“What causes buzzing noises in your ear?”

There are a great many causes of tinnitus. Although many doctors believe that tinnitus is not curable, that is not always true. I suggest that you consult a neurotologist. That is a doctor who is an ear nose and throat specialist, but sub-specializes in disorders of the ear and related structures. A comprehensive evaluation including hearing tests, special hearing tests, blood tests, and imaging studies such as an MRI may determine the cause and offer possibilities to help you.

Robert T. Sataloff, M.D., D.M.A., F.A.C.S

Usually acoustic injury to the outer cochlear hair cells

Buzzing, or tinnitus, is common. It is usually associated with hearing loss, noise exposure, or medications that attack the hearing system. If you have persistent buzzing, the first step is to consult with an audiologist who specializes in tinnitus. If the buzzing is occasional and not bothersome, an evaluation by an audiologist can wait until/unless something changes.

If it lasts less than five minutes and comes and goes, it's within normal limits and may be caused by a transient change in blood flow to the inner ear. Nothing to be concerned about. If it lasts several minutes to being constant, that is considered "tinnitus", which is a phantom noise perceived in the ears that is created by hyperactivity in the auditory portion of the brain. Tinnitus is very common. The most common causes are noise exposure, hearing loss, ear infections, ear surgery, medications, and chronic health conditions (i.e., diabetes, heart or kidney disease). If you are concerned, I suggest getting your hearing tested. The number one cause of tinnitus is noise exposure. If you're exposed to a lot of noise through work or hobby activities, consult with an audiologist about hearing protection.