There was a buzz about his band – but it was coming from his own ear

LAST week I had a chap in the surgery telling me about his rock group.

Perhaps he and his middle-aged friends won’t be troubling the main stage at Glastonbury any time soon, but he seemed to be enjoying it.

Well, apart from the troublesome ringing noise in his ears. From his description he had tinnitus – a buzzing or ringing noise, which comes from inside the body, not an outside source.

Funnily enough, all the other members of the group experienced the same thing.

That’s because one of the causes of tinnitus is exposure to loud noise over a period of time.

It used to be this was a common complaint in people working in loud environments.

Thankfully, health and safety laws mean employees are entitled to ear protection – and fewer people are developing it at their workplace.

Still, some are affected via leisure activities, like shooting or being in a band.

Although bothersome, tinnitus usually isn’t a sign of something serious.

It can be caused by an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder. Aspirin or quinine can occasionally cause it.

I may refer patients to our local hospital’s ENT (Ear, nose and throat) department for hearing tests, particularly if it starts just in one ear for no obvious reason.

There is no easy cure for tinnitus, but there are options. Sometimes understanding the problem helps reassure patients that they don’t have anything more serious wrong with them.

Avoiding total silence is a good idea, as tinnitus is often more obvious in a quiet place.

Alternative sounds which mask the buzzing or ringing can be a welcome relief, such as a pillow radio when trying to get to sleep.