DEAR DR. GOTT: What are the herbal supplements and other products without prescription to combat tinnitus? So far my husband has been taking ginkgo biloba for the ringing in his ears. He saw an acupuncturist and a chiropractor. We are to the point we will try anything.
He is presently on Ativan, presumably to help him sleep, which it does. He takes one before going to bed. Could this be causing the ringing in the ears? These are the only two products he has taken so far.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please help me.
DEAR READER: Tinnitus is described as an extremely annoying ringing (or roaring, whooshing, hissing, clicking, or buzzing) in the ears. The pitch of the noise may range from a low roar to a very high squeal. It can be present constantly or it may come and go at apparent will and can be extremely annoying. It is rather common affecting almost one in every five people.
In many cases it is not related to any serious medical condition but for some it is connected with an underlying condition such as hearing loss or a circulatory system disorder such as atherosclerosis and tumors pressing on blood vessels in the neck and/or head. There are two forms of the disorder – objective and subjective. The objective form is what your doctor hears when he or she performs an exam. This rare form is linked with a blood vessel problem, muscle contractions or a condition of the inner ear bone. The subjective form is the most common type and is linked with a problem of the outer, middle or inner ear, a malfunction of the auditory nerves or the portion of the brain that interprets nerve signals as sound. There are tiny hairs in the inner ear that move and trigger ear cells to release an electric signal through the auditory nerve to the brain. If those hairs are either bent or literally broken, electrical impulses can leak to the brain and cause tinnitus. Other causes include accumulated wax, damage from loud noises, advancing age, head or neck injuries, Meniere’s disease, and more.
You do not specify if your husband is on any other prescription medications or has any other medical issues. I bring this up because there are a number of medications (his Ativan isn’t one of them) that can actually cause tinnitus – specifically some diuretics, the excessive regular use of aspirin (six or more each day) and some cancer drugs. If this applies to your husband, he should return to his prescribing physician for a change in medication that might eliminate the problem altogether.
While you are looking for an herbal remedy, I strongly feel your husband’s first step is to make an appointment with an otolaryngologist who can attempt to find the underlying reason for his tinnitus. Perhaps he simply has built up ear wax that can be removed . By indicating his current prescription or OTC remedies, he or she may recommend reducing the dosage or seeing the prescribing physician as I mentioned above. A hearing aid or masking device may be in order. The hearing aid is self explanatory; the masking device resembles a hearing aid but produces a constant low-level white noise that may help reduce the annoyance of his tinnitus symptoms.
On the home front, he might reduce his alcohol and nicotine intake if appropriate and avoid excess stress and loud noises. Lipoflavonoid is an OTC ear health formula that has received very good results. Zinc supplements (or better still, spinach, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, asparagus and others) might help. Three or four drops of castor oil in the affected ear(s) once a day might also do the trick. There are herbs such as ginkgo biloba (which he is already using), black cohosh, lesser periwinkle and countless others that are touted to help tinnitus; however, I’ve not had any personal experience with them. Herbs to be avoided include wintergreen, meadowsweet and willow bark (the precursor to aspirin). So, the bottom line is to begin with Lipoflavonoid, castor oil and natural sources of zinc to determine if your husband gains any relief from this extremely annoying condition.
Readers who would like related information can order my Health Report “Ear Infections and Disorders” by sending a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and a $2 US check or money order to my attention at PO Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title when writing or print out an order form from my website www.AskDrGottMD.com.
