I recently sat surrounded by several hundred others in London's Gatwick Airport departure lounge, straining to hear announcements about my delayed flight. Alas, the loudspeaker sound was too distant and foggy for my hard-of-hearing ears.

Dear Dr. SerVaas: I am wondering if anybody among your readers can give me the address of a hearing helper called "The Wizard."

Dear Dr. SerVaas: In the Sept./Oct. 2003 issue of the Post, a lady wrote about the tingling in her ears. I also have the problem, and my doctor suggested I may be allergic to caffeine. I have very little problem if I do not drink coffee, tea, or eat chocolate. Salt is another problem that causes ringing in my ears.

Dear Dr. SerVaas: The very first thing I turn to when I receive my Post is "Medical Mailbox." I find all the questions and comments so interesting, especially when readers send in their own private remedies for medical problems. I never thought I would be writing you personally, but I have a problem.

Dear Dr. SerVaas: About a month ago, I came down with an affliction that other people think is funny, even hilarious. I don't. If these same people had to put up with it, they wouldn't think it was funny, either.

Dear Dr. SerVaas: I read three different articles about people getting relief for tinnitus after taking ginkgo biloba extract. I tried it and after two weeks, the "ticking" noise was gone. I am a skeptic, so I didn't buy another bottle of tablets until the "ticking" came back.

Dear Dr. SerVaas: My problem is vertigo, and I am wondering if there is any cure. I've undergone many ear operations, and up to now I've had no history of vertigo. I am 85 and generally in good health. I wear hearing aids in both ears and take Valium to try to correct the imbalance.