How to Naturally Stop the Ringing in Your Ears

If you’ve suffered from ringing in the ears, than you know that it can literally drive you batty! Well, you’re not alone: a shocking 12 million Americans suffer from tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Luckily, there’s good news . . . natural cures have worked for many who are affected. Keep reading for some safe, effective, natural ways to get the ringing in your ears to finally stop.

The level of battiness caused by tinnitus, of course, depends on the severity of your case.  But in any case it can be extremely frustrating. The ringing can stop and start, or be non-stop.  Also, tinnitus does not necessarily only have to be a “ring.”  Some people experience other sounds that resemble a roar, squeal, whine, buzz, click, hiss or hum.  And, it can be in one ear or both.

What causes the ringing?
The majority of the time, tinnitus is due to damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve found in the inner ear.  Some other causes can include: allergy, a tumor, diabetes, thyroid problems, high or low blood pressure, or an injury to the head or neck.  Also, some drugs can cause tinnitus, such as sedatives, antidepressants, aspirin or anti-inflammatory antibiotics.  Generally, changing your prescription or lowering the dose can take care of the ringing.

What are some natural cures for tinnitus?
Doctors have recommended NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) for tinnitus. However, there is not much evidence to support its effectiveness.

Try this natural cure:
Take two tablets of standardized extract of ginkgo, three times a day with your meal.  Ginkgo has been known to help increase blood circulation in the head and neck.  Natural methods such as this generally take longer to work, but are many times more effective.  You should be sure to give this particular method at least two months before you see marked results.

Some other things to try:

• Stay away from loud noises and sounds
• Reduce your salt intake as salt impairs blood circulation
• Avoid coffee, tea, cola and tobacco
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough rest; avoid become fatigued
• Sometimes using a fan or some other type of white noise when you sleep will help to drown out the ringing 
• Practice breathing exercises or relaxation techniques such as meditation, as stress can worsen tinnitus

Other options:
There is help out there to help you to cope better with this disorder.  Talk with an ear, nose and throat specialist (otolaryngologist) about retraining therapy. It is also recommended that you are evaluated by a licensed audiologist.  An audiologist can do various tests on your hearing to see if the problem is within the inner ear or if it is due to damage within the cochlea, (which is where your nerve cells are), or even if it is the result of a problem in the brain.  An audiologist can also check to see if you have wax build-up in your ears.  This is a common cause of tinnitus that can easily be resolved.

Try one or more of these natural methods and you may just get rid of that annoying ringing (or buzzing, humming, squealing, hissing, etc.) for good.