I live with a constant high-pitched sound in one ear, so I know how desperate people with a similar problem are to learn how to stop ringing in the ears.

And while a ringing or whining sound is the most common symptom, some people hear loud pops or - like me - both a high sound and a low rumble like car engine. The name for this troubling condition is tinnitus.

First the good news: It's not life-threatening. The bad news is that it can make daily life really miserable and can cause insomnia, fatigue and depression.

Finding a way to stop ear ringing is often a long and frustrating journey of trial and error through many different treatments. However, if you persevere you can find a way to manage tinnitus - even if you don't achieve a complete cure.

The most common cause of tinnitus is damage to the inner ear caused by exposure to loud noise, Many musicians, particularly those in rock music, have it. But it can also affect classical musicians, too. Young people who listen to music at high volume on their headsets or in cars are also at risk are of developing tinnitus.

If you work close to noisy machinery or are regularly exposed to a noisy environment like a high traffic street or an airport you could also damage your hearing. Once damaged, your inner ear sends phantom signals to the brain that the individual "hears" - even though there's no actual sound.

The first step if you are hearing strange sounds is to see your doctor to get the diagnosis of tinnitus confirmed. A rare minority of ear noise conditions are symptoms of a serious problem like a bulge in an artery in the neck, or a heart irregularity that does produce sounds a physician can hear with a stethoscope.

Your doctor will also be able to confirm if you have Meniere's disease, a form of tinnitus believed to be caused by an inner ear fluid disorder. This is what I have and it's confined to my right ear. Again, Meniere's isn't life-threatening, but it is a bit more serious since since it affects balance. A tell-tale symptom is dizziness and vertigo.

Though I was prescribed pills to take during an attack to ease the vertigo and feeling of nausea, I try to cope without drugs because they make me drowsy. Stress seems to worsen all types of tinnitus and I have found that if I sit quietly or lie down for while the symptoms usually pass off.

However, I sometimes get a migraine during severe episodes and find I need to rest for longer or take a day off work.

Based on my own experience, I recommend the following if you are experiencing tinnitus:

1. Get the diagnosis confirmed by a physician or ear specialist.

2. Make sure you get plenty of regular sleep - insomnia and fatigue seem to promote tinnitus.

3. Manage stress. Don't take on too much at work or home because stress seems to make tinnitus worse.

4. Eat a balanced diet and note what you ate or drank prior to a severe episode of tinnitus. Alcohol and caffeine are triggers for some people

5. Avoid loud noise whenever possible and invest in a pair of ear plugs.

Tinnitus is more likely to occur as people age, but sufferers can still function by researching the many ways there are to stop ringing in the ears.