Red flags The following findings are of particular concern: Bruit, particularly over the ear or skull Accompanying neurologic symptoms or signs (other than hearing loss) Unilateral tinnitus Interpretation of findings In some cases, tinnitus may indicate retrocochlear pathology, such as an vestibular schwannoma (benign but invasive tumor originating from the vestibular portion of the 8th cranial nerve in the internal auditory canal).