In some cases, a special audiologic device, which is worn like a hearing aid, may be prescribed. These devices, called masking agents, emit continuous, low-level white noises that suppress the tinnitus sounds. In some cases, a hearing aid may be recommended to help to suppress or diminish the sounds associated with tinnitus. A combination device (masker plus hearing aid) may also be used. Masking devices provide immediate relief by reducing or completely drowning out the tinnitus sound. However, when the masking device is removed, the tinnitus sound remains.
According to the American Tinnitus Association, this complex audiological and neurological condition is experienced by nearly 50 million Americans. (2) Older adults, men, people who smoke or use drugs, and those with a history of ear infections or cardiovascular disease have the highest risk for developing tinnitus. Most experts believe that it’s not a disorder itself, but rather one symptom of another underlying disorder that affects auditory sensations and nerves near the ears. However, there are tinnitus treatment options out there to treat those symptoms.
If your tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying medical condition, the first step is to treat that condition. But if the tinnitus remains after treatment, or if it results from exposure to loud noise, health professionals recommend various non-medical options that may help reduce or mask the unwanted noise (See Masking Devices below). Sometimes, tinnitus goes away spontaneously, without any intervention at all. It should be understood, however, that not all tinnitus can be eliminated or reduced, no matter the cause.
Tinnitus is not a disease but a symptom that can result from a number of underlying causes.[2] One of the most common causes is noise-induced hearing loss.[2] Other causes include ear infections, disease of the heart or blood vessels, Ménière's disease, brain tumors, emotional stress, exposure to certain medications, a previous head injury, and earwax.[2][4] It is more common in those with depression.[3]
What does he mean by “ends up in the brain”? Essentially, something that causes even temporary hearing damage — such as exposure to very loud noise or a blow to the head — can change activity patterns in the brain in ways that cause the ringing. Even though some damage or problem in the ear triggered tinnitus to begin with, you continue to hear the sound you do because of a signal from the brain.

Luckily, many can live with their tinnitus as it may only occur occasionally and/or is relatively quiet, but for some the tinnitus is so bothersome, severe and intense that it negatively influences their daily life to a very large extend. For those people, it is very natural to look for a cure that can make the tinnitus go away - or at least reduce it.
Try meditation and relaxation techniques. Stress can aggravate tinnitus, so take deep breaths and relax if you start to feel anxious, worried, or overwhelmed. Count to 4 as you breathe in slowly, hold your breath for a 4 count, then count to 4 as you slowly exhale. Continue to control your breathing for 1 to 2 minutes, or until you feel at ease.[10]

Most people who seek medical help for tinnitus experience it as subjective, constant sound like constant ringing in the ears or a buzzing sound in the ear, and most have some degree of hearing loss. Things that cause hearing loss (and tinnitus) include loud noise, medications that damage the nerves in the ear (ototoxic drugs), impacted earwax, middle ear problems (such as infections and vascular tumors), and aging. Tinnitus can also be a symptom of Meniere's disease, a disorder of the balance mechanism in the inner ear.
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A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear hair cell damage. Tiny, delicate hairs in your inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This triggers cells to release an electrical signal through a nerve from your ear (auditory nerve) to your brain. Your brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken, they can "leak" random electrical impulses to your brain, causing tinnitus.
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