DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Please give us any information you have on tinnitus. My husband has it, and two doctors have stated that nothing can be done for it. Do you know of any group that can help us? – L.Z.

ANSWER: Tinnitus is disrupting, annoying and distracting ear noise. People hear a constant buzzing, ringing, hissing, whistling or roaring sound that often worsens at nighttime in the quiet of the bedroom. It might not be possible to completely eliminate it, but there are things that can make it less intrusive.

The No. 1 cause of tinnitus is hearing loss. Since hearing loss is commonly age-related, tinnitus is often a consequence of aging. The ear generates its own noises. In people with normal hearing, the noises of the outside world dampen ear-spawned noises. Some people who cannot hear outside sound will have a magnification of their own ear-made sounds, and that translates into tinnitus. A hearing aid can dampen the tinnitus noises by amplifying the sounds of the world.

Hearing loss is far from the only cause of tinnitus. Medicines such as aspirin can cause it. High blood pressure, allergies, artery hardening and tumors of the hearing nerve can also provoke tinnitus. Treatment of those conditions, when possible, can often resolve the inner din.

Tinnitus maskers are another solution to the problem. They emit a sound that cancels the tinnitus noise. Some are worn like a hearing aid. Others are tabletop affairs that can be put on a nightstand to drown out sleep-depriving tinnitus.

I can recommend a group to you – the American Tinnitus Association. It stands ready to furnish people with the latest information on this condition. It has also recently launched a program to provide up to $750 dollars each for tinnitus patients with limited resources who would otherwise be unable to obtain medical evaluation and treatment. The association’s number is 1-800-634-8978. Canadians might have to dial 1-503-248-9985. Its Web site is www.ata.org. You’ll find the association an invaluable friend.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Every winter, people are subjected to the flu. I am 65 and have never had a flu shot, but I have not had the flu for a long time. I wash my hands frequently to avoid transmitting the flu virus into my body. When we are in public, we are apt to pick up the virus, and then we touch the steering wheel of the car, doorknobs and other home items and make further transmission possible. How long does this virus last on such objects? – B.O.

ANSWER: Your hygiene program is admirable, and you are protecting yourself from contracting many communicable diseases, but the flu is not one of them.

The flu virus is mostly transmitted in small particles that people spray from their mouths and nose into the air by sneezing, coughing or talking.

The flu virus lives for only a few hours on inanimate objects. Picking up the virus by touching things coated with it rarely, however, leads to a flu infection.

You are lucky you haven’t had the flu for a long time, but I would urge you to rethink your no-flu-vaccine policy.

Believe me, I am not downplaying hand-washing. It’s the best way to stop the spread of many illnesses, the common cold being a prime example.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 31-year-old woman who regrets having menstrual periods. Recently I have had two periods that have lasted more than 20 days. I saw an ER doctor, but he couldn’t tell me what was wrong. What should I do? – T.L.

ANSWER: Normal menstrual periods last only three to seven days. You must see a doctor for a thorough examination. The causes for protracted periods are many and include such things as fibroids, abnormal blood-clotting function, abnormal estrogen production, problems with the thyroid or adrenal glands, problems with the ovaries, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease and tumors of the uterus or ovaries.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.