/?020710" What Is This Buzzing In My Ear

I've heard many people claim that the noises many of us hear are a creation of our technological advancement. It's the price we pay, so to speak, for progress. They claim our ancestors didn't experience this problem.What Is This Buzzing In My Ear

Ah! But they're so wrong. Tinnitus is actually a very old -- even ancient -- problem. The name itself derives from a Latin word: tinnire, meaning a ringing or a tinkling sound.

And the truth of the matter is that students of ancient history have found evidence of this malady in the medical writings of the Mesopotamia and Egyptian civilizations. From what is recorded, it appears that ringing in the ears was every bit as common then as it is now.

Some people argue that its prevalence today is on the increase. That's a tough call. You really can't say that with certainty. What you can say, though, is that more recorded cases of it exist than ever before. This, then, begs the question: How many individuals suffered previously without seeking medical attention?

Some experts still say, though, more of us than ever before are at least at risk of developing it than ever before. Why is that? /?020710" What Is This Buzzing In My Ear

And, yes, this is in part thanks to the progress of technology. Home entertainment options from television to music to videos... you name it we can listen to it -- and we can crank that volume up all the way if we please. And that's not even taking into account the venerable rock concert.

But wait, I'm not done yet! We haven't even talked about those who've spent 15... 20... or more years working in noisy factories. No doubt "noise pollution" is an inevitable part of our environment. /?020710" What Is This Buzzing In My Ear