Tinnitus Nearing Epidemic Status

Every year, millions of ordinary people with diverse lifestyles, develop a ringing in their ears. The condition is called Tinnitus. According to the American Tinnitus Association, as many as 50 million Americans may be suffering with tinnitus.

So many people are afflicted with tinnitus that it is reasonable to assume has become a top priority of the medical community. It may surprise you that the condition is not well understood and is currently not curable. Tinnitus is a non life threatening condition. There is no urgency to cure it. However, anyone who has it, knows it has a profound effect on quality of life.

One of the problems with finding a cure, is that there are many forms and variations of tinnitus. To make matters worse, there are 17 known causes and that list is growing. How can one find a cure when the cause and symptoms can’t even be pinpointed?

The benefit of tinnitus: I may be stretching it a bit, to suggest there is any benefit to having your ears ring. However in one case, it may be. The ringing most often described is a type of high pitch whine. One factor that most sufferers report is stress, and stress has been linked to high blood pressure. Tinnitus volume varies as blood pressure rises and falls. This could be an indication of a deeper problem and a visit a physician is advised. In this case, the ringing served as a warning.

In China, it is commonly believed that milk or dairy products are a common and primary cause of ringing ears.

Recent research as of July 2007 has determined that some people may have their tinnitus agitated by chocolate. This may be the coco or it may be sugar related. The findings are inconclusive at this time.

Treatments: There are many things being tried but at this time, most people end up receiving one of these four treatments..
- If the condition seems severe, the best course of action is to see a doctor. There may be physical damage to the inner ear or ear drum, in which case surgery is most likely necessary.
- If no physical damage is found, the doctor will prescribe various drugs. Unfortunately, drugs thus far have had a low success rate.
- Auditory therapy works in some cases, but can be cost prohibitive..
-Probably the most common approach to treatment, are herbal and supplemental formulas.

The exact number of people who suffer from tinnitus is impossible to determine. Minor cases go unreported. In any estimation it is significant. As the condition becomes more prevalent, more research should develop. Don’t expect a targeted cure anytime soon.