Tinnitus and online hearing checks: what the result can tell you
Understand the limits of an online tone check for tinnitus, when to seek care, and which observations to bring to a healthcare appointment.
An educational guide from Online Hearing Test. Sources linked throughout.
A hearing check is not a tinnitus assessment
Tinnitus means perceiving a sound without an external sound source. It may sound like ringing, buzzing, humming or something else, and may be present in one ear, both ears or the head. It can be intermittent or continuous. NIDCD’s tinnitus overview describes this range of experiences.
If you notice such a sound, an online tone check cannot tell you why it is happening. The question “Can I detect this browser tone?” is different from “What is causing the sound I notice?” You do not need to complete a hearing check before discussing tinnitus with a healthcare professional.
Know when to seek care
Seek medical attention immediately if your hearing suddenly drops or worsens rapidly over a few days, with or without tinnitus. Do not wait for an online result. NIDCD identifies sudden hearing loss as a medical emergency.
Seek emergency care for tinnitus after a head injury, or tinnitus with facial weakness or a spinning sensation. A sound that beats with your pulse needs an urgent medical appointment. For regular, persistent, worsening or bothersome tinnitus, arrange a medical appointment, including when it affects sleep or concentration. These distinctions follow NHS guidance on when to get help; use the appropriate local medical service.
What the online result actually shows
Our free hearing check records your responses to tones at six pitches in each ear. The graph shows relative playback levels from your current setup. It does not measure the pitch, loudness, cause or impact of tinnitus, and it does not provide a tinnitus diagnosis.
The check is uncalibrated: its values are not clinical dB HL or measured dB SPL. A result cannot confirm or rule out hearing loss. It also cannot confirm or rule out a condition associated with tinnitus. A graph that looks similar across both ears does not settle the question of why a sound seems more noticeable on one side.
If you cannot distinguish a played tone from a sound you already notice, do not guess just to complete the graph. Pause or stop and record that limitation. Never increase the volume to chase a tone or attempt to overpower tinnitus. The check is not a treatment or a sound-matching exercise.
Prepare a short description
Use everyday language. A short note can be more useful for starting a conversation than repeatedly checking your hearing. Consider writing:
- When you first noticed the sound and whether it comes and goes.
- Where you notice it and how you would describe it.
- Whether it follows your heartbeat.
- Any accompanying hearing change or other symptoms.
- How it affects sleep, concentration or daily activities.
- The questions you most want answered.
A clinician may examine your ears and ask about your medical history and medicines; a hearing assessment or specialist referral may follow. NIDCD describes the assessment process. Bring a medication list for that discussion.
Keep any report in perspective
You can download this check’s results immediately without payment or an account. If you bring the report to an appointment, explain the setup and any uncertainty when responding. Your description of tinnitus remains important regardless of the graph.
An optional free AI explanation requires consent to send numerical results to Our AI. It cannot diagnose tinnitus or improve the underlying measurement. You can skip it and keep your results; any contribution to the project is voluntary.