Why are my ears ringing?

Symptoms:

You’re middle-aged and are experiencing attacks of ringing, buzzing and whistling in your ears and you feel dizzy. Your hearing is diminished.

You’ve got a sudden attack of dizziness, you’re unsteady and the room spins, plus ringing in your ears. You may also feel nauseous, vomit and have difficulty focusing your eyes. It could be:

disorder of the inner ear which is responsible for hearing and balance. Meniere’s disease usually affects only one ear.

Stop it:

Many people will go into remission within a few years. See your doctor for a hearing test, EEG and balance tests. Medicines for motion sickness can help Meniere’s, as can a diuretic.

The symptoms usually clear up within three weeks. Your doctor can prescribe medication for dizziness and nausea. If vertigo persists, vestibular rehabilitation exercises help.