Natural treatments for tinnitus
Tinnitus, commonly described as persistent ringing or other noises in the ears, affects many individuals and can vary in severity from a minor annoyance to a significant challenge. While there are no well-established natural treatments for tinnitus, various approaches are often explored. Proposed natural remedies include acupuncture, biofeedback, Ginkgo biloba, melatonin, and several vitamins and minerals like zinc and vitamin B12. However, clinical evidence supporting these treatments is largely inconclusive, with studies yielding mixed results.
Acupuncture, while popular, has not consistently demonstrated effectiveness in alleviating tinnitus symptoms. Similarly, supplements such as CoQ10 and zinc have shown some potential, but the studies conducted so far have not provided statistically significant backing. Other methods to manage tinnitus focus on sound masking, using devices that emit soothing sounds to help individuals cope with the noise. Preventive measures, such as protecting hearing in loud environments and reducing intake of stimulants like caffeine and alcohol, are highlighted as potentially more effective than attempting to treat the condition after it develops. Ultimately, those seeking relief from tinnitus might find it beneficial to consider these natural treatments, but should do so with an understanding of the limited supporting evidence.
Natural treatments for tinnitus
DEFINITION: Treatment of chronic ringing or other sounds in the ear.
PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: None
OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Acupuncture, biofeedback, coenzyme Q10, Ginkgo biloba, glutamic acid, hypnosis, ipriflavone, massage, melatonin, oxerutins, periwinkle, vitamin A with vitamin E, vitamin B12, zinc
Introduction
Tinnitus aurium is the technical term for ringing in the ear, although the condition may actually involve sounds better described as buzzing, roaring, or hissing. The noise can be intermittent or continuous and can vary in pitch and loudness. Most people have experienced tinnitus occasionally for one minute or two. However, some people have tinnitus continuously, and it can range from a minor annoyance to a serious and nearly intolerable condition.
Exposure to loud noise can lead to tinnitus, as can ear obstructions, ear infections, otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth in the ear), head injuries, or heart and blood vessel disorders. In some cases, treating the underlying disorder will relieve the tinnitus. However, in many cases, the cause can be neither found nor treated.
One approach involves covering up the noise to make it more tolerable. This includes using hearing aids or tinnitus maskers (devices worn in the ear that emit pleasant sounds) or simply playing music to cover the noise. Avoiding loud noises and nicotine, aspirin, caffeine, and alcohol may help because these often aggravate tinnitus. Drugs such as carbamazepine, benzodiazepines, and tricyclic antidepressants may be tried, although none of these have been proven effective for tinnitus.
Proposed Natural Treatments
There are no well-documented natural treatments for tinnitus. Several studies have evaluated Ginkgo biloba extract for treating tinnitus, but the results have been conflicting. While some small studies found benefit, the largest and best-designed of these trials found no benefit. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 1,121 persons with tinnitus were given twelve weeks of treatment with standardized ginkgo at a dose of 50 milligrams (mg) three times daily. The results showed no difference between the treated group and the placebo group.
A separate set of researchers performed an additional study on ginkgo for tinnitus and then also conducted a meta-analysis (a statistically rigorous review) of the published data. Their conclusion: The evidence is strong enough to state that ginkgo does not benefit tinnitus. This finding was reinforced in a meta-analysis of data gathered in the first two decades of the twenty-first century. The best findings in controlled studies generally conclude that it may help some people, though there is no real scientific basis for its use.
One double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that zinc deficiency was common in people with tinnitus. Zinc supplements appeared to help, but the study was too small to provide statistically meaningful results. In contrast, another small, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of people with tinnitus did not discover frequent zinc deficiency and failed to find any benefit from zinc supplements.
Vitamins A and E in combination, vitamin B12, glutamic acid, ipriflavone, oxerutins, and periwinkle have also been suggested for the treatment of tinnitus, but the supporting evidence for their use remains far too weak to rely upon.
Melatonin may improve sleep in people with tinnitus; however, it does not appear to have any effect on the tinnitus itself. Very weak evidence, far too weak to rely upon, hints that the supplement CoQ10 might be useful in some cases of tinnitus. Several studies of acupuncture for tinnitus failed to find benefit. Biofeedback, massage therapy, and hypnosis have also been tried, but the results have been mixed at best.
Acupuncture has been offered as a natural remedy for tinnitus. Researchers, however, have not been able to establish a positive link between the two. The benefits of acupuncture in this regard are more likely to be perceived than actual. In three meta-analyses evaluating research concerning acupuncture's impact on tinnitus, the perception of improvement was common.
Yoga, meditation, and biofeedback have likewise been suggested as providing relief against tinnitus; however, research on these subjects is similarly thin and inconclusive. Other methods involve masking noises generated by tinnitus using sound generators and other audio devices that broadcast sounds, such as relaxing background noise or natural settings. Hearing aids may also augment sounds and make tinnitus less prevalent, but in other patients, hearing aids worsen tinnitus symptoms. Preventative measures are likely to be more effective than treatments. Persons can employ hearing protection in loud environments or listen to music with lower acoustic levels. Researchers have also suggested that reducing alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine is effective in preventing the onset of tinnitus.
Bibliography
Arda, H. N., et al. “The Role of Zinc in the Treatment of Tinnitus.” Otology and Neurotology vol. 24, 2003, 86-89.
Grandmaison, Jace. "Exploring the Role of Homeopathy in Permanently Alleviating Tinnitus." Renewal Wellness Centre, 17 Jan. 2024, renewal.clinic/blog/exploring-the-role-of-homeopathy-in-permanently-alleviating-tinnitus. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Khan, M., et al. “Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of Tinnitus: An Updated Review.” Otolaryngology–Head Neck Surgery vol. 136, 2007, 72-77.
Liu, Dongliang, et al. “Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of Tinnitus: An Updated Review.” Frontiers in Pharmacology, vol. 13, Jan. 2023, doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.1037528.
Morgenstern, C., and E. Biermann. “The Efficacy of Ginkgo Special Extract EGb 761 in Patients with Tinnitus.” International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics vol. 40, 2002, 188-197.
Rosenberg, S. I., et al. “Effect of Melatonin on Tinnitus.” Laryngoscope vol. 108, (998, 305-10.
Sereda, Magdalena, et al. “Ginkgobiloba for Tinnitus.” The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, vol. 11, Nov. 2022, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013514.pub2.
"Tinnitus." Mayo Clinic, 30 Nov. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tinnitus/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350162. Accessed 5 Sept. 2023.
"Tinnitus: Causes, Cures, Treatment, and Definition.” Cleveland Clinic, 2023, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14164-tinnitus. Accessed 5 Sept. 2023.
Wong, Cathy. “Natural Remedies for Tinnitus.” Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2023, www.verywellhealth.com/natural-remedies-for-tinnitus-89317. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.