ABSTRACT
Unless a correctable, structural, or metabolic cause is found, tinnitus is usually not curable. Most patients adjust well to their tinnitus, but some are extremely disturbed by it. An enormous number of medications have been used to treat tinnitus, most without success. Tinnitus maskers (devices similar to hearing aids) are recommended by some physicians, but their value is also limited for the vast majority of tinnitus sufferers. They introduce a noise into the ear that the patient is able to control. Some patients find this helpful, but most do not. External masking with a radio or fan is helpful to many people, especially at night if the tinnitus interferes with their ability to fall asleep. Many patients find tinnitus less disturbing if they wear a hearing aid. Consequently, in a patient with tinnitus and even a mild hearing loss, it may be worthwhile trying amplification sooner than one ordinarily would in a patient not troubled by tinnitus.
