Dear Dr. Roach: What exactly is tinnitus? What causes it? Is there a cure? Is there a treatment? What should be avoided to improve this condition? — M.F.
Answer: Tinnitus is simply the sensation of sound in or near the head when there is no external source of noise. It is usually described as a ringing or buzzing sound, and may be in one or both ears. It is extremely common (50 million people in the U.S.), and almost always goes along with hearing loss. Beyond that, the cause is not known.
Unfortunately, for most people, there is no cure for tinnitus. The goal of therapy is to lessen symptoms and to treat any associated conditions, especially anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance, all of which are common in people with severe tinnitus. I recommend the American Tinnitus Association for more advice at www.ata.org.
