What’s New in Tinnitus Research? Key Updates from September 2025
Researchers are working hard to find better treatment options and gain a better understanding about the mechanisms of tinnitus. I sifted through 105 of the new articles posted in September 2025 in PubMed so you don’t have to. Here are some of the key findings:
Can Exercise Lower Your Risk of Tinnitus? New Evidence Says Yes
A recent study in the International Journal of Audiology examined whether physical activity and sedentary behavior influence the likelihood of having tinnitus. People who engaged in moderate or vigorous leisure-time physical activity for more than 150 minutes per week had about 50% lower odds of having tinnitus. Each additional hour of vigorous activity per week reduced tinnitus risk by 8%, while each hour of moderate activity reduced risk by 6%. Sitting for more than 7 hours per day was linked to a 136% higher risk of tinnitus.
Physical activity improves blood flow to the inner ear and brain, supports cardiovascular health, reduces inflammation, and may boost cognitive control, all factors that could protect against tinnitus. Conversely, prolonged sitting is associated with hypertension and obesity, both known tinnitus risk factors.
What This Means For You:
Moving more, especially during leisure time, might not only benefit your heart and mind but could also help reduce your risk of tinnitus. Avoiding long hours of sitting is equally important.
Chalimourdas, A., Hansen, D., Verboven, K., & Michiels, S. (2025). “Can physical activity reduce the risk of having tinnitus?”. International journal of audiology, 64(9), 945–951. https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2024.2424870
Can Your Personality Influence Tinnitus? New Research Says Yes
A recent systematic review published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews explores how personality traits shape the experience of chronic tinnitus. This review analyzed seven studies and found that neuroticism, a trait linked to anxiety and depression, is the strongest predictor of tinnitus-related distress. People high in neuroticism tend to experience more negative emotions, which may amplify the perception of tinnitus and make coping harder. Other traits like agreeableness and extraversion showed weaker but notable associations.
The researchers also examined genetic data and discovered a shared variant in the SLC39A8 gene, which plays a role in brain function and inflammation, suggesting a possible biological link between neuroticism and tinnitus. While this doesn’t prove causation, it highlights why some individuals struggle more than others. Understanding these connections could lead to more personalized tinnitus management strategies in the future.
What This Means for You
If you live with tinnitus and often feel anxious or stressed, your personality may be part of the picture, not just your ears. This doesn’t mean tinnitus is “all in your head,” but it does suggest that managing stress and emotional health could make a real difference. Techniques like mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and social support may help reduce distress. And as research uncovers genetic links, future treatments might become more tailored to individual needs.
Bernal-Robledano, A., Parra-Perez, A. M., Moleon, M. D. C., Lopez-Escámez, J. A., & Perez-Carpena, P. (2025). Personality traits associated with tinnitus: A systematic review and contributing genetic variants. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 178, 106389. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106389
Tinnitus and Sleep: What The Research Reveals
Recent studies confirm a strong link between tinnitus and sleep problems, highlighting both quantity and quality of sleep as key concerns.
People with chronic tinnitus sleep less on weekdays and weekends and are more likely to experience sleep deprivation, fatigue, and even obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Those with severe tinnitus reported the shortest sleep durations and highest fatigue levels. These patterns suggest a vicious cycle: poor sleep worsens tinnitus perception, and tinnitus disrupts sleep. Another study explored patients with obstructive sleep apnea and similar hearing thresholds. It found that tinnitus was more strongly linked to subjective sleep complaints (like daytime sleepiness and depression).
Both chronic tinnitus and insomnia appear to share hyperarousal and stress-related pathways, including changes in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and brain networks like the default mode network (DMN). These overlaps may explain why tinnitus severity correlates with insomnia symptoms and why stress reduction strategies can help both conditions.
A new review in Nature and Science of Sleep explains why chronic tinnitus often comes bundled with anxiety and sleep problems, and why treating them separately rarely works. Researchers found that these conditions share common brain pathways and stress systems. Tinnitus can trigger hypervigilance and emotional distress, which fuels anxiety. Anxiety, in turn, amplifies tinnitus perception and disrupts sleep. Poor sleep then worsens emotional regulation and sensory processing, creating a vicious cycle. Neuroimaging studies show abnormal connectivity between auditory and limbic regions, while chemical imbalances in GABA, serotonin, and glutamate, plus stress hormone dysregulation, keep the loop going.
The good news? Multimodal treatments work best. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (including CBT for insomnia), sound therapy, and targeted sleep interventions can reduce distress and improve quality of life. Medications like SSRIs or melatonin and neuromodulation techniques (such as rTMS) may help in selected cases. The review emphasizes personalized care: matching therapy to each person’s symptom profile and even using biomarkers to guide treatment.
What This Means for You
Integrated care that combines tinnitus management with sleep-focused interventions (e.g., CBT for insomnia, sound therapy, stress reduction) could break the cycle. If you have tinnitus and struggle with anxiety or poor sleep, these symptoms are biologically linked. Addressing stress and sleep alongside tinnitus can make a big difference. Ask your provider about CBT, sound therapy, or integrated programs rather than focusing only on the ringing. Better sleep and emotional balance often lead to better tinnitus coping.
Jiang, C., Ding, Z., Zan, T., Liao, W., Li, H., Yang, X., & Huang, S. (2025). Pathophysiological Insights and Multimodal Interventions in Chronic Tinnitus, Anxiety, and Sleep Disorders. Nature and science of sleep, 17, 2257–2273. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S548093
Han, S. Y., Seo, H. W., Lee, S. H., & Chung, J. H. (2025). Relationship Between Chronicity and Severity of Tinnitus and Sleep-Related Issues. Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology, 46(8), 991–997. https://doi.org/10.1097/MAO.0000000000004552
Choi, S., Park, S. H., Kim, S. Y., Park, S. K., Park, S. C., & Chang, J. (2025). Association of tinnitus with obstructive sleep apnea and rapid eye movement-related obstructive sleep apnea in similar hearing threshold groups. Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology, 91(5), 101661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjorl.2025.101661
How Tinnitus Affects the Brain’s Response to Sound
A recent study in the International Journal of Audiology explored how people with tinnitus process sound at the brainstem level using a technique called forward masking. This method measures how a brief “masker” sound affects the brain’s response to a following tone. Results showed that even without masking, the tinnitus group had delayed brain responses and smaller signal strength compared to controls. When masking was introduced, these differences became more pronounced. At higher masker levels, many tinnitus participants had no measurable brainstem response at all. These findings suggest that tinnitus may involve disrupted neural synchrony and reduced nerve firing in subcortical auditory pathways, making it harder for the brain to process sounds in noisy environments. Forward masking could become a useful tool for objectively assessing tinnitus-related changes in the auditory system.
What This Means for You
If you have tinnitus and find it especially hard to follow conversations in background noise, this study explains why. Your brain may struggle to “reset” after one sound before processing the next. While this research is still early, it points toward therapies that target timing and neural synchrony, such as sound therapy or auditory training, to improve listening comfort.
S Kumar, D., & Konadath, S. (2025). Effect of forward masking on auditory brainstem response in individuals with tinnitus. International journal of audiology, 1–15. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2025.2561888
Are Benzodiazepines the Answer for Tinnitus? New Research Says No
A recent report in Psychiatria Danubina examined the use of benzodiazepines in people with chronic tinnitus. The study found that many patients arriving at a specialized tinnitus center were already taking these drugs, sometimes for months or years, without clear benefit. After completing multidisciplinary rehabilitation, benzodiazepine use dropped significantly, and most patients improved without them. The authors stress that benzodiazepines should only be used short-term (maximum six weeks) and always combined with psychological support, not as a primary tinnitus treatment.
What This Means for You
If you have tinnitus and were offered benzodiazepines, know that these medications are not a cure for the ringing in your ears. They may help with anxiety or sleep issues temporarily, but long-term use carries risks like dependence. The most effective approach? Seek care in a tinnitus clinic, where treatments like sound therapy, counseling, and coping strategies are prioritized over medication.
Martin, P., Dubois, T., & Jacques, D. (2025). TINNITUS TREATMENT AND USE OF BENZODIAZEPINES. Psychiatria Danubina, 37(Suppl 1), 425–428.
Can Jaw Therapy Help Tinnitus? New Study Says Yes
A recent study in Audiology Research explored whether treating temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and reducing awake bruxism (daytime teeth clenching) could ease tinnitus symptoms. Twenty-eight participants with moderate to severe tinnitus and TMD received three interventions: education about tinnitus, smartphone-based bruxism reversal training, and weekly TMD therapy sessions. After treatment, tinnitus severity scores dropped by an average of 18 points, a clinically meaningful improvement for 63% of participants. Awake bruxism also decreased by about 17%. Those who clenched their jaw during the day or had jaw pain at baseline showed the greatest improvement.
What This Means for You
If you have tinnitus and jaw discomfort or clenching habits, these could be connected. Simple steps like jaw relaxation exercises, stress management, and consulting a dentist or physical therapist for TMD treatment may help. This approach doesn’t replace hearing care but adds another tool for managing tinnitus.
Bousema, E., Dijkstra, P. U., & van Dijk, P. (2025). Somatosensory Intervention Targeting Temporomandibular Disorders and Awake Bruxism Positively Impacts Subjective Tinnitus. Audiology research, 15(5), 114. https://doi.org/10.3390/audiolres15050114
Inflammation and Tinnitus: A Genetic Study Reveals a Surprising Link
A new study in Brain and Behavior suggests that chronic tinnitus may be driven by an inflammatory-metabolic pathway. Researchers analyzed genetic data from over 7,900 tinnitus cases and found that higher levels of CCL19, a pro-inflammatory chemokine, were causally linked to increased tinnitus risk. They also identified pantothenate (vitamin B5) as a key mediator; CCL19 appears to raise pantothenate levels, which in turn may promote tinnitus through oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling pathways like NF-κB and Toll-like receptor activation.
What This Means for You
If you have tinnitus, this research suggests systemic inflammation and metabolic health may play a role. While clinical applications are still in the future, these findings open the door to blood-based biomarkers and anti-inflammatory strategies for tinnitus management.
Chen, K., & Cai, Y. (2025). The Causal Relationship Between Circulating Inflammatory Proteins and Tinnitus: A Mendelian Randomization Study Mediated by Blood Metabolites. Brain and behavior, 15(9), e70699. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70699

Dr. Jon Douglas specializes in tinnitus, hyperacusis & misophonia management, hearing aid technology, and vestibular evaluations. With over 19 years of academic and clinical experience, Dr. Douglas is deeply committed to providing evidence-based audiological care that improves the lives of patients affected by hearing, balance, and sound sensitivity disorders.