Doctors always prefer an esoteric word to describe a simple condition. So they call ringing in the ears tinnitus.

Tinnitus is very common, with about 38 million sufferers in the United States. There are many different things that cause a ringing in the ears. Some of these are extremely common and most are not very serious, while other causes can be very dangerous. Causes include: are-related hearing loss (presbycusis), trauma, medications (aspirin, antibiotics), changes in ear bones, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, head and neck tumors IMJ, Meniere’s disease, ear infection, thyroid disease, increased blood flow, and wax buildup.

Most commonly, tinnitus develops when there is some damage to the hearing apparatus, or the hair cells inside the ears. These are tiny little protrusions that cover the cochlea inside the inner ear. When noises are perceived, these tiny hair cells send electrical signals to the brain that are turned into sound. Some experts think that tinnitus may originate in the brain rather than in the ear.

Famous tinnitus sufferers:

• Beethoven
• Michelangelo
• Charles Darwin
• William shatner