FWIW, William Shatner has suffered terribly from tinnitus. He's now a spokesman for the American Tinnitus Association. The ATA's website is
here. Shatner's PSA for the ATA is available
here.
My tinnitus started after a bad ear infection that caused some hearing loss in my right ear. Fortunately, the tinnitus is intermittent (so far). My right ear will go deaf and the ringing will start. After a few moments--just long enough to think the ringing is here to stay--things return to 'normal.'
On the upside, I have ingrained into my memory the experience of a ENT specialist uncapping a tube of artificial earwax, squeezing a generous amount onto his latex covered finger and then slathering that goop into my ear.
