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 it 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 . One common factor that most sufferers report is stress , which is often linked to high blood pressure . Volume varies as blood pressure rises and falls . Tinnitus in this case , could serve as a warning of a more serious problem .
Treatments The four most common treatments are the following :
** 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 may be 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 . ** Herbal and supplemental formulas are the easiest form of treatment .
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