Tinnitus Treatment

Mask the noise. Some people with tinnitus can mask the ringing. To determine if masking can help you, try this simple faucet test. Go to the kitchen sink and turn the water on full force. If the sound of that running water makes it impossible or very difficult for you to hear your tinnitus, then wearable tinnitus maskers will probably work for you, Dr. Vernon says. 

You could purchase these maskers from some audiologists. Or you could simply create your own low-tech masker by tuning your radio to FM static (it’s important to use FM since it’s smoother than AM static). You can get a broad-band background noise that can distract you from your tinnitus. 

Let the band play on. Keep soft, gentle music playing. Classical music is a good bet, doctors say. Although it seldom masks the tinnitus, it can be soothing. 

Listen to the sounds of nature. You may not be able to have a waterfall, an ocean wave, or a rain shower in your living room, but you can buy tapes of these natural noises. Play these noises softly to help cover up the tinnitus. They are unlikely to distract you from your daily activities. You are trying to avoid sounds that can attract attention, otherwise, you will not be able to do something else, says Pawel Jastreboff, Ph.D., Sc.D., director of the University of Maryland Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Center in Baltimore. 

Throw open a window. It’s low-tech and simple. If you open your windows, the sounds of the outside world can help distract you from your tinnitus, Dr. Jastreboff says. The rustling of the wind, street noises, and birds chirping provide neutral background sounds that will distract you from your tinnitus but won’t distract you from whatever task is at hand. 

Try some ginkgo biloba. This herb may help circulation in the inner ear, says Michael Seidman, M.D., medical director of the tinnitus center at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. He says some of his tinnitus patients swear by it for relief. If you take ginkgo biloba, Dr. Seidman advises that you purchase tablets with a 50-to-1 or 24- percent strength and take them three times a day. Allow three to six months for the herb to work. Natural remedies take a while to show their effectiveness. 

Add a niacin supplement. Niacin also improves circulation and may help relieve tinnitus symptoms. Begin by taking 50 milligrams twice a day. If you have no response after two weeks, you may increase the dosage by 50 milligrams a week, up to a maximum of 250 milligrams a day. Dr. Seidman warns that niacin may produce an uncomfortable pins-and-needles or flushing sensation, so you can try a “no-flush” niacin if you have these side effects from taking it. 

Note: Doses of niacin above 35 milligrams per day should only be taken under your doctor’s supervision. 

Take a multivitamin. A deficiency in certain nutrients such as zinc or magnesium can cause or exacerbate tinnitus, so taking a general vitamin supplement every day might help

If the tinnitus is a result of high or low blood pressure you would use herbs that stimulate circulation with a nutrient rich diet.  If it is due to an allergy you would use herbs that stimulate the immune system and build resistance.  If it's a result of diabetes then you will want to balance blood sugar levels and also use combined herbs to stimulate circulation as well.

Be smart about your schedule. Because tinnitus can be worse in the evenings when the noises of the day have quieted down, plan to use your noise generators at these times. Extremely high levels of noise, such as those made by chainsaws, can trigger a bout of tinnitus or make the condition worse for a few hours.  Wear earplugs for protection if you are exposed to very loud sounds.