Tinnitus

A ringing, buzzing, whistling, hissing, or other noise heard in the ear or ears in the absence of a noise in the environment. Tinnitus is almost always associated with hearing loss, particularly that due to presbyacusis and exposure to loud noise. It can also occur as a symptom of ear disorders such as labyrinthitis, Ménière’s disease, otitis media, otosclerosis, ototoxicity, and blockage of the ear canal with earwax. It may also be caused by certain drugs, such as aspirin or quinine, or may follow a head injury. Any underlying disorder is treated if possible. Many sufferers make use of a radio, television, cassette player, or headphones to block out the noise in their ears. A tinnitus masker, a hearingaid type device that plays white noise (a random mixture of sounds at a wide range of frequencies), may be effective.