Tinnitus Statistics 2026
This page collects 52 figures on tinnitus, the ringing, buzzing or roaring people hear without an outside sound source. It covers how common tinnitus is worldwide, in Europe, the UK and the U.S.; how severe it is and how it changes with age; its links to noise exposure and hearing loss; tinnitus among U.S. veterans; how many people get care and what treatments show; and what it costs. Sources include a JAMA Neurology meta-analysis, national survey analyses in The Lancet Regional Health journals and JAMA Otolaryngology, the Apple Hearing Study, NIDCD, CDC's NIOSH, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Healthy People 2030, Cochrane, Tinnitus UK and peer-reviewed trials. Figures span 2007 to 2025; older survey data are kept where no newer national estimate exists and are labeled with their year.
By the HearSmart research desk · Updated November 7, 2026 · 52 numbers drawn from 19 publishers and reports
Short answer
About 14% of adults worldwide have tinnitus and about 2% have a severe form, according to a 2022 JAMA Neurology meta-analysis that puts the total above 740 million adults. In the U.S., 11.2% of adults (about 27 million) had tinnitus in the 2014 National Health Interview Survey, and tinnitus is the most common service-connected disability in the VA system, with 3,583,295 cases at the end of fiscal year 2025.
Headline numbers
- 14.4%14.4% of adults worldwide have some form of tinnitus, according to a JAMA Neurology meta-analysis that pooled studies published from 1972 to 2021.JAMA Neurology
- 740 millionThe same meta-analysis concludes that tinnitus affects more than 740 million adults globally and more than 120 million perceive it as a major problem.JAMA Neurology
- 11.2%11.2% of U.S. adults, about 26.9 million people, had tinnitus in 2014, based on the National Health Interview Survey.The Lancet Regional Health: Americas
- 23.6%23.6% of adults aged 65 and older have some tinnitus, compared with 13.7% of those aged 45 to 64 and 9.7% of those aged 18 to 44.JAMA Neurology
- 19.2%U.S. adults with regular loud noise exposure at work had a 19.2% prevalence of tinnitus in 2007, compared with 6.8% for those without, an odds ratio of 3.3.JAMA Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery
- 3,583,295Tinnitus was the most prevalent service-connected disability among all VA compensation recipients at the end of fiscal year 2025, with 3,583,295 cases.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration
- 36.8 percent36.8% of U.S. adults whose bothersome tinnitus started in the past five years had seen a health care specialist in 2023, against a Healthy People 2030 target of 45.6%.Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Healthy People 2030)
- EUR 1544Annual healthcare costs for tinnitus range from EUR 1,544 to EUR 3,429 per patient across three cost studies from the U.S., the Netherlands and the UK.International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Reading the numbers
Tinnitus is one of the most common health conditions in the world. The JAMA Neurology meta-analysis of studies from 1972 to 2021 found 14.4% of adults have some tinnitus, 9.8% have it chronically and 2.3% have it severely, and estimated that about 1% of adults develop it each year. A European survey that used the same questions in 12 countries found nearly the same 14.7% rate, which implies about 65 million adults in the EU28. Tinnitus UK puts the UK figure at 7.6 million people.
U.S. federal survey data show 9.6% of adults with tinnitus in 2007 and 11.2% in 2014, according to analyses in JAMA Otolaryngology and The Lancet Regional Health: Americas. The Apple Hearing Study, which counted shorter episodes, found 30.8% for any tinnitus and 11.6% for bothersome tinnitus. Prevalence rises steeply with age, from 9.7% of adults under 45 to 23.6% of those 65 and older in the global meta-analysis, and severe tinnitus is far more common in older adults.
Noise and hearing loss are the clearest risk factors. Adults with regular noise exposure at work had 19.2% tinnitus prevalence versus 6.8% without in 2007, NIOSH found 15% of noise-exposed workers had tinnitus versus 5% of others, and 59.7% of U.S. adults with tinnitus also report hearing loss. Military noise shows up in VA data: tinnitus is the most common service-connected disability, with 3,583,295 cases in fiscal year 2025 and 287,138 among new recipients.
Care lags behind need. About half of U.S. adults with tinnitus have discussed it with a provider, 18.2% have tried a treatment, and 36.8% of adults with recent bothersome tinnitus saw a specialist in 2023. Cognitive behavioral therapy has the best evidence, yet only 5% of Tinnitus UK survey respondents were offered it. Costs are poorly measured, but a systematic review found annual healthcare costs of EUR 1,544 to EUR 3,429 per patient, with productivity losses adding more for severe cases.
How many people have tinnitus worldwide
- 1.
14.4% of adults worldwide have some form of tinnitus, according to a JAMA Neurology meta-analysis that pooled studies published from 1972 to 2021.
JAMA Neurology, Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Aug 2022)
Exact wording at the source
The pooled prevalence of any tinnitus among adults was 14.4% (95% CI, 12.6%-16.5%) and ranged from 4.1% (95% CI, 3.7%-4.4%) to 37.2% (95% CI, 34.6%-39.9%).
- 2.
The same meta-analysis concludes that tinnitus affects more than 740 million adults globally and more than 120 million perceive it as a major problem.
JAMA Neurology, Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Aug 2022)
Exact wording at the source
Conclusions and Relevance Despite the substantial heterogeneity among studies, this comprehensive systematic review on the prevalence and incidence of tinnitus suggests that tinnitus affects more than 740 million adults globally and is perceived as a major problem by more than 120 million people, mostly aged 65 years or older.
- 3.
2.3% of adults worldwide have severe tinnitus, based on 34 studies pooled in the JAMA Neurology meta-analysis.
JAMA Neurology, Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Aug 2022)
Exact wording at the source
The pooled prevalence of severe tinnitus was 2.3% (95% CI, 1.7%-3.1%), ranging from 0.5% (95% CI, 0.3%-0.7%) to 12.6% (95% CI, 11.1%-14.1%).
- 4.
New cases of tinnitus occur at a pooled rate of 1,164 per 100,000 person-years, or roughly 1% of adults each year.
JAMA Neurology, Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Aug 2022)
Exact wording at the source
The pooled incidence rate of any tinnitus was 1164 per 100 000 person-years (95% CI, 479-2828 per 100 000 person-years).
- 5.
14.7% of adults in 12 European countries reported any tinnitus in a 2017 to 2018 survey that used identical questions in every country, with 6% bothersome and 1.2% severe.
European Commission (CORDIS), Almost 15 % of Europe's adults have a ringing in their ears, say researchers (2022)
Exact wording at the source
The researchers found that the prevalence of any type of tinnitus was 14.7 %, with bothersome tinnitus found in 6 % and severe tinnitus in 1.2 % of the survey participants.
- 6.
Extrapolated to the EU28, the European survey implies about 65 million adults have tinnitus, 26 million have bothersome tinnitus and 4 million have severe tinnitus.
The Lancet Regional Health: Europe, Tinnitus prevalence in Europe: a multi-country cross-sectional population study (Nov 2021)
Exact wording at the source
Extrapolating to the overall population, approximately 65 million adults in EU28 have tinnitus, 26 million have bothersome tinnitus and 4 million have severe tinnitus.
- 7.
About 4.4 million adults in Europe have severe tinnitus, according to the European Commission summary of the 12-country study.
European Commission (CORDIS), Almost 15 % of Europe's adults have a ringing in their ears, say researchers (2022)
Exact wording at the source
Practically speaking, this means that about 65 million people in Europe have tinnitus, of whom 26 million report bothersome tinnitus and 4.4 million severe.
- 8.
Tinnitus affects 7.6 million people in the UK, 1.5 million of them severely, according to the charity Tinnitus UK.
Tinnitus UK, Our vision (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Tinnitus affects 7.6 million people in the UK – with 1.5 million of them having severe tinnitus.
Tinnitus prevalence in the United States
- 9.
11.2% of U.S. adults, about 26.9 million people, had tinnitus in 2014, based on the National Health Interview Survey.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
US prevalence of tinnitus In the weighted sample (N = 239.7 million US adults; 51.8% female), the overall prevalence of tinnitus in 2014 was 11.2% (26.9 [25.6, 28.2] million) ( Table 1 ).
- 10.
Men in the U.S. were more likely to have tinnitus than women in 2014, at 12.8% versus 9.8%.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
The prevalence of tinnitus was significantly higher among males than females overall (12.8% [12.1%, 13.6%] vs. 9.8% [9.2%, 10.4%], respectively) but this trend held only among non-Hispanic Whites (15.3% [14.3%, 16.3%] vs. 10.9% [10.1%, 11.7%]; both p < 0.0001) ( Supplementary Table S4 ).
- 11.
Tinnitus prevalence among U.S. adults in 2014 ranged from 14.2% among American Indian and Alaska Native adults to 4.1% among Asian adults.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
The highest prevalence was among AIANs (14.2% [9.1%, 20.8%]), followed by multiple race (13.7% [10.6%, 17.2%]), non-Hispanic Whites (13.0% [12.4%, 13.6%]), Blacks (8.4% [7.4%, 9.4%]), Hispanic Whites (8.0% [7.0%, 9.0%]), and Asians (4.1% [3.2%, 5.2%]).
- 12.
30.8% of U.S. adults have experienced any tinnitus and 11.6% have bothersome tinnitus, according to weighted estimates from 125,252 participants in the Apple Hearing Study, 2019 to 2022.
BMC Public Health, Tinnitus prevalence and characteristics in the United States: insights from a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 to 2022 Apple Hearing Study cohort (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Results The estimated weighted national prevalence of any tinnitus was 30.8% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: [30.3%, 31.2%]) and bothersome tinnitus was 11.6% (95% CI: [11.3%, 11.9%]).
- 13.
Of the 125,252 Apple Hearing Study participants, 32,943 reported any tinnitus and 9,903 reported bothersome tinnitus.
BMC Public Health, Tinnitus prevalence and characteristics in the United States: insights from a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 to 2022 Apple Hearing Study cohort (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Results Among the 125,252 participants, 32,943 reported experiencing any tinnitus, yielding an estimated weighted prevalence of 30.8% (95% CI: [30.3%–31.2%]) (26.3% actual), and 9,903 participants experienced bothersome tinnitus, with an estimated weighted prevalence of 11.6% (95% CI: [11.3%, 11.9%]) (7.9% actual).
- 14.
9.6% of U.S. adults, or 21.4 million people, experienced tinnitus in the past 12 months in the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, a baseline for later estimates.
JAMA Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Prevalence, Severity, Exposures, and Treatment Patterns of Tinnitus in the United States (Oct 2016)
Exact wording at the source
Results Among 222.1±3.4 million American adults, 21.4±3.4 million (9.6±0.3%) experienced tinnitus in the past 12 months.
- 15.
About 25 million Americans, roughly 10% of U.S. adults, have experienced tinnitus lasting at least five minutes in the past year, according to NIDCD.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), Quick Statistics About Hearing, Balance, & Dizziness (Sep 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Roughly 10% of the U.S. adult population, or about 25 million Americans, has experienced tinnitus lasting at least 5 minutes in the past year.
- 16.
About 1 in 13 people in the U.S. working population has tinnitus, and 1 in 25 has both tinnitus and hearing difficulty, according to NIOSH.
CDC National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), About Occupational Noise and Hearing Loss (2024)
Exact wording at the source
About 1 in 13 people in the U.S. working population has tinnitus, and 1 in 25 has both hearing difficulty and tinnitus.
Chart
Tinnitus prevalence among U.S. adults by race and ethnicity, 2014
Weighted National Health Interview Survey 2014 data, U.S. adults.
- American Indian or Alaska Native14.2%
- Multiple race13.7%
- Non-Hispanic White13%
- Black8.4%
- Hispanic White8%
- Asian4.1%
Source: The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis
Severity, age and the mental health toll
- 17.
23.6% of adults aged 65 and older have some tinnitus, compared with 13.7% of those aged 45 to 64 and 9.7% of those aged 18 to 44.
JAMA Neurology, Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Aug 2022)
Exact wording at the source
The pooled prevalence of any tinnitus was 9.7% (95% CI, 7.4%-12.5%; 22 studies; I 2 = 100%) among young adults, 13.7% (95% CI, 11.0%-17.0%; 30 studies; I 2 = 100%) among middle-aged adults, and 23.6% (95% CI, 19.4%-28.5%; 31 studies; I 2 = 99%) among older adults (eFigure 3 in the Supplement ).
- 18.
Severe tinnitus affects 6.9% of older adults compared with 0.4% of young adults, according to the pooled estimates.
JAMA Neurology, Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Aug 2022)
Exact wording at the source
The pooled prevalence of severe tinnitus was 0.4% (95% CI, 0.3%-0.7%; 2 studies; I 2 = 0%) for young adults, 2.7% (95% CI, 1.6%-4.7%; 3 studies; I 2 = 97%) for middle-aged adults, and 6.9% (95% CI, 2.6%-17.4%; 4 studies; I 2 = 99%) for the older adults.
- 19.
6% of adults in the 12-country European survey had bothersome tinnitus and 1.2% had severe tinnitus.
The Lancet Regional Health: Europe, Tinnitus prevalence in Europe: a multi-country cross-sectional population study (Nov 2021)
Exact wording at the source
The prevalence for bothersome tinnitus was less than half for any tinnitus at 6%, and that of severe tinnitus was 1·2%, which is less than one out of ten subjects with any tinnitus.
- 20.
Among U.S. adults with tinnitus in 2014, 41.2% always had symptoms and 28.3% had had them for 15 years or more.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Of those with tinnitus, 41.2% always had symptoms and 28.3% had ≥15 years symptom duration; the rates were significantly higher among men vs. women and non-Hispanic (nHW) vs.
- 21.
7.8% of U.S. adults with tinnitus in 2014 described it as a big or very big problem.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Tinnitus symptoms by demographic group Among those with tinnitus, 28.3% reported symptom duration of ≥15 years, 41.2% always experienced symptoms, and 7.8% reported severe tinnitus (i.e., was a big/very big problem) ( Table 2 , Supplementary Table S5 ).
- 22.
Among Apple Hearing Study participants with tinnitus, 46.4% heard it daily and 37.6% said their episodes were constant.
BMC Public Health, Tinnitus prevalence and characteristics in the United States: insights from a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 to 2022 Apple Hearing Study cohort (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Characterizing tinnitus Among the 32,943 participants with any tinnitus, 46.4% reported experiencing daily and 37.6% reported that their tinnitus episode was constant.
- 23.
85.7% of people with tinnitus who answered Tinnitus UK's 2023 survey reported sleep disturbances.
Tinnitus UK, Tinnitus Week 2024 report: Struggle for Silence (Feb 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Sleep disturbances affect 85.7% of respondents.
- 24.
21.3% of Tinnitus UK survey respondents had suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm in the past year, up from 9.3% in the charity's 2021 survey.
Tinnitus UK, Tinnitus Week 2024 report: Struggle for Silence (Feb 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Further analysis indicates a significant rise, with 1 in 5 individuals (21.3%) grappling with these thoughts in the last year, marking an extraordinary increase from 9.3% in 20219.
- 25.
83% of Tinnitus UK survey respondents reported heightened anxiety, up from 71% in the charity's 2020 survey.
Tinnitus UK, Tinnitus Week 2024 report: Struggle for Silence (Feb 2024)
Exact wording at the source
The majority of respondents (83%) report heightened levels of anxiety, surpassing the 71% reported in 20205.
Chart
Any tinnitus by age group, pooled global estimate
Pooled prevalence of any tinnitus among adults, studies published 1972 to 2021.
- 18 to 449.7%
- 45 to 6413.7%
- 65 and older23.6%
Source: JAMA Neurology, Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Links to noise exposure and hearing loss
- 26.
U.S. adults with regular loud noise exposure at work had a 19.2% prevalence of tinnitus in 2007, compared with 6.8% for those without, an odds ratio of 3.3.
JAMA Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Prevalence, Severity, Exposures, and Treatment Patterns of Tinnitus in the United States (Oct 2016)
Exact wording at the source
Those with a history of regular noise exposure at work had a 19.2% prevalence of tinnitus, versus 6.8% for those without (OR 3.3; CI: 2.9–3.7).
- 27.
15% of U.S. workers who had ever been exposed to occupational noise had tinnitus, compared with 5% of workers never exposed, according to a NIOSH analysis of 2007 survey data.
CDC National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), NIOSH Study Identifies Industries and Occupations with Highest Risk for Hearing Difficulty and Tinnitus (Feb 2016)
Exact wording at the source
However, among workers who had at some point in their working careers been exposed to occupational noise, the prevalence was 23%, 15% and 9%, respectively.
- 28.
43.0% of U.S. adults with tinnitus reported very loud occupational noise exposure in 2014, compared with 18.9% of those without tinnitus.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Significantly more respondents with vs. without tinnitus reported very loud occupational noise exposure (43.0% vs. 18.9%; p < 0.0001).
- 29.
54.5% of U.S. adults with tinnitus had ever used firearms, compared with 34.3% of those without tinnitus.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Over half of people with tinnitus had ever used firearms (54.5%), significantly more than those without tinnitus (34.3%; p < 0.0001).
- 30.
59.7% of U.S. adults with tinnitus also reported hearing loss in 2014, compared with 16.7% of those without tinnitus.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Notably, significantly more people with tinnitus reported hearing loss (59.7% vs. 16.7% without tinnitus), hyperacusis (19.8% vs. 4.1%), dizziness/imbalance (39.8% vs. 11.6%), and migraine within the past 3 months (29.1% vs. 13.0%; all p < 0.001) ( Fig. 1 e).
- 31.
48.2% of Apple Hearing Study participants with more than 15 years of occupational noise exposure reported any tinnitus, and 24.7% reported bothersome tinnitus.
BMC Public Health, Tinnitus prevalence and characteristics in the United States: insights from a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 to 2022 Apple Hearing Study cohort (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Participants with a longer history of occupational noise exposure showed higher prevalence; after more than 15 years of occupational noise exposure, 48.2% (95% CI: [46.3%–50.0%]) reported any tinnitus and 24.7% (95% CI: [23.1%–26.3%]) reported bothersome tinnitus.
- 32.
56.1% of Apple Hearing Study participants who rated their hearing as poor had tinnitus, compared with 15.8% of those who rated it excellent.
BMC Public Health, Tinnitus prevalence and characteristics in the United States: insights from a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 to 2022 Apple Hearing Study cohort (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Participants who rated their hearing as poor had a much higher prevalence of any tinnitus (56.1%, 95% CI: [54.2%–58.0%]) and bothersome tinnitus (35.1%, 95% CI: [33.3%–37.0%]) compared to those who reported excellent hearing (15.8% (95% CI: [15.0%, 16.6%]) and 3.9% (95% CI: [3.5%–4.3%]), respectively).
Chart
Hearing problems among U.S. adults with and without tinnitus, 2014
Share of U.S. adults reporting each condition, National Health Interview Survey 2014.
- Hearing loss, with tinnitus59.7%
- Hearing loss, without tinnitus16.7%
- Hyperacusis, with tinnitus19.8%
- Hyperacusis, without tinnitus4.1%
Source: The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis
Tinnitus among U.S. veterans
- 33.
Tinnitus was the most prevalent service-connected disability among all VA compensation recipients at the end of fiscal year 2025, with 3,583,295 cases.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Annual Benefits Report Fiscal Year 2025: Compensation (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Tinnitus 3,583,295 Limitation of flexion, knee 2,312,985
- 34.
Tinnitus was also the most common service-connected disability among new VA compensation recipients in fiscal year 2025, with 287,138 cases.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Annual Benefits Report Fiscal Year 2025: Compensation (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Tinnitus 287,138 Limitation of flexion, knee 162,407
- 35.
Tinnitus made up 64.7% of all service-connected auditory disabilities in fiscal year 2025, ahead of hearing loss at 30.5%.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Annual Benefits Report Fiscal Year 2025: Compensation (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Auditory Tinnitus 3,583,295 64.7% Hearing loss 1,690,837 30.5%
- 36.
Veterans of the Gulf War era held 2,382,222 service-connected tinnitus disabilities in fiscal year 2025, the top condition for that period of service.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Annual Benefits Report Fiscal Year 2025: Compensation (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Gulf War Era Tinnitus 2,382,222 6.6%
- 37.
Vietnam era veterans held 738,415 service-connected tinnitus disabilities in fiscal year 2025, 11.2% of all disabilities for that period.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Annual Benefits Report Fiscal Year 2025: Compensation (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Vietnam Era Tinnitus 738,415 11.2%
Diagnosis, care and treatment
- 38.
52.4% of U.S. adults with tinnitus had ever discussed it with a health care provider in 2014.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Otologic healthcare by demographic group Tinnitus-related healthcare Approximately half of people with tinnitus reported ever discussing it with an HCP (52.4%), and the rates for males and females were similar ( Table 3 ).
- 39.
18.2% of U.S. adults with tinnitus had ever tried a treatment for it, 21.4% of women and 15.6% of men.
The Lancet Regional Health: Americas, Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Overall, 18.2% of respondents with tinnitus reported ever trying a treatment for it, and the rate was significantly higher for females than males overall (21.4% vs. 15.6%; p = 0.0006) and was significantly lower among ‘Other’ ethnicity individuals vs. non-Hispanic Whites (11.0% vs. 18.6%; p = 0.01).
- 40.
36.8% of U.S. adults whose bothersome tinnitus started in the past five years had seen a health care specialist in 2023, against a Healthy People 2030 target of 45.6%.
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Healthy People 2030), Increase the proportion of adults with tinnitus that started in the past 5 years who have seen a specialist: HOSCD-10 (2025)
Exact wording at the source
National Baseline: 36.8 percent of adults aged 18 years and over with onset of "bothersome" (i.e., a moderate, big, or very big problem) tinnitus in the past 5 years had seen a health care specialist in 2023
- 41.
In 2007, 9.2% of U.S. adults with tinnitus had discussed hearing aids with a physician, 4.9% masking devices and 0.2% cognitive behavioral therapy.
JAMA Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Prevalence, Severity, Exposures, and Treatment Patterns of Tinnitus in the United States (Oct 2016)
Exact wording at the source
Other interventions, such as hearing aids (9.2%), masking devices (4.9%), and cognitive-behavioral therapy (0.2%) were less frequently discussed.
- 42.
A 2020 Cochrane review of cognitive behavioral therapy for tinnitus included 28 studies with 2,733 participants and found CBT may reduce the impact of tinnitus on quality of life.
Cochrane, Cognitive behavioural therapy for tinnitus (Jan 2020)
Exact wording at the source
Main results We included 28 studies (mostly from Europe) with a total of 2733 participants.
- 43.
Only 5% of people with tinnitus in Tinnitus UK's 2023 survey were offered cognitive behavioral therapy.
Tinnitus UK, Tinnitus Week 2024 (Feb 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Limited mental health support is available, with only 5% offered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
- 44.
1 in 6 people with tinnitus in Tinnitus UK's survey waited more than 12 months for a secondary care appointment in 2023, triple the 2019 share.
Tinnitus UK, Tinnitus Week 2024 (Feb 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Waiting times for secondary care appointments have increased, with the number of people waiting over a year tripling from 2019 to 2023, to 1 in 6 facing waits of more than 12 months.
- 45.
76.6% of UK patients surveyed about tinnitus services were referred on to secondary care by their GP, and 19.5% received no intervention from their GP.
BMC Health Services Research, Tinnitus services in the United Kingdom: a survey of patient experiences (Feb 2018)
Exact wording at the source
The most common intervention was onward referral to secondary care (76.6%) after one or more GP appointments.
- 46.
In the TENT-A3 trial, 58.6% of participants with moderate or worse tinnitus responded to bimodal sound and tongue stimulation, compared with 43.2% to sound therapy alone.
Nature Communications, Bimodal neuromodulation using sound and tongue stimulation for tinnitus: the TENT-A3 trial (Aug 2024)
Exact wording at the source
In participants with moderate or more severe tinnitus, there is a clinically superior performance of bimodal treatment (58.6%; 95% CI: 43.5%, 73.6%; p = 0.022) compared to sound therapy alone (43.2%; 95% CI: 29.7%, 57.8%), which is not observed in the full cohort across all severity groups.
- 47.
In the 461-patient UNITI trial across five European sites, combination treatments cut Tinnitus Handicap Inventory scores by 14.9 points over 12 weeks, versus 11.7 points for single treatments.
Nature Communications, Single versus combination treatment in tinnitus: an international, multicentre, parallel-arm, superiority, randomised controlled trial (UNITI) (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Least-squares mean changes from baseline to week 12 were −11.7 for single treatment (95% confidence interval [CI], −14.4 to −9.0) and −14.9 for combination treatments (95% CI, −17.7 to −12.1), with a statistically significant group difference ( p = 0.034).
The cost of tinnitus
- 48.
Annual healthcare costs for tinnitus range from EUR 1,544 to EUR 3,429 per patient across three cost studies from the U.S., the Netherlands and the UK.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Systematic Review on Healthcare and Societal Costs of Tinnitus (Jun 2021)
Exact wording at the source
Three studies provided mean annual estimates per patient ranging between EUR 1544 and EUR 3429 for healthcare costs, between EUR 69 and EUR 115 for patient and family costs and between EUR 2565 and EUR 3702 for indirect costs, including productivity loss.
- 49.
In a Dutch cost study, annual healthcare costs per patient were EUR 767 for mild tinnitus, EUR 1,329 for moderate and EUR 2,218 for severe tinnitus.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Systematic Review on Healthcare and Societal Costs of Tinnitus (Jun 2021)
Exact wording at the source
In particular, healthcare costs were EUR 767, EUR 1329 and EUR 2218 for patients with mild, moderate and severe tinnitus, respectively.
- 50.
Productivity losses in the same Dutch study were EUR 1,222 a year for mild tinnitus and EUR 5,105 for severe tinnitus per patient.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Systematic Review on Healthcare and Societal Costs of Tinnitus (Jun 2021)
Exact wording at the source
The corresponding estimates for patients and family costs were EUR 31, EUR 61 and EUR 115, and those due to productivity loss were EUR 1222, EUR 4781 and EUR 5105.
- 51.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs spent USD 1.2 billion on tinnitus-related compensation to veterans in 2012.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Systematic Review on Healthcare and Societal Costs of Tinnitus (Jun 2021)
Exact wording at the source
For example, in 2012, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spent USD 1.2 billion on tinnitus-related compensation to veterans [ 16 ].
- 52.
Tinnitus-related healthcare costs in the UK amount to £750 million a year, according to Tinnitus UK.
Tinnitus UK, Tinnitus Week 2024 report: Struggle for Silence (Feb 2024)
Exact wording at the source
Tinnitus-related healthcare costs in the UK amount to £750 million annually3, with an anticipated increase as eight million people are expected to be affected by 20254.
Chart
Annual healthcare cost per tinnitus patient by severity, Netherlands
Mean annual healthcare cost per patient in euros, Dutch bottom-up cost study reported in a 2021 systematic review.
- Mild767 EUR
- Moderate1,329 EUR
- Severe2,218 EUR
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Systematic Review on Healthcare and Societal Costs of Tinnitus
Questions readers ask
- How common is tinnitus?
- About 14.4% of adults worldwide have some tinnitus, according to a 2022 JAMA Neurology meta-analysis, which estimates more than 740 million adults are affected. A 12-country European survey found 14.7%, and the 2014 U.S. National Health Interview Survey found 11.2% of American adults.
- How many people have severe tinnitus?
- The JAMA Neurology meta-analysis puts severe tinnitus at 2.3% of adults, or more than 120 million people who see it as a major problem. In Europe the figure was 1.2%, and in the UK Tinnitus UK estimates 1.5 million people have severe tinnitus.
- Does tinnitus get more common with age?
- Yes. Pooled data show any tinnitus in 9.7% of adults aged 18 to 44, 13.7% of those 45 to 64 and 23.6% of those 65 and older. Severe tinnitus rises from 0.4% of young adults to 6.9% of older adults.
- Is tinnitus caused by loud noise?
- Noise exposure is one of the strongest risk factors. In the 2007 U.S. survey, adults with regular noise exposure at work had a tinnitus rate of 19.2% versus 6.8% for those without, and NIOSH found 15% of noise-exposed workers had tinnitus versus 5% of unexposed workers.
- Why is tinnitus the top VA disability?
- Military service involves gunfire, engines and blasts, and tinnitus is easy to link to that exposure. The VA counted 3,583,295 service-connected tinnitus disabilities at the end of fiscal year 2025, more than any other condition, including 287,138 among new compensation recipients.
- What treatments work for tinnitus?
- There is no cure, but a 2020 Cochrane review of 28 studies with 2,733 participants found cognitive behavioral therapy may reduce tinnitus's impact on quality of life. Hearing aids, sound therapy and bimodal stimulation devices also show improvement in trials; in TENT-A3, 58.6% of people with moderate or worse tinnitus responded to bimodal treatment.
Where these numbers come from
We chose figures that measure tinnitus directly: prevalence, incidence, severity, risk factors, care, treatment outcomes and costs. Prevalence figures come from a JAMA Neurology meta-analysis, a 12-country European survey, analyses of the U.S. National Health Interview Survey (2007 and 2014) and the app-based Apple Hearing Study; agency figures come from NIDCD, CDC's NIOSH, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Healthy People 2030; treatment evidence comes from Cochrane and randomized or controlled trials published in Nature Communications; cost figures come from a 2021 systematic review and Tinnitus UK. Definitions differ: most surveys count ringing that lasts five minutes or more in the past year, while the Apple Hearing Study counted any episode, which explains its higher estimate. Tinnitus UK surveys reflect people who contacted or follow the charity and are likely to be more affected than average. VA counts are disabilities rated for compensation, not a population estimate. Costs were converted to euros by the review authors and come from different years and countries. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- BMC Health Services Research. Tinnitus services in the United Kingdom: a survey of patient experiences (Feb 2018).
- BMC Public Health. Tinnitus prevalence and characteristics in the United States: insights from a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 to 2022 Apple Hearing Study cohort (Mar 2026).
- CDC National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). About Occupational Noise and Hearing Loss (2024).
- CDC National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH Study Identifies Industries and Occupations with Highest Risk for Hearing Difficulty and Tinnitus (Feb 2016).
- Cochrane. Cognitive behavioural therapy for tinnitus (Jan 2020).
- European Commission (CORDIS). Almost 15 % of Europe's adults have a ringing in their ears, say researchers (2022).
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Systematic Review on Healthcare and Societal Costs of Tinnitus (Jun 2021).
- JAMA Neurology. Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Aug 2022).
- JAMA Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. Prevalence, Severity, Exposures, and Treatment Patterns of Tinnitus in the United States (Oct 2016).
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Quick Statistics About Hearing, Balance, & Dizziness (Sep 2024).
- Nature Communications. Bimodal neuromodulation using sound and tongue stimulation for tinnitus: the TENT-A3 trial (Aug 2024).
- Nature Communications. Single versus combination treatment in tinnitus: an international, multicentre, parallel-arm, superiority, randomised controlled trial (UNITI) (Nov 2025).
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Healthy People 2030). Increase the proportion of adults with tinnitus that started in the past 5 years who have seen a specialist: HOSCD-10 (2025).
- The Lancet Regional Health: Americas. Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis (Jan 2024).
- The Lancet Regional Health: Europe. Tinnitus prevalence in Europe: a multi-country cross-sectional population study (Nov 2021).
- Tinnitus UK. Our vision (2026).
- Tinnitus UK. Tinnitus Week 2024 report: Struggle for Silence (Feb 2024).
- Tinnitus UK. Tinnitus Week 2024 (Feb 2024).
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration. Annual Benefits Report Fiscal Year 2025: Compensation (2026).
Citing this page
Link to this page or to a single numbered figure. If you reuse a number, name the organization that released it in the first place.
HearSmart. (2026, November 7). Tinnitus Statistics 2026. https://hearsmart.org/tinnitus-statistics
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