2 weeks or more, with sleep, concentration or mood affected | NHS: see a GP. NICE NG155: if distress continues after first support, referral should be seen within 2 weeks | GP, then the referral route |
| 3 months or more | NIDCD defines tinnitus lasting 3 months or longer as chronic | GP, if not already seen |
The NICE guideline NG155 on tinnitus assessment (published March 2020) is written for clinicians, but its referral timings show why one visit can be urgent and another routine.
What happens at the GP appointment?
At the appointment, the NHS says the GP will look in the ears for a cause they can deal with, such as an ear infection or a build-up of earwax, might check for hearing loss, and may refer you to a specialist for further tests. RNID adds that some GPs arrange blood tests, for example for thyroid problems or diabetes.
It helps to arrive with details. Describe the sound (ringing, buzzing, hissing, whooshing or humming), when it started, whether it is in one ear or both, and whether it came after loud noise. Then say how it affects sleep, work and mood, because that is what the NHS criteria hinge on.
One complaint comes up again and again on UK patient forums: being told it will probably go away on its own, then sent home. RNID’s advice for that situation is to explain in detail how the ringing affects day-to-day life, and if that still gets nowhere, to try a different GP.
What happens next after a GP referral?
After a referral, most people see either audiology, the hospital hearing department where an audiologist measures hearing, or an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist, who looks for physical causes and can arrange scans. RNID notes that some people are referred on to a tinnitus clinic, and that waits can be several months depending on where you live.
A hearing test through a GP referral is free on the NHS. The NHS hearing tests page says it usually takes around 15 minutes to 1 hour, and results are normally given at the end. The full walk-through is in our guide to what happens at a hearing test.
The NHS describes several options that specialists may offer, and we list them here as information only. Digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is usually offered first, alongside tinnitus counselling. Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), which uses sound therapy, may be available on the NHS for severe or persistent tinnitus, though the NHS says “it’s unclear if tinnitus retraining therapy works for everyone”.
Where there is hearing loss, the NHS says hearing aids may be recommended. NICE NG155 is more specific: hearing aids are offered when hearing loss affects communication, not when hearing is normal, and NICE made no practice recommendation on sound therapy, only a call for more research.
Who can you talk to before or while you wait?
A good first call is the free Tinnitus UK helpline on 0800 018 0527, the same number the NHS gives on its tinnitus page. Tinnitus UK also runs support groups and self-help information, which can fill the gap during a long referral wait.
If the ringing is pulling mood down to a point that feels hard to cope with, Samaritans are free to call, day or night, on 116 123.
What if you are not in the UK?
Outside the UK the route is similar, with different names. In the US, the NIDCD tinnitus guidance says to start with a primary care doctor, who can refer to an ENT doctor (otolaryngologist), an audiologist or both, and in Canada the first stop is a family doctor. In Ireland you see a GP, and emergencies go to 999 or 112. In Australia, healthdirect advises seeing a GP for tinnitus or hearing loss, its nurse line is 1800 022 222, and the emergency number is 000.
How can you protect your hearing from here on?
Noise exposure is a known risk factor for lasting hearing damage, so the useful step from here on is lowering the noise dose. Stand further from speakers, take breaks somewhere quieter, and cut the time spent in loud places. Our guide to how loud is too loud gives the decibel levels to watch.
Hearing protection is what we make at Bollsen, and we will be straight about it. Earplugs limit the noise reaching your ears in future; they do nothing for ringing that is already there. Our hub on earplugs for tinnitus collects every guide on protection and ringing ears, and the guide to what earplugs can and can’t do for your hearing sets out realistic expectations on fit and attenuation.
For loud days, our Life+ earplugs (SNR 24 dB, £29.95) are passive, two-lamella plugs in hypoallergenic silicone, reusable for up to 100 uses. Attenuation rises with frequency (H 24 dB, M 21 dB, L 19 dB), so high-pitched sounds are cut the most. A two-pack costs £44.95, which clears the £35 threshold for free UK delivery, and every order comes with a 40-day money-back guarantee.
For noisy jobs and hobbies, our guide on how much hearing protection do I need matches SNR ratings to noise levels. And if ringing is still there after a few days, the next step is a GP appointment.
His connection to hearing protection stems from personal experience with sound sensitivity during live events and work in noisy environments, an issue that made him more aware of the long-term risks of unmanaged noise exposure. Today, as both a communicator and a user of BOLLSEN products, he is passionate about raising awareness around the importance of proactive hearing care.
At BOLLSEN, he develops data-driven marketing campaigns, writes SEO-focused articles, and manages communication channels that connect customers with practical knowledge about hearing protection. His work ensures that BOLLSEN’s message—prioritizing health, performance, and sustainability reaches a global audience in an engaging and trustworthy way.
Passionate about writing since childhood, Timotej combines creativity with a strong analytical approach, continuously testing new ideas in digital marketing, performance advertising, and social media. He believes in learning through innovation and collaboration, balancing leadership with openness to new perspectives.
Beyond his professional role, Timotej is committed to a healthy lifestyle and finds inspiration in fitness, sports, and quality time with friends. His personal passion for well-being aligns with BOLLSEN’s core values, making his work not only a career but also a cause he deeply believes in.