Tinnitus - That Ringing in Your Ears Tinnitus (pronounced TIN-
it-us or tin-NIGHT-us) is one of the most common but
misunderstood conditions. It is estimated that 50 million people
in the U.S. suffer some degree of it. Tinnitus, or "head noise,"
is characterized by a ringing, hissing, buzzing or roaring sound
that seems to come from inside the ears. Tinnitus is not a
disease, but a symptom that can be triggered by a variety of
conditions or medications. Some degree of head noise is normal
in all of us, and for most people, it goes away by itself and is
not discernible at a conscious level. However, the frequency and
intensity of tinnitus experienced by some people is great enough
to be an annoyance or a major disruption to normal activities.
Why Tinnitus Happens The underlying causes for tinnitus are as
varied as people's individual experience of it. While
researchers do not yet know all the specific mechanisms that
trigger or worsen tinnitus, they have found that its onset can
be associated with a wide array