What causes tinnitus - and what can I do if I have it? 

Geraldine Walsh explores how those suffering from tinnitus can manage their symptoms and stress in different ways

Pic: iStock

Hearing noises, such as ringing in the ears, despite there being no outside sounds, is commonly known as tinnitus.

The aggravating buzzing, humming, and grinding sounds in one or both ears can be challenging to cope with, but finding relief and living a normal life with tinnitus is possible. “Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound without any external source, often described as a ringing, buzzing, or whistling in the ear,” says Clodagh Kelly, audiologist with Blackberry Hearing.