"Gary Coffman" wrote in message
.. .
On 15 Jul 2003 14:07:48 -0700, (Glenn Cramond)
wrote:
The condition is called tinnitus. There is no cure. The good news,
it's preventable!

Well, it isn't always preventable. Exposure to loud noises is thought to
be one way to get it, or at least aggravate it, but there are other
causes.
Severe ear infection as a child is one common cause, as are high blood
pressure, diabetes, etc.

I've suffered with it most of my life. My hearing range still tests very
good, even in the higher registers, but that damn ringing never stops.
I usually mentally tune it out and don't even think about it, but since
starting reading this thread, it has been in the front of my
consciousness,
and annoying as hell.

The most popular belief about tinnitus is that it is due to damaged
auditory nerves. But I recently read a report where researchers placed
a sensitive microphone in the ear canal of a sufferer and actually
recorded the sound. Their theory is that it is a mechanical problem in
the ear which actually generates the noise. If they're right, it may
be possible some day to surgically repair the problem and get rid
of the ringing.

Gary

Too late for me at 60, but that's good news for coming generations. The
cause of my tinnitus would be hard to trace-- high fever as a kid, drill
sergeant in the days when the Army said "ear plugs?", raced cars. The last
time I fired a rifle without ear protection all the sirens of hell let
loose.

Bob