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Diseases & Conditions
Lowering the volume of tinnitus
- By Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
Ringing or humming in your ears? Sound therapy may help.
That recurring sound only you can hear? It’s not all in your head. Well, not exactly. You may be one of the estimated 15% of Americans who suffer from tinnitus, a mysterious condition that causes a sound in the head with no external source.
For many, it’s a high-pitched ringing, while for others, it sounds like whistling, whooshing, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming, roaring, or even shrieking. The sound may affect one ear or both, and could feel like it comes from inside the head or from a distance. It may be constant or intermittent, steady or pulsating.
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About the Author

Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
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