Tinnitus can be characterized as a noise, sizzling, or ringing in the ears. It can also include whistling, buzzing or hissing, and may occur in a constant or intermittent manner. It is one of the most common problems, which is found in 1 out of every 5 people all across the world. Tinnitus is not a condition that can be caused on its own, but it’s actually a symptom of a primary situation. It is not a serious problem, but it worsens with aging. However, it can be cured with home remedies for tinnitus.
It’s hard to point out a specific reason for tinnitus. There are a number of conditions that may cause tinnitus. Some of them include hearing loss, damage to the nerve endings in the inner ear, damaged eardrums, jaw joint disorders, high cholesterol, tumors, ageing, exposure to loud noise, foreign matter or wax in the ear, high or low blood pressure, diabetes, neck injury, head injury, certain medication (sedatives, anti-depressants, aspirin, etc.) and even allergies.
The symptoms of tinnitus involve different types of phantom noises in your ears when no external sound is actually present. These noises include buzzing, ringing, roaring, hissing, and clicking.
Are you also amongst the thousands of people who are annoyed of those buzzing sounds in your ears? Try some easy-to-use home remedies for tinnitus.
Our List of Home Remedies for Tinnitus
1. Onion
Take an onion and crush it to make a paste. Press this paste using a sieve to extract the juice and pour 2 drops of it in your ear.
2. Oils
Make use of certain oils such as cypress, lemon, rose or rosemary oil for massage, aromatherapy, or you may even use them in a vaporizer to help increase blood circulation.
3. Fruits and Vegetables
- To diminish the ringing in your ears, you must intake fresh pineapple, garlic, green vegetables, raw fruits, and cooked legumes (beans), dried fruits and nuts, kelp and sea vegetables (such as ecklonia cava) and edible seaweed in your daily meal.
- Deficiency of zinc may lead to tinnitus and various other types of hearing loss (sensorineural). So, intake of certain foods that are enriched in zinc may prove out to be beneficial in treating tinnitus. Foods that are good source of zinc are spinach, collards, papaya, cucumbers,brussels sprouts, endive, string beans, prunes, cowpeas, and asparagus.
- Intake of certain potassium, magnesium, manganese, and amino acids rich foods as well as eating foods rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E supplements, and bioflavonoids, encourages blood circulation and aids in minimizing the ringing caused in the ears.
4. Glycerin
To stop the ringing sound in your ears, mix 1 teaspoon each of glycerin and salt with 1 pint of warm water. Pour the solution in a nasal spray bottle and spray it in each nostril. Let it drain into the back of the throat. Repeat the process 3 times a day.
5. Hydrogen Peroxide
Put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear and allow the surplus fluid to flow out. This will soften the wax present in your ear. Alternatively, you can also make use of mineral oil. Carry out the same process for a couple of days.
6. Normal Water
Fill a bowl and a rubber bulb syringe with normal water. Bend your head over the bowl and hold it for some time. Then squirt the water into one ear canal with the help of a rubber bulb syringe. Turn your head a little allowing the water to run out of the ear. Repeat the same process with the other ear. Now, dry your ear using a little alcohol or hair dryer after showering or removing wax.
7. Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix apple cider vinegar with honey or water. Take it once or twice a day.
Herbal Remedies to Cure Tinnitus
8. Fenugreek Seeds
Prepare herbal tea by adding fenugreek seeds to the boiling water. Sip it daily. This may prove out to be the best remedy to reduce the uneasiness of tinnitus.
9. Basil Leaves
Take some basil leaves and crush them into a paste. Press this prepared paste on a sieve, in order to extract the juice. Heat it till it becomes warm. Then, put 2 drops of it in the affected ear. Repeat the same process 2 times a day.
10. Herbal Tinctures
You may use black cohosh in the form of tincture; in case, tinnitus is caused due to pressure in the head or blood congestion. Additionally, you can also use feverfew tincture or leaves (but do not take it if you are breastfeeding, pregnant, or if you are taking blood-thinning drugs, and do not give to small childeren). If tinnitus is due to high blood pressure or poor circulation, you may take hawthorn tincture.
11. Ginkgo Biloba
Take a supplement of ginkgo biloba to reduce dizziness linked with tinnitus. It not only improves blood circulation, but also strengthens your memory.
12. Chinese Herbs
- Rhubarb and Coptis Combination (San-huang-hsieh-hsin-tang): You may try these herbs if tinnitus is caused as a result of hypertension.
- Major bupleurum: This herb is recommended for obese.
- Rehmannia eight: Good option for the elderly.
13. Mistletoe Tea
Intake mistletoe tea to improve the flow of blood in your body. Mix 3 teaspoons of mistletoe herb in 3 cups of cold water and let it stand overnight. Next morning, simply strain, heat and sip this tea, without adding any sugar.
14. Plantain
Fresh plantain extract is one of the best herbal remedies for the ears. Alternatively, drink two tablespoons of juice 3 times a day for six weeks. You may also rinse your ears with calendula or plantain infusion.
Note – To avoid chilling, dry your ears well by using a cotton swab.
15. Goldenseal
This herb may be useful in some cases of tinnitus. Alternatively, you may also use 1:1 combination of black cohosh and goldenseal.
Note – If you are pregnant, then do not use this remedy.
16. Passion Flower
Extracts of passion flower helps regulate circulation and neurotransmitters.
17. Ramson Juice
In case tinnitus is caused as a result of constipation, then take a tablespoon of ramson juice every day to clear the large intestine.
18. Horsetail
Take supplements enriched with vegetal silica, which is an aqueous extract of horsetail. You may take 3 to 4 capsules a day. It will help decrease tinnitus.
19. Castor Oil
Putting 3 to 4 drops of castor oil in each ear daily can prove out to be a helping hand to cure tinnitus. After putting the drops, insert a cotton plug.
20. Sunflower Seeds
This is one of the oldest chinese remedies. Eat sunflower seeds or drink tea prepared from their hulls for curing tinnitus.
21. Sesame
Chinese herbalists used to make tea of sesame seeds for the treatment of tinnitus. You can also add them directly in your meals.
22. Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
The lesser periwinkle herb contains a compound, popularly known as vincamine. Take 20 milligrams of this dried herb for at least 3 times a day to overcome tinnitus.
Note: Do not take overdose of this herb.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Replace your caffeinated beverages with decaf versions as caffeine increases ringing in the ears.
- Eradicate ear wax at least once a month.
- Generally, stress worsens tinnitus. Manage your stress, whether through biofeedback relaxation therapy or exercise.
- Take complete rest. If you find it difficult to take rest with buzzing noise in your ears, try to distract your attention by listening low-level music through your earphones.
- Do regular exercises. Climbing the stairs, walking, and stretching may aid in increasing oxygen and blood flow.
- Avoid intake of salt in your meals.
- Quit smoking and consumption of tobacco in any form.
- Avoid using acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), which may cause ringing in the ears in several people.
- Don’t get exposed to loud music.
- Avoid the use of certain herbs that includes meadowsweet, willow bark, and wintergreen. In addition to these, herbs that aggravate tinnitus include black haw, uva ursi, and cinchona.
What Causes Tinnitus?
A common cause of tinnitus is damage to the inner or middle ear.
Your middle ear is the part which picks up sound waves, and their conduction is what prompts the inner ear to transmit electrical impulses to the brain.
Once your brain accepts these impulses and translates, that is when you can hear the sound. Sometimes, you can have a damaged inner ear, and this can alter the way in which your brain processes sounds.
Damage to the tiny bones in your middle ear or damage to the eardrum can also interfere with the proper conduction of sounds. Tumors on the auditory nerve or inside the ear can also cause ringing in the ears.
Exposure to very loud sounds regularly can also cause tinnitus in some people.
People who use heavy equipment such as jackhammers or chainsaws are more likely to develop tinnitus. Listening to loud music through headphones or attending a loud concert may produce temporary tinnitus symptoms.
Some medications can also cause tinnitus and even hearing damage. Some drugs which may cause tinnitus include:
- Loop diuretic medications, such as bumetanide
- Very large doses of aspirin
- Certain anti-cancer drugs, such as vincristine
- Certain antibiotics, such as erythromycin and gentamicin
- Antimalarial drugs, such as chloroquine
Some other medical conditions which can cause ringing in the ears are the following:
- Muscle spasms in your middle ear
- High blood pressure
- Head and neck injuries
- An overabundance of earwax, which alters the way that you hear
- Age-related hearing loss
- Meniere’s disease, which is an inner ear condition that affects balance and hearing
- High cholesterol
- Temporomandibular joint disorders, which can also cause chronic pain in your head and jaw
Home Remedies for Tinnitus: Conclusion
Tinnitus can be a nuisance if you get it a lot. However, luckily, there are many home remedies for tinnitus which can help to improve or remove the symptoms.
In this article, we have listed some of the best and most effective home remedies for tinnitus. We hope that these methods will help you to relieve your symptoms.
If your tinnitus continues to be a problem even after you have tried some of these home remedies, it is a good idea to see a doctor. They will be able to determine the underlying cause of your tinnitus, as well as suggest some appropriate medications or remedies which may help your personal condition.
Do you have any tips of your own for relieving the symptoms of tinnitus? We would love to hear your ideas and experiences. Please leave us a comment in the comments section below this article.