Browser tool / Self-observation
Tinnitus diary
Record what you notice over time, then look for changes in loudness, distress, sleep, and stress. Your entries stay in this browser.
Use with care
This is a personal record, not a diagnosis. A sudden hearing change, pulsatile sound, or severe new symptom needs prompt clinical advice.
Simple trend
Loudness and distress over time
The chart shows your seven most recent entries in time order. It can help you describe a pattern, but it does not explain why the pattern happened.
No trend yet
Your first entry will start the record.
Save a few observations over time to see loudness and distress side by side.
Your record
Recent entries
Empty record
No entries saved yet.
Start above with a date, four ratings, and any context you want to keep.
How to use a tinnitus diary
Choose a time you can repeat, such as after waking or before bed. Rate the four scales in the same way each time. Add a short description of the sound and note anything that may matter to you, such as a noisy day, poor sleep, stress, caffeine, illness, or a medication change.
Look for repeated observations rather than one unusually good or bad moment. If you export the record, you can bring it to an audiologist or physician as a plain description of what you noticed. The record does not prove that a factor caused a change.
Why track loudness and distress separately?
Loudness describes how strong the sound seems. Distress describes how much it affects you. They can move together, but they do not have to. Sleep and stress add context without turning the diary into a diagnostic test.
For more context, read our guides to tinnitus and sleep, stress and tinnitus, and CBT for tinnitus. You can also read the evidence and limits of tinnitus tracking diaries.
Privacy and limits
The diary fields are kept in your browser's localStorage. The page does not send your date, ratings, sound description, or notes to The Ear Lab. A generic GA4 tool_use event may be emitted once per browser session when you save an entry or export a CSV. That event contains the tool name and action, not your health data.
This tool does not diagnose, treat, or explain the cause of tinnitus. It is not a substitute for a hearing test or medical assessment. If a new symptom is sudden, one-sided, pulsatile, or accompanied by a sudden change in hearing or severe dizziness, seek prompt clinical advice.
Questions readers ask
Tinnitus diary questions
- What does a tinnitus diary record?
- It records your observations at a chosen time: loudness, distress, sleep quality, stress, the sound you noticed, and optional notes or possible triggers.
- Are my entries uploaded?
- No. Entries stay in this browser's localStorage. The generic session event contains no diary ratings or free-text content.
- Can the diary diagnose tinnitus?
- No. It can help you describe observations to a clinician, but it cannot identify a cause or replace a hearing or medical assessment.
- How often should I make an entry?
- Choose a pace you can maintain, such as once a day or when a meaningful change occurs. Consistent observations are more useful than perfect detail.
Educational use only.
The Ear Lab tools do not diagnose, treat, or cure any condition. Discuss concerning or persistent symptoms with a qualified clinician.