This Week in the HSI Forum If that ringing you hear isn't an alarm clock in the next room, then you may have tinnitus - a condition characterized by a ringing or humming in the ears. In an HSI Forum thread titled "Hearing Disorders," a member named Larry - who is looking for tinnitus relief - asks: "What works as treatment for nerve loss in the cochlea, tinnitus, etc.? (I have heard that aerobic exercises sharpen some folks hearing if done daily whereby one builds up a sweat for 30 minutes or more.)" Gradual nerve loss in the part of the inner ear called the cochlea is one of the most typical causes of tinnitus. But can a good workout relieve it? Unfortunately, no one offers an answer to that question, and I don't have one either. But several members have other suggestions. Such as Hoggman who says that his extreme case of tinnitus was helped enormously by the combination of a low-carbohydrate diet, along with supplements of CoQ10. Further along in the thread, Larry posted this additional comment and question: "I have read recently that having an allergy to dairy products may cause hearing impairments. Has anyone been fortunate to simply eliminate dairy products from their diet and notice an improvement in their hearing?" No one steps up with information about dairy products, but Hoggman acknowledges the possibility that his strict diet may have cut out a food that he was allergic to. Another tinnitus treatment is suggested by Phil who tells about a friend who had a different type of hearing problem (caused by childhood infection) that was reversed using drops of MSM, an organic sulfur supplement that is said to reduce inflammation and promote the general health of cells. So is there anyone out there who can fill in the missing blanks for Larry about the effects of exercise and dairy intake on tinnitus? If so, please drop by the "Hearing Disorders" thread and share your information. Other topics that currently have threads on the HSI Forum include: "Vitamin C" - which starts off with a comment about vitamin C, then quickly turns into a detailed discussion about sources of many different vitamins and other nutrients. "Complex Carbs - What are they?" provides a straightforward explanation of the important difference between simple and complex carbohydrates. "Probiotics vs. Enzymes and Digestion" will be of interest to anyone who read the e-Alert "To The Waffle House" this past Wednesday, 6/18/03 (see below), and would like to find out more about probiotic supplements. To explore these and many other health issues, log on to our web site at www.hsibaltimore.com and join in with the discussions.