I have had tinnitus for as long as I can remember, for over 30 years. I didn'y know I had the condition until my 20's. I thought ringing in the ears is normal.

I also have had clogged simuses (minor mostly, except when ill with cold or flu), hearing loss in middle frequencies (both ears), and diminished sense of smell. I have had all of thse conditions for as long as my memory serves.

Recently, I have felt more prssure in my ears, and increased volume with the ringing. Sometimes it feels like my ear cannal feels a little extra pressure.

None ofg this is ever painful, or too much of a nusiumce (except at night recently when I am trying to fall asleep). Any ideas what I might have, and what I might do to get rid of it?

You should go to an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor to see if they can run tests for Miniere's Disease. It is not really a disease but a condition that affects the inner ear.

There have been new treatments developed to help people with Miniere's.

You really should have this checked out as some tinnitus can be caused by inner ear tumors. But, for the most part, if is just an increase of fluid on the inner ear. It can also cause balance problems.

I have had tinnitus and Miniere's for over 20 years and, while it is irritating, it is not painful or life threatening. It's time to go to the doctor.

Make an appointment and see a doctor.

There is NO quick fix for your problem. Your tinnitus is caused by nerve damage to the ear, and this is not reversable. The reason your ears feel plugged is due to increased damage. Avoid loud noises at all costs, wear ear protection while mowing the lawn, snowblowing, using power tools. Avoid listening to loud music or loud movie theaters. The reason for this is that loud noises will further damage you ears to possibly to the point that you need a hearing aid to understand speech. It recently was found that taking folic acid will reduce the low end frequency hearing loss that involves understanding of speech. This is very important and if you do not believe me, go ask an audiologist they will tell you the identical story.