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What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus describes a constant undercurrent of ringing, buzzing, roaring, or other abnormal sounds in the ears. Gradual nerve loss in the part of the inner ear is believed to be one of the most common causes of tinnitus. This damage can result from aging, exposure to loud noise, ear wax build-up, allergies, infection, trauma, high or low blood pressure, tumor, cardiovascular disease, or long-term use of certain medications, such as aspirin, quinine, and anti-inflammatories. Because there are so many different causes of tinnitus, there is no "one cure" for the condition.

Remedies that help some people include:

• Ginkgo biloba, 80 mg 3 times per day
• Vitamin B12 (one B12 Supreme daily)
• Melatonin (3mg nightly for 30 days produced positive results in one study; this worked better for those with tinnitus in both ears)
• Zinc (34-68mg) daily taken in combination with niacin (500mg twice per day). If this is going to work, you should see results in 3-4 months.
• Vinpocetin, 20-40mg per day improved 66% of acoustic trauma (loud noise) -caused tinnitus in one study

Lifestyle changes can be helpful in many cases:

• Stress reduction. Stress causes constriction of blood vessels which alter blood flow to the cochlea (inner ear)
• Eliminate food allergies. Allergies can also cause tissue engorgement and alter blood flow to the cochlea.
• Exercise. Aerobic exercises increases circulation and blood flow and can sometimes improve hearing and tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a vexing and surprisingly common problem that has received little real attention from conventional medicine. You may be sure that if Big Pharma thought they could sell a drug to treat tinnitus we would hear much more about it - but until then, try these simple self-help suggestions and let us know of your successes!