Ringing in the Ears
Background
Ringing in the ears, also called tinnitus, can be caused by many things. It helps to break it down into two categories:
- The sound is pulsatile ("thump…thump…thump"), and will actually be similar to your pulse in timing. This is most often caused by a small artery in the ear being compressed, usually from a tight muscle.
- The sound is more of a high-pitched steady sound. This usually suggests nerve irritation.
If it is associated with vertigo (dizziness with spinning feeling episodes and transient hearing loss), this suggests Meniere’s Disease.
Treatments
For pulsatile tinnitus, the treatment is similar to that used for tight muscles in general, which is to use The S.H.I.N.E. Protocol (see Muscle Pain).
For high-pitched ringing tinnitus, I recommend treating with a combination of:
- Nutrients that support nerve health:
- Lipoic acid 300 mg twice a day.
- Acetyl L-carnitine 1000 mg twice a day.
- Coenzyme Q10 at 200 to 400 mg a day.
- Magnesium.
- High-dose B vitamins.
- If the Eustachian tube in the ear is blocked (it would feel like having trouble clearing your ears in an airplane), treating for Candida (i.e., avoid sugar, take a good probiotic, use the medication Diflucan for 6 weeks, and use a sinusitis nose spray) and allergies can also be helpful.
Recommended Supplements
Research shows that tinnitus of unknown cause is associated with lower levels of vitamin B12 and melatonin. So consider vitamin B12 500-5,000 mcg a day and melatonin 3-5 mg at bedtime
Other Therapies & Advice
Regardless of the cause of the ringing in the ears, places that make hearing aids can also make what are called Maskers. These reproduce the exact opposite of the sound of the ringing, canceling it out.