Hearing loss causes distress to many people. In fact, over one third of the adult population has suffered from this problem at some time or another in their lifetime. So, what is it, and do we have to put up with it? 
Tinnitus is the medical name given to this condition which, of itself, is not a disease. While it is not necessarily related to a loss of hearing, ringing ears causes most people to make the first port of call for advice to be with their audiologist who will establish the degree of tinnitus being experienced. It is possible, for example, that it is only in one ear and not in both, or that it is louder in one ear than in the other.
Many people will complain that the condition is only annoying at night, but there is a good chance that in fact the only reason it is more annoying at night is that there is less distraction then than during the day with the other noises around the home and in the workplace providing a masking effect to the tinnitus which generally is quite constant in chronic sufferers.
Often we regard tinnitus as simply a ringing in the ears. However, the range of sounds which people relate and which are all termed as tinnitus include the common chronic ringing as well as a hissing or roaring sound, sometimes a pulsing or shooshing noise, and as often a chirping, whistling or clicking sound in either one or both ears. Although the ringing ears causes are unknown, they have been related to hearing loss and often the use of hearing aids will reduce the tinnitus.
However, as commonly, the symptom is related to something quite different, for example, migraine headaches, head injuries, exposure to loud noise, or being in a stressful situation. While these may be easily recognised as causes, it may simply be a case of too much coffee or too much wax in the ears. This is why tinnitus should not be regarded as a disease of itself, but rather a symption of some other condition. At worst, it may indicate a certain type of tumour is present and the advice must always be, therefore, to make your first step a consultation with your physician.
While hearing aids may alleviate the symptoms if hearing loss is present, there are also masking devices which are worn similar to hearing aids which do not stop the tinnitus (or ringing) per se but, as the name suggests, simply mask it such that it is no longer the nuisance that it is without the device.
Althoughs ringing ears cause distress to many people, it is of itself not a life-threatening condition, though those who suffer from it will agree that a method to stop it would be gratefully received! One recent innovation is a natural technique which has been developed by a former sufferer of tinnitus who has himself been researching and experimenting for some fourteen years prior to offering his technique to the public. Thomas Coleman is a nutrition specialist and also a health consultant and medical researcher and author. His method has been called by some a ‘tinnitus miracle‘.
