Tinnitus is one of the most common ear complaints. At some point, we’ve probably all experienced tinnitus, even if you didn’t know what it was.

Tinnitus is a crackling, ringing, or whooshing sound that you hear inside your head – even when everything else is quiet.

In fact, you’ll notice it more when things are quiet…

It’s caused by the messages between the inner ear and the brain. One possible cause is – loud music!

Loud music can cause damage to the ears and cause tinnitus. It might go away or it might last forever – so turn down your music!

If it carries on for longer than a few days, you should visit the doctor because it could mean there’s damage to your inner ear.

Throughout history people have tried to fix tinnitus in all sorts of funny ways. The Egyptians believed that a ringing ear was “bewitched” and would pour a mixture of oil, frankincense, tree sap, herbs and soil into the ear with a reed to help fix the problem.

It’s unlikely that this fixed any problems – certainly the soil wouldn’t have helped!

Instead, it’s best to take care of your ears by listening at a safe volume. You’ll be enjoying your favourite music without the whoosh for longer!

Hallux’s Hearing Helpdesk is now open and is answering all of your hearing questions!