Hearing loss, as a result of ageing, is the most common cause of tinnitus.
Other common causes include eardrum perforation, middle ear infection, Ménière’s Disease, sudden exposure to loud noise, certain medications, head injury, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and stress.
Less commonly, tinnitus is linked to hearing loss caused by a blockage or ear condition that affects the outer or middle ear and stops sound waves from passing into the inner ear.