Tinnitus

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is when you hear noises that are not actually there like ringing, buzzing, roaring, hissing, and chirping to name a few. In some cases its happens off and on but in most cases its constant. Sometimes the sounds can be heard in one ear or both. Tinnitus can interfere with being able to hear the actual sounds around you and can also disturb sleep. Tinnitus is more common in the elderly but can happen at any age. Tinnitus can also lead to problems with concentration and depression. The most common cause of tinnitus is damage to the nerves in the inner ear. This can come excessive noise such as loud music or loud tools. Other causes of tinnitus include wax in the ear, otosclerosis, Meniere's syndrome and anemia. You can also have temporary tinnitus from the common cold. In most cases of tinnitus there is no cure so treatment is geared toward coping with it in daily life. Fast Facts:

Not a disease
Associated with hearing loss
Can be a symptom of other health problems
Estimated 12 million Americans have tinnitus
Severe cases make work, sleep and hearing difficult
Can be caused by certain medications
Can also be caused by tumors, allergies, heart and blood vessel problems
Important to see your doctor to determine exact cause
Sometimes listening to music helps mask the sound
Hearing aids can help
Can be worsened by stress

Disclaimer: The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you have Tinnitus, please consult your doctor.

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Health | Diseases | Aging

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Also try: Hearing Loss

The Mahalo Top 7

MayoClinic.com: Tinnitus
MedlinePlus: Tinnitus
Wikipedia: Tinnitus
MedicineNet.com: Tinnitus
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Facts About Tinnitus
eMedicine: Inner Ear, Tinnitus
YouTube Video: TINNITUS- Can you hear that? (Time: 1:12)

Tinnitus News

Google News: Tinnitus Search
Science Daily: Tinnitus News
The New York Times: New Therapies Fight Phantom Noises of Tinnitus (April 1, 2008)
- “We’ve discovered that tinnitus is not so much ringing in the ears as ringing in the brain,” said Thomas J. Brozoski, a tinnitus researcher at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield.
Science Daily: Combined TMS Shows Potential In Tinnitus Treatment (September 30, 2007)
eLCOSH: Hearing Loss Expected by Carpenters, But Study Finds Workers Fear Tinnitus.. (April 5, 2001)

Tinnitus Facts

Food and Drug Administration: When Bells Are Ringing (But There Aren't Any Bells)
NHS Direct: Tinnitus
UCSF Medical Center: Tinnitus
American Tinnitus Association: About Tinnitus
Merck Manuals: Tinnitus
eMedicineHealth: Tinnitus

Tinnitus Causes, Symptoms and Complications

HealthLink: Causes of Tinnitus Hard to Identify
MayoClinic.com: Tinnitus Signs and symptoms
eMedicineHealth: Tinnitus Causes
MedicineNet.com: What causes tinnitus?
NHS Direct: Tinnitus Symptoms

Tinnitus Treatment Options

NHS Direct: Tinnitus Treatment
MayoClinic.com: Tinnitus Treatment
MedicineNet.com: What is the treatment of tinnitus?
eMedicineHealth: Tinnitus Medical Treatment

Tinnitus Holistic and Alternative Treatment

MotherNature.com: Tinnitus | Silencing the Ring
Alive: Tinnitus
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Ginkgo

Tinnitus Prevention

eMedicineHealth: Tinnitus Prevention
MedicineNet.com: Can tinnitus be prevented?
WebMD: Tinnitus Prevention

Tinnitus Scientific and Medical Journal Articles

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Search: Tinnitus
PubMed Central Search: Tinnitus
PLoS Medicine: Brain Activity and Tinnitus (June 28, 2005)

Tinnitus Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Tinnitus Clinical Trials
CenterWatch: Tinnitus Clinical Trials

Tinnitus Support Groups

American Tinnitus Association: Action Alliance
Daily Strength: Tinnitus Support Group
MDJunction.com: Tinnitus Online Support Group

Tinnitus Discussion and Blogs

MedHelp: Tinnitus Posts
Ministry of Sounds: Ministry of Sound Talks Tinnitus (February 29, 2008)
Stuff-Em-Up the hill backwards: Taming Tinnitus (February 28, 2008)

Related Pages on Mahalo

Hearing Loss | Deafness | Otolaryngology