Tinnitus is a disorder of hearing, with a variety of sound levels and tones, such as the sound of cicadas, the wind, or the sound of running water mixed with the chirping of crickets. Tinnitus can be paroxysmal or persistent. Some tinnitus is accompanied by deafness, while others have tinnitus alone without deafness. Most patients with tinnitus have varying degrees of auditory system pathology, and all have varying degrees of hearing impairment upon hearing examination. Ototoxic antibiotics such as streptomycin and gentamicin can cause inner ear poisoning and tinnitus and deafness in some people if used improperly, but early detection and treatment can reduce or avoid deafness if stopped early. Tinnitus caused by various ear diseases such as otosclerosis, auditory neuroma, and Meniere’s disease may lead to deafness if left untreated. However, not all tinnitus leads to deafness.