Men's Health Women's Health Senior's Health Antioxidants Sports Nutrition Diet & Weight Loss Vitamins & Minerals Herbs Specialty Supplements Targeted Supplements Spa Products Anti-Aging Basics Body Systems Body Structure Book Store Pet Health My Recommendation My Favorite Articles Our Most Popular Specials Bargain Basement Brands Free Samples

MSM

Tinnitus

To: Hearing
To: My Personal Experience

adapted with permission from the Consumer Guide by Dr. Bob Martin

Do you hear a ringing noise in your ears that doesn't go away? This maddening noise, called tinnitus, affects approximately 17% of the world's population. Many people are so seriously bothered by tinnitus that living a normal life is not possible. Tinnitus can interfere with concentration, work, sleep, relaxation, normal communication with others, and tinnitus can lead to psychological distress. There’s no known cure for tinnitus.

Tinnitus Symptoms
Imagine hearing a ringing noise in your ears or head that sometimes doesn't go away. This maddening noise, called tinnitus, can range in volume from a ring to a roar. Some people hear tinnitus as a buzzing, hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping or clicking instead of – or in addition to – ringing ear. Each person has a unique version of tinnitus. Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant ringing ear, with single or multiple tones and tinnitus’ perceived volume can range from subtle to shattering.

Most people today will experience tinnitus at some time in their life. You might notice tinnitus after being exposed to loud music or harsh noises. The noise exposure is over, but there's a tinnitus ringing in your ears. In America alone, as many as 50 million people today say their ears ring. About 12 million have tinnitus severe enough to seek medical attention, and 7 million people are so seriously bothered by tinnitus that living a normal life is not possible. Tinnitus symptoms can, in fact, interfere with concentration, work, sleep and relaxation, normal communication with others, and tinnitus can lead to psychological distress. Many tinnitus sufferers become markedly depressed because of the constant and bothersome noise. 

back to top

See Your Doctor About Tinnitus
Since tinnitus might be a symptom of another health problem, see your doctor for any condition which may require his/her services. Your doctor may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat doctor. Another hearing professional, an audiologist, can measure your hearing. Caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, aspirin, antihistamines, and prescription or over-the-counter medications can aggravate existing tinnitus. Although there remains no cure, tinnitus symptoms can be overcome. RingStop™ is specifically designed to safely relieve and prevent tinitus /ear noise symptoms.

back to top

Homeopathic Remedies to Reduce Tinnitus
The Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States states that there are no side effects for the following homeopathic remedies.  These Homeopathic remedies have demonstrated unsurpassed safety for nearly 200 years worldwide. 

Calcarea carbonica (Calcium carbonate) relieves throbbing and cracking noises, stitches and pulsing sensations in the ears.

Cimicifuga racemose (Black Cohosh Root) is helpful for tinnitus symptoms, and for people who are very sensitive to noise, as well as pain and muscle tension in the neck and back.

Carbo vegetabilis (vegetable charcoal) – This natural remedy is for ringing in the ears, especially if it occurs during flu or other conditions involving vertigo and nausea.

China (Chinchona officinalis) (Peruvian bark) helps ringing in the ears and hearing sensitive to noise.

Chininum sulphuricum (sulphite of quinine) helps relieve violent ringing, buzzing, and roaring sounds that are loud enough to impair a person’s hearing.

Coffea cruda (unroasted coffee) is for people with tinnitus accompanied by extremely sensitive hearing and a buzzing feeling in the back of the head.

Graphites (plumbago) – This remedy is beneficial for tinnitus with associated hearing loss, and for hissing and clicking sounds in the ears.

Kali carbonicum (Potassium carbonate) is for tinnitus with ringing or roaring, accompanied by cracking noises and itching in the ears.

Lycopodium (club moss) is for a humming and roaring in the ears, along with impairment of hearing and sounds that seem to echo in the ears.

Natrum salicylicum (sodium salicylate) – This remedy is beneficial if ringing in the ears is like a low, dull hum, and for loss of hearing related to bone conduction, as well as nerve interference. 

Salicylicum acidum (salicylic acid) – This remedy is indicated for tinnitus with very loud roaring or ringing sounds, which may be accompanied by some hearing loss.  It may also be helpful if tinnitus has been caused by too much aspirin.

back to top

Nutritional Supplements to Reduce Tinnitus
Specific nutrients can make a difference in tinnitus.  Dr. Michael Seidman, M.D., director of the Henry Ford Health System, Dept of Otolarynology, Tinnitus Clinic, in Bloomfield, Michigan says that tinnitus is sometimes caused by impaired blood flow to the ears, which can happen in two ways.  First, the tiny artery leading to the inner ear can get clogged with cholesterol, causing a kind of stroke in the ear, Dr. Seidman explains.  Second, loud noises can send this artery into spasm, reducing blood supply to the cochlea.  In either case, an interrupted blood supply can lead to hearing and tinnitus problems.  That’s where the antioxidant nutrients come in.  “Antioxidants work by helping to prevent oxygen-caused damage to cell membranes,” Dr. Seidman says.  Antioxidants also help keep arteries open and free of plaque buildup, experts say. Dr. Seidman and some other ear doctors suggest that you consider a smorgasbord of antioxidant nutrients.  Some of the beneficial nutrients include:

Vinpocetine is a derivative of vincamine, an extract of the periwinkle plant, and has been used in Germany to provide support during tinnitus symptoms. ¹  Vinpocetine improves blood flow in the inner ear and brain, thereby increasing utilization of glucose and oxygen, and increasing production of brain cell ATP (ATP is the cellular energy molecule - adenosine tri phosphate). ², ³  Research shows that vinpocetine is particularly protective in cases where fatty plaques clog the arteries that feed oxygen to the inner ear and brain.  Vinpocetine have been widely researched and used for nutritional support for over 25 years for a variety of health benefits.  It has been shown to be a cerebral metabolic enhancer and a selective cerebral vasodilator. ⁵  Vinpocetine has also been shown to reduce the cell death that normally occurs when a brain region is temporarily but severely deprived of blood flow. ⁶  This remarkable alkaloid has proven specific benefits for people suffering ill hearing effects from antibiotics.  The antibiotics used typically for staph and strep infections are ototoxic (harmful to hearing).  Vinpocetine has been found to help prevent some of the antibiotics’ ototoxicity. ⁷  Vinpocetine reduces vascular resistance in the inner ear and brain, so that red blood cells are better able to pass through narrow passages.  Better blood flow equals better oxygen delivery.

back to top

Ginkgo Biloba is a powerful herbal extract with numerous health benefits.  Two studies have found an extract of ginkgo standardized to contain 24% flavone glycosides and 6% terpene lactones useful for people with ear concerns. ⁸, ⁹, ¹⁰  Ginkgo is a powerful herbal extract that may increase the circulation of blood to the ears.  Ginkgo has antioxidant activity, improves arterial blood flow and enhances cellular metabolism.  It is known for its age-defying properties which may support healthy hearing function.  Ginkgo biloba leaves have been used by the Chinese for centuries for health purposes.  Two studies demonstrated that Ginkgo is supportive for people with tinnitus concerns. ¹¹, ¹²  Furthermore, a follow-up study of 137 of the original group of elderly patients 5 years later revealed that Ginkgo was still beneficial. ¹³  

Ipriflavone is a soy-derived isoflavone (bioflavonoid), but unlike other soy isoflavones, it has no estrogenic or other hormonal activity.  In one double-blind study with ipriflavone, researchers found that it was very beneficial for people with certain ear concerns. ¹⁴  Ipriflavone is a nutrient-partitioning agent, which means that it moves nutrients into building muscle and bone and away from being stored as fat.

back to top

Arginine is an amino acid that increases nitric oxide (NO), an important neurotransmitter.  A team of scientists made breakthrough discoveries regarding the effects of nitric oxide during the mid-1990’s and in 1998 they were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology of Medicine.  Arginine works by stimulating the release of nitric oxide which causes vasodilation (dilates blood vessels), improving blood flow, and it also protects the ear by scavenging free radicals. ¹⁵ , ¹⁶, ¹⁷

Alpha Lipoic Acid – Alpha lipoic acid has shown dramatic effects in providing support for hearing concerns by taking an antibiotic.  At the Hearing Research Laboratories at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina, researchers investigated what positive effect lipoic acid could have on aminoglycoside (a class of antibiotics) induced damage to cochlear tissue of the ear. ¹⁸  Lipoic acid-protected animals did not have part of their hearing impaired compared with animals receiving the damaging antibiotic alone.  The researchers thought that lipoic acid was particularly well suited to protect the ear because it is widely distributed in both aqueous and lipid tissues after administration.  In addition, it crosses the blood-brain barrier quite readily, has low toxicity, and has excellent uptake in neural tissue. ¹⁹  Furthermore, lipoic acid is delivered to both the intra- and extra-cellular environment. ²⁰  Given the positive safety profile of lipoic acid and the promise of a significant degree of auditory protection, it makes good sense to add lipoic acid to your supplement program.  

back to top

Zinc is involved in a wide array of functions, including helping to maintain healthy cell membranes and protecting cells from oxygen-related damage.  Some parts of the body have much higher concentrations of certain vitamins and minerals than other parts.  That’s the case with inner ear, which, like the retina of the eye, has a higher concentration of zinc.  That finding has led some doctors to believe that zinc deficiency may play a role in inner ear concerns.  ²¹, ²², ²³    “We don’t know much about how zinc works in the inner ear, but it’s evident that the cochlea needs zinc to function properly,” explains George E. Shambaugh, Jr., M.D. professor emeritus of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago.  “Animals fed a diet low in zinc partially lose hearing function, and apparently, even the kind of marginal zinc deficiency often seen in older people causes greater hearing concerns associated with ear damage from noise or aging.”  Dr. Shambaugh estimates that about 25% of the people he sees with severe tinnitus are zinc-deficient. 

Vitamin A – Like zinc, Vitamin A is found in high concentrations in the cochlea.  “All special sensory receptor cells, including the retina of the eye and the hair cells of the inner ear, depend upon Vitamin A and zinc to function properly,” Dr. Shambaugh says.  In one study, low blood levels of Vitamin A were associated with hearing concerns. ²⁴  Animal studies have demonstrated degenerative changes in the ganglion cells on a Vitamin A-deficient diet.  And in several studies, people with tinnitus concerns reported substantial health benefits from Vitamin A supplements.

back to top

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) – Some practitioners suggest taking N-acetyl cysteine because it is a major glutathione precursor.  Glutathione has antioxidant activity and may promote healthy hearing function, and is crucial in possibly protecting against free radical damage.

Magnesium has been found to be protective to hearing function from exposure to noise. ²⁵  Low magnesium levels can cause blood vessels, including the tiny arteries going to the inner ears, to constrict, and when combined with noise exposure, can deplete the delicate hearing cells in the inner ear of it’s energy stores, leading to exhaustion, damage and death of these critical cells.  Noise-induced vasospasm (constriction of the arteries) is thought to play a role in tinnitus.

back to top

Melatonin – Researchers at the Ear Research Foundation in Sarasota, Florida performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the role of supplemental melatonin for people with tinnitus concerns.  They discovered that 47% of those on melatonin had an improvement compared to 20% of those on placebo. ²⁶ 

• Melatonin Effective Against Tinnitus

Chinese Herbs – For 5,000 years the Chinese have known that a balanced, harmonious body is necessary for optimal health and a zest for life.  Ancient Chinese physicians and temple priests studied nature over thousands of years discovering how to interact with it, and to cultivate and guide life’s sustaining force.  Their desire was to create harmony and order in the body, and to provide the body with the proper nutrition it needs to heal and regenerate itself.  Their wisdom taught that a balanced body suffers from fewer problems and sustains more energy and alertness.  They also discovered that supplementing the diet with natural herbal nutrition was one of the best means of nourishing the body so that an internal balance can be achieved.

back to top

Folic Acid is a B vitamin that is involved in every bodily function that requires cell division.  It is used to generate red blood cells, help wounds heal, build muscle, and produce brain and nervous system chemicals.  Folic acid appears to regulate the body’s production and use of homocysteine, an amino acid-like compound that in excess amounts can contribute to the buildup of dangerous plaque in the blood vessels.  A Dutch study has recently shown that by lowering blood levels of homocysteine and improving the ability of the blood vessels to dilate, folic acid may reduce cardiovascular risk in those with a family history of high cholesterol.  Because the body can’t retain this water-soluble vitamin for long – any excess is excreted in the urine – many people have a folic acid deficiency. 

Vitamin B-12 – Maintenance of blood and nerve function depends on this important vitamin.  According to a 1999 study, auditory dysfunction is associated with deficiencies in vitamins B-12 and folic acid, nutrients that promote healthy nerve function and circulation. ²⁷  Another study has shown a definite connection between vitamin B-12 deficiency and hearing concerns. ²⁸  A large study involving 522 patients showed that administering vitamin B-12 along with oxygenation at high pressure to people with hearing concerns, gave many people beneficial results. ²⁹

back to top

Vitamin B-6 – Day by day, there’s probably no nutrient as actively involved in keeping your system running smoothly as vitamin B6.  It functions primarily as a coenzyme, working along with other enzymes to speed up chemical reactions in cells.  A deficiency of vitamin B6 can cause anemia, dermatitis, and nervous system problems.  Incredibly, government surveys indicate that one-third of adults are deficient in this key nutrient.  One of the causes of tinnitus may be nerve malfunction in the brain.  Because Vitamin B6 positively affects the nervous system, it may improve the health of the nerves leading to the inner ear and thus minimize the discomforts of tinnitus.  Vitamin B6 may be of use in treating chronic dizziness caused by a nerve disorder or decreased blood flow to the brain or inner ear. 

Niacin (Vitamin B3) helps increase blood flow by relaxing and widening the blood vessels.

back to top

Garlic – Probably more research has been done (and more articles written) about garlic than any other herb.  Worldwide, research is ongoing about the role that garlic may play in maintaining blood cholesterol, protecting against fatty plaques that clog the arteries, maintaining blood pressure, and stimulating the immune system.  Garlic thus provides support for hearing function.   

To: Hearing

References:

1. Weiss RF. Herbal Medicine. Gothenburg, Sweeden: Ab Arcanum and Beaconsfield, UK; Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd, 1988, 181.
2. E. Karpaty & L. Szpomy 1976 Arzneim forsch (drug research) 28, 1908-12.
3. Szobor and M. Klein 1976 Arneim Forsch (drug research) 28, 1984-1989.
4. B. Vamosi et al 1976 Arzneim Forsch (drug research) 28, 1980-84.
5. F. Solti et al 1976 Arzneim Forsch (drug research) 28, 1945-47.
6. D. Sauer et al 1988 Life Sci. 43, 1733-39.
7. Nekrassov V, Sitges M. 2000 Jun 23, Brain Res 868 (2), 222-9.
8. Meyer B. A multicenter, double-blind, drug versus placebo study of Ginkgo Biloba extract in the treatment of tinnitus.  Presse Med 1986; 5:1562-4 [in French].
9. Meyer B. A multicenter randomized double-blind study of Ginkgo Biloba extract versus placebo in the treatment of tinnitus. In Rokan (Ginkgo biloba): Recent Results in Pharmacology and Clinic, ed. EW Funfgeld, New York: Springer-Verlag, 1988, 245-50.
10. Holgers K, Axelsson A, Pringle I. Ginkgo biloba extract in the treatment of tinnitus. Audiol 1994;33:85-92.
11. Abdulla S. Pills may replace ear-muffs for protection against damaging noise. Lancet 1998;351:1411.
12. Coles R. Trial of an extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGB) for tinnitus and hearing loss. Clin Otolaryngol 1988;13:501-502.
13. Meyer B. Tinnitus-multicenter study.  A multicenter study of the ear. Ann Otolaryngol Chir Cervicofac 103(3):185-8, 1986.
14. Sziklai I, Komora V, Ribari O, Acta Chir Hung 1992-93;33(1-2):101-7.
15. Ryan AF, Bennett T, Nitric oxide contributes to control of effusion in experimental otitis media, Laryngoscope 2001 Feb;111(2):301-5.
16. Popa R, Anniko M, Takumin\da M, Otoprotectant minimizes hearing defects caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A, Acta Otolaryngol 2000 Mar; 120(3):350-8. 
17. Tabuchi K, Kusakari J, Ito Z, Takashashi K, Wada T, Hara A, Effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor on cochlear dysfunction induced by transient local anoxia, Acta Otolaryngol 1999 Mar, 119(2):179-84.
18. Conlon BJ, et al., Hear Res 1999 Feb:128(1-2):40-44.
19. Packer L, and Tritschler JH. Free Racid Biol Med 1996;20(4):625-626.
20. Panigrahi M, et al., Brain Res 1996 Apr22;717(1-2):184-188.
21. Ochi K, Ohashi T, Kinoshita H, Akagi M, Kikuchi H, Mitsui M, Kaneko T, Kato I, Nippon Jibiinkoka Gakkai Kaiho, The serum zinc level in patients with tinnitus and the effect of zinc treatment, 1997 Sep:100(9):915-9.
22. Preliminary report (French). Acta Otorhinolaryngol Belg 41(3):498-505, 1987.
23. Paaske PB, Kjems G, Pedersen CB, Sam ILK. Zinc in the management of tinnitus.  Placebo-controlled trial. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1991;100:647-9.
24. Arch Otorhinolaryngol 234(2);167-73,1982.
25. Attias J et al: Oral magnesium intake reduces permanent hearing loss induced by noise exposure. Am J Otolaryngol 15(1)26-32, 1994.
26. Rosenberg SI, Silverstein H, Rowan PT, Olds MJ. Effect of melatonin on tinnitus. Laryngoscope 108(3):305-10, 1998.
27. Houston, KD. 1999, Am J Clin Nutr 69, 564-71.
28. Shemesh Z, Attias J, Oman M, et al. Vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with chronic tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss. Am J Otolaryngol 1993; 13:94-9.
29. Murakawa, T., et al., 2000, Nippon Jibinkoka Gakkai Kaiho, 103(5), 506-515.  

This article is adapted from the Consumer Guide by Dr. Bob Martin and reprinted with exclusive permission from Natural Care.
Search for: tintinitus, tinninitus, tenitis, tinnitis, tennitus tenitus tanitus tenninitus tennitis tininitus tininitus tinitis tinitus tinnatus tintinitis tininitis ringingears tintitus tinitous tintinitous titinitous tinnatous tenetus tinittus tenninitus

back to top