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A ringing or hissing sound in the ear may be a sign of tinnitus.

That hissing sound could be tinnitus

Q. I'm hard of hearing and have a steady noise in my ears, a "sh-sh-sh" that sounds as if it's coming from a tunnel. I used to have it occasionally, but now it is a steady noise. Any suggestions?

A. It's very likely that you have tinnitus; about 90 per cent of people with hearing loss do. Although in Latin the word "tinnitus" means "ringing," it also can sound like hissing, buzzing, chirping, roaring or rushing (that sh-sh sound). You may have had tinnitus for a long time before you noticed it; hearing loss may have just revealed it because you were no longer picking up the sounds in your environment that masked it.

Why did you get it in the first place? One theory is that exposure to loud noise (explosions, jack hammers, Black Sabbath cranked to the max on your iPod) damages tiny, delicate hairs that move in response to sound.

There aren't any cures for tinnitus, but there are many effective treatments. You should see an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose and throat doctor), who will rule out other possible causes and may recommend hearing aids.

Read more advice from the YouDocs tomorrow in Living.