How to Reduce Ear Ringing

Tinnitus, or ear ringing, can be any sound in your ears like hissing, popping, crackling or a ringing tone. For some people, tinnitus can be so loud that it disturbs sleep or causes intense annoyance and stress. Tinnitus is usually caused by damage to the ears from exposure to very loud noises, but other times it can happen as a result of medication or another health condition. Sometimes there is no cause for tinnitus and it goes away by itself, but there are some things you can do to make the ringing in your ears more bearable.

Things You'll Need

• Earplugs
• Quiet music
• White noise
• Recorded nature sounds
• Dried fruit
• Warm compresses
• Hearing aid
• Masking device

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Instructions

• 1

  Use earplugs if you are exposed to a lot of noise on a daily basis. Earplugs protect your hearing and keep tinnitus from getting worse from further damage.

• 2

  Stay away from alcohol, caffeine and tobacco, which can all aggravate tinnitus. Eating too much salt can also make the problem worse by causing fluid to build up around your ears.

• 3

  Avoid aspirin, which often causes tinnitus. Ask your doctor about aspirin alternatives if you are using it daily for therapeutic purposes. Find out if tinnitus is a side effect of any other medications you're using, such as antibiotics or antidepressants, and talk to your doctor about substitutes that won't make your tinnitus worse.

• 4

  Try listening to quiet music, white noise or recorded nature sounds if the ringing in your ears keeps you awake. Other soft sounds can mask the noise of the tinnitus enough to let you relax and sleep.

• 5

  Reduce your stress. Stress makes tinnitus worse, so do things that help you relax like deep breathing, yoga or massage.

• 6

  Improve your circulation. You can improve the circulation around your ears by chewing something slightly hard like dried fruit, or by placing warm compresses on your ears and neck.

• 7

  Talk to your doctor if you're really struggling with tinnitus. Get help dealing with any hearing loss that the ringing in your ears causes, and don't let the persistent annoyance keep you from enjoying your life. Treatments for severe tinnitus include hearing aids, masking devices and counseling. Medications such as muscle relaxants, fluoride and vasodilators may also be appropriate to treat some types of ear ringing.