What Is the Cure for Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the perception of a high-pitched buzzing or ringing noise in one or both ears, often caused by prolonged exposure to loud, damaging sounds. These sounds could be produced by anything from hair dryers to jet engines. Any sound above 70 decibels has the capacity to cause hearing damage and produce tinnitus. Not surprisingly, many musicians have suffered from this condition, including Ted Nugent, Alex Van Halen, Jeff Beck and even Ludwig van Beethoven. Tinnitus can also be caused by ear infections, ear wax, allergies, head and neck injuries and old age. There is no "cure" for tinnitus; however, there are several methods of preventing and coping with this condition.

Masking

• Masking is perhaps the most common coping technique for sufferers of tinnitus. Masking involves listening to white noise, usually on headphones, at a level that is slightly above the volume level of the tinnitus. This distracts the sufferer from the "ringing" in the ears. Another method of masking involves listening to pre-recorded "nature sounds," such as rain, crashing surf, or the sounds of the Amazon rainforest. Both methods can help a person relax. The inability to sleep is a common complaint among tinnitus sufferers, as the symptoms of tinnitus seem to worsen at night.

Medical Procedures

• Occasionally, medical professional can perform procedures to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus. These procedures include cleaning the ear canal (when ear wax is causing the symptoms), protecting the cochlea of the ear with implants, and Gamma Knife radiosurgery, a technique usually reserved for treating tumors. This last option could be performed when there is a definite, physical cause of the tinnitus, and it is not a suitable option for most sufferers.

Vitamins

• A healthy immune system, bolstered by vitamins, can also help people cope with tinnitus. The "T-Gone" tinnitus website recommends daily supplements of vitamins A, B complex and E, as well panthothenic acids, flavanoids, magnesium, potassium, manganese and zinc.

Therapy

• As tinnitus is a "perceived" condition and not a disease, therapy can sometimes relieve the symptoms. "Retraining Therapy" is based on the work of Pawel Jastreboff, who claimed that the true problem of tinnitus is not the sound, but the distress caused by the sound. In this therapy, the patient learns techniques to control his or her "negative reaction" to the sound. Tinnitus "retraining" therapists also use sound generators to create background noise, taking a page from the "masking" technique.

Hypnosis

• Hypnosis can also be a valuable tool for treating tinnitus. Although it does not cure the condition, it can reduce the "negative emotions and distress," as well as the actual sound caused by the condition, much like the method used in Retraining Therapy. In a recent study, "73 percent of people who underwent hypnosis therapy for tinnitus experienced an improvement in dealing with it," according to Kevinhogan.com.

Prevention

• As little can be done to prevent random head and neck injuries or the onset of old age (the other occasional causes of tinnitus), the primary method of preventing tinnitus is ear protection. This can include foam or wax ear plugs, custom-formed ear inserts or sound-proof headphones. You should wear ear protection whenever you are exposed to sounds above 70 decibels. With time, frequent exposure to noises above this decibel level can cause tinnitus. A proper ear-cleaning regime can also reduce ear wax, which can cause tinnitus symptoms.