Tinnitus has more than one possible cause. For example, more than 200 medications are known to have tinnitus as a side effect. Exposure to bomb blasts is another cause, making tinnitus one of the most common service-related disabilities among combat veterans.

Audiologists have been at a loss to explain why some people cannot decipher speech in noisy situations -- until, possibly, now. A new breakthrough study calls this "hidden hearing loss."

Constant noise in the head – such as ringing in the ears – rarely indicates a serious health problem, but it sure can be annoying. Here’s how to minimize it.