Herbs to Get Rid of Ringing in the Ears

Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, has recently been found to be a symptom of other conditions, rather than a condition in its own right. More than 75 percent of hearing disorders include as a symptom ringing in the ears. No cure has been discovered for tinnitus. But if you suffer from the condition, there are many natural treatments that offer relief from the noise.

Herbs

• If you have been diagnosed with circulatory problems and have ringing in the ears, you should consider using ginkgo, says Dr. Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacognosy at Purdue University. "Ginkgo is known to increase and improve circulation to the brain," Tyler says. He recommends taking 120 mg of a ginkgo biloba extract every day. Tyler adds that Ginkgo will take longer to work than chemical medications, typically two to three months. However, the long-term benefits are much greater.
  Dr. Matthew Wood, a certified herbalist and author of "The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants," says that Origanum vulgare, otherwise known as wild oregano, is an excellent tinnitus treatment. Wood recommends at least one-half cup of fresh oregano daily, or one cup of dried oregano steeped in a cup of water for 5 minutes and strained to create a tea.

Minerals

• Physicians and scientists are discovering connections between magnesium deficiency and ringing in the ears. Paul Yanick, Ph.D., a research scientist in Milford, Pennsylvania, says a lack of magnesium "might cause some people to suffer Tinnitus." He recommends consuming magnesium-rich foods regularly. According to Yanick, "Eating a diet rich in magnesium foods may even prevent the onset of ringing, if ringing of the ears is common in one's family." Examples of magnesium rich foods are leafy greens such as spinach, seeds, legumes, nuts and unprocessed grains.

  In a study published by Dr. H. Nedim Arda of the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Head and Neck Surgery, Ankara Human Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, it was found that "both the inner ear and the auditory nerve's synapses naturally contain high levels of zinc." When natural zinc levels are diminished, ringing in the ears becomes a common symptom. In the study, patients were administered high doses of oral zinc supplements daily. Their overall blood levels were checked regularly for absorption verification. The study revealed that patients with normal or higher levels of zinc no longer experienced ringing in the ears.

Vitamins

• The American Journal of Otolaryngology published a study that suggests that a large number of patients complaining of ringing in the ears also had a vitamin B12 deficiency. According to the study, "This deficiency was more widespread and severe in tinnitus associated with noise exposure, suggesting a relationship between vitamin B12 deficiency and dysfunction of the auditory pathway."