There are basically three core causes of tinnitus.  They are:

- Hearing loss – Doctors and scientists have uncovered that people with various kinds of hearing loss also have symptoms of tinnitus.

- Loud noise -  Exposure to loud noise can cause noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.

- Medicine – More than 200 medicines can cause tinnitus.  If you ears are ringing and you take any medicine, please ask your doctor or pharmacist if  your medicine could be the cause for your tinnitus.

-  Other health problems like, allergies, tumors, and problems related to the heart and blood vessels,  jaws, and neck may cause tinnitus.

It’s best to always consult with your doctor or a specialist who is knowledgeable and trained about treating tinnitus to determine what’s responsible for your tinnitus.

You can read more about causes of Tinnitus here.

They have many valuable resources there including comprehensive articles about Tinnitus, facts and important news about tinnitus and even support groups for tinnitus. You’ll also find plenty of  tinnitus related videos and even a comprehensive list of FAQ’s about Tinnitus.

Don’t forget to check out the “20 Tips to Help You Mange Your Tinnitus”.

This list includes…:

1. REVIEW your current medications (prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins and other supplements) with your medical professional to find possible causes of your tinnitus.
2. BE WARY of a hopeless diagnosis or physician advice like, “There’s nothing you can do about your tinnitus. Go home and live with it.”
3. BE a detective. Keep track of what triggers your tinnitus.

Yet another very cool feature about the American Tinnitus Association’s website is that they offer free tinnitus sounds to download.

Since the type of ringing varies in each tinnitus sufferer, these free tinnitus sound downloads offers you a reference point to help explain the sound that you might hear if you suffer from tinnitus.

There are many more cool things on this site and I am certain you will find the information about tinnitus timely and reliable. So go check it out!

I only wish we had such a practical common-sense holistic physician here in our local community.  Maybe you are lucky enough to have one like him in yours.

In his article entitled:

“Tinnitus (Ear Ringing) Relief With Local Anesthetic”

Dr Mercola explains more about this particular type of treatment and relief for tinnitus.

He even goes so far as to warn you about certain issues to regarding this tinnitus treatment.

It’s very valuable information about tinnitus from a dependable and reliable source.

You can read the full article here at mercola.com.

If you have Tinnitus or ringing in your ears the best thing you can do for yourself is to try to think about things that will help you to cope with the condition.

Many people find that listening to music is very helpful.  Focusing on the music helps you forget about the ringing in your ears at least for a while.

Other try to mask the sound. by listening to recorded Sounds of Nature, like dolphins, ocean waves, the wind, or even crickets.

It’s best of course to avoid anything that can make your tinnitus worse.  This might include smoking, alcohol, and loud noise. Its especially important if you are regularly exposed to loud noise, like a construction or factory worker, an airport worker, or a hunter, that  you wear ear plugs or special earmuffs to protect your hearing and keep your tinnitus from getting worse.

If it is hard to hear over your tinnitus, and it affects your communication with friends and family, ask them to face you when they talk so that you can see their faces.  Seeing their expressions helps you to better understand them.  Also be sure to openly ask people to speak louder and enunciate, so that you may understand them.

These are a few “minor” things that can help you cope better with your tinnitus.

Even though tinnitus has no cure procedure there are several methods of treating tinnitus that scientists and doctors have discovered that could offer some relief.  Not every tinnitus treatment works for everyone. You might want to try several in order to uncover the ones that work for you and as always work with your doctor or physician before you try any of these treatments.

Here are a few of the Tinnitus Treatments that are available:

* Hearing aids – Generally this treatment is related to a hearing loss. And many people who suffer from tinnitus also experience a loss of hearing.  Using a hearing aid makes it easier for people to hear sounds by amplifying the sound and making it louder.   The treatment is based on the theory that the better you hear other people talking or the music you like, the less likely it is that you will notice your own tinnitus.

* Tinnitus Maskers -  These are usually small electronic devices that emit a steady, relatively unobtrusive, sound that helps to make your tinnitus appear less noticeable.  Maskers do not cure tinnitus or make it disappear.  Instead they can make the ringing or roaring sounds seem softer and less noticeable.   Technically speaking,  maskers change the waveform and frequency of the sound wave to partially hide the annoying buzzing or ringing sound.  For some people,  tinnitus maskers hide the ringing noise so well that they can barely hear it.

Tinnitus maskers help some people sleep better by listening to static at a low volume on the radio or using a bedside maskers. You can put these devices by your bed instead of behind your ear.  They help you to ignore or to mask the ringing noises produced by your tinnitus and to more readily fall asleep and benefit from a good nights rest.

* Tinnitus Medicines or drug therapies – Some medicines or therapies may ease your tinnitus.  If your doctor prescribes medicine to treat tinnitus,  he or  she should tell you if the medicine has any side effects.

* Tinnitus retraining therapy -  This tinnitus treatment uses a combination of counseling and tinnitus maskers.  Otolaryngologists and audiologists offer suggestions and offer help on how to deal with your tinnitus better.  You may also use maskers to make your tinnitus less noticeable.  With some counseling and a little time, people may learn how to avoid thinking about their tinnitus.  This treatment takes some time to work, but it can also be very helpful.

* Tinnitus Counseling - People with tinnitus often times become depressed and discouraged by their symptoms.  Talking with counselors or other people in tinnitus forums and support groups can be helpful.

* Relaxing – Believe it or not learning how to eliminate stress and relaxing is very helpful if the noise in your ears frustrates you. Stress makes tinnitus seem worse.  By relaxing, you have a chance to rest and better deal with the sound.

* Natural Tinnitus Treatments – along with relaxing there are many other “natural” tinnitus treatments that you could try to help effectively treat your tinnitus.  These natural treatments range from acupuncture to homeopathic medicine and herbs to simple vitamins.

The bottom line is even though there may not be a known cure for Tinnitus there are several scientifically effective treatments that you can try that might help you.

The most important thing to do is just common sense.  Go see a  doctor.

Your doctor will first try to determine what is causing your tinnitus.  They will most likely check to see if it is related to blood pressure, kidney function, diet, or allergies. Your doctor will also pinpoint whether your tinnitus may be related to any medication you are taking.

After this initial visit, and to help you learn more about what might be causing your tinnitus, your physican might refer you to an otolaryngologist (oh-toe-lair-in-GAH-luh-jist).   Big word, I know but an otolaryngologist is simply a physician specializing in the ear, nose, and throat.   They will examine your ears and test your hearing to try to find out again why you have tinnitus.  Another hearing professional, who might be involved is an audiologist (aw-dee-AH-luh-jist).  Audiologists can measure your hearing so that if you need a hearing aid,  an audiologist can fit you with one that suits your needs.

So these are the general steps that you are most likely to follow if you’ think that you have Tinnitus or Ringing Ears!

You can try more natural ways to treat your tinnitus too.  And since we have access to the information superhighway, right at our fingertips, the best way to search online for natural treatments for tinnitus is to do a search.  One of my favorite sites for natural treatments is Dr Jonathan V Wright’s Nutritional and Healing website.

Go there and search in Dr Wrights Health E-tips for “Tinnitus” and you will discover his advice for possibly relieving Tinnitus naturally.

Keep looking and never give up hope!

Here are three simple questions to help determine if you do?

1. Do you hear a ringing, roaring, clicking, or hissing sound in your ears?

2. Do you hear ringing, roaring, clicking, or hissing sounds often or all the time?

3. Does the ringing, roaring, clicking, or hissing sound annoy or bother you so much that it affects your sleep and daily living habits?

If you answered yes to any one or all of these questions, you might have tinnitus (tin-NY-tus).

Is there a cure ?

The American Tinnitus Association’s “Walk For A Cure” is raising money for researchers all over the US who hope to someday discover a cure for Tinnitus.

Even though the walk is over for this year, it’s never too late to make a donation or join in for next year’s walk.