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.

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. Just don't expect a targeted cure anytime soon.