Treatment & Drugs

To treat your tinnitus, your doctor will first try to identify any underlying, treatable conditions that may be associated with your symptoms. If tinnitus is due to a health condition, your doctor may be able to take steps that could reduce the noise. Examples include:

  • Earwax removal. Removing impacted earwax can decrease tinnitus symptoms.
  • Treating a blood vessel condition. Underlying vascular conditions may require medication, surgery or another treatment to address the problem.
  • Changing your medication. If a medication you’re taking appears to be the cause of tinnitus, your doctor may recommend stopping or reducing the drug, or switching to a different medication.

Noise suppression
In some cases “white noise” may help suppress the sound so that it’s less bothersome. Your doctor may suggest using an electronic device to suppress the noise. These devices include:

  • White noise machines. These devices, which produce noise simulating environmental sounds such as falling rain or the ocean, are often an effective treatment for tinnitus. You may want to try a white noise machine with pillow speakers to help you sleep.
  • Hearing aids. This can be especially helpful if you have hearing problems as well as tinnitus.
  • Masking devices. Similar to hearing aids, these devices produce a continuous, low-level white noise that suppresses tinnitus symptoms.

Medications
Drugs can’t cure tinnitus, but in some cases they may help reduce the severity of symptoms or complications. Possible medications include:

  • Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, have been used with some success. However, these medications are generally only used for severe tinnitus, as they can cause troublesome side effects, including dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and heart problems.
  • Alprazolam (Niravam, Xanax) may help reduce tinnitus symptoms, but side effects can include drowsiness and nausea. It also has the potential to become habit-forming.
  • Acamprosate (Campral), a drug used to treat alcoholism, is effective in relieving tinnitus for some people. However, more research is needed to determine how well it works for tinnitus.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Often, tinnitus is caused by a permanent condition and the underlying cause can’t be treated. But, for many people, making adjustments makes the symptoms less bothersome. These tips may help:

  • Avoid possible irritants. Reduce your exposure to things that may make your tinnitus worse. Common examples include loud noises and nicotine.
  • Cover up the noise. In a quiet setting, a fan, soft music or low-volume radio static may help mask the noise from tinnitus.
  • Manage stress. Stress can make tinnitus worse. Stress management, whether through relaxation therapy, biofeedback or exercise, may provide some relief.
  • Reduce your alcohol intake. Alcohol increases the force of your blood by dilating your blood vessels, causing greater blood flow, especially in the inner ear area.

Alternative medicine

There’s little evidence that indicates alternative medicine treatments work for tinnitus. However, some alternative therapies that have been tried for tinnitus include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Hypnosis
  • The herb ginkgo
  • Zinc supplements

Coping and support

Tinnitus doesn’t always improve or completely go away with treatment. Here are a few things that can help you cope:

  • Counseling. A licensed therapist or psychologist can help you learn coping techniques to make tinnitus symptoms less bothersome. Counseling can also help with other problems often linked to tinnitus, including anxiety and depression.
  • Support groups. Sharing your experience with others who have tinnitus may be helpful. There are tinnitus groups that meet in person, as well as Internet forums. To ensure the information you’re getting is accurate, it’s best to make sure the group is facilitated by a physician, audiologist or other qualified health professional.
  • Education. Learning as much as you can about tinnitus and ways to alleviate symptoms can help. And just understanding tinnitus better makes it less bothersome for some people.