If you hear an annoying buzzing or ringing sound in one or both ears, you have tinnitus. It can bother you a lot. Tinnitus is a problem with your auditory system. That’s the system that lets you hear. The problem may be in the ear. It may be in the nerve that connects your ear to your brain. Or, it may be in the part of your brain that makes sense of sound signals. Usually, tinnitus is not a sign that you have a serious issue.