Dear Dr. Roach: I'm an 83-year-old man in good health who exercises regularly. I came down with a common cold and was prescribed a five-day course of prednisone (50 mg). I've taken two so far. I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember, but at around 3 a.m. this morning, I had the loudest tinnitus by far that I've ever had. It has quieted down some.

My cold symptoms have diminished considerably. I've stopped taking the prednisone. Is there a connection between the two?

— S.B.

Dear S.B.: I was unable to find an association between corticosteroids like prednisone and the worsening of tinnitus (a sound you can hear that nobody else can, often a ringing or buzzing sound). The most likely cause of tinnitus in an 83-year-old is hearing loss, which might be due to loud noise exposure or

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