Tinnitus, << tih NY tuhs or TIHN ih tuhs, >> is the sensation of hearing sounds that seem to come from within the head. Most people with tinnitus hear ringing, buzzing, or hissing noises. Others hear sounds like a cricket’s chirping or the ocean’s roar. The noise may be continuous or may come and go. It may be heard in one or both ears. Tinnitus can be extremely distracting. In some cases, the noise sounds loud enough to keep the person awake.
Physicians can trace some cases of tinnitus to a specific cause, such as an ear infection or certain medications. Other causes of tinnitus include blood vessel disorders, head injury, misalignment of the jaw, or a tumor on the auditory nerve, which carries sound impulses from the ear to the brain. Most people who suffer from tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss. Excessive exposure to loud noise can cause noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. In many cases, tinnitus has no obvious cause.
Physicians may treat tinnitus by treating the condition that causes it. In cases with no known cause, certain medicines or therapies, such as biofeedback, may reduce the noise and help the person sleep (see Biofeedback ). Some people with tinnitus use a device similar to a hearing aid to mask the noise. Tinnitus retraining therapy teaches people to reduce their perception of the noise and its impact on their lives. But for most tinnitus sufferers, there is no effective treatment.
