Tinnitus is common among former NFL players, particularly those with a history of concussion symptoms, new research suggests.
The condition was also associated with worse mental health among affected former players.
The study was led by Niki Konstantinides, a researcher in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and with the Football Players Health Study.
Researchers analysed health data from 1,085 participants in the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University.
Between 2019 and 2025, participants completed questionnaires about their exposure to head trauma, auditory dysfunction and mental health symptoms.
Tinnitus is a condition in which people hear ringing without an external source.
Previous research has linked head trauma with tinnitus among military personnel and the general public.
The condition has also been associated with reduced quality of life and symptoms of cognitive impairment, depression and anxiety. Cognitive impairment refers to difficulties with abilities such as memory and thinking.
Around 39 per cent of participants reported experiencing tinnitus.
A history of concussion symptoms was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting the condition.
Among former players with tinnitus, researchers found strong relationships between head injury and depression, anxiety and cognition.
The researchers also identified differences in how the condition was reported.
Black players were 50 per cent less likely to report their symptoms than non-Black participants.
The researchers said this may indicate that Black former players are underdiagnosed or less likely to be seen by healthcare professionals for the condition.
They encouraged former players to request enhanced tinnitus screening, particularly if they have a history of concussion or traumatic brain injury.
Healthcare professionals were also urged to include tinnitus screening and care when assessing football players.
They wrote: “Clinicians should consider tinnitus when evaluating long-term cognitive and mental health outcomes following repeated head injury.”
