Sound Advice

Are Herbal Remedies Effective at Treating Tinnitus?

Many people have experienced a ringing, buzzing or humming sound in their ear or head (tinnitus) at one point or another. For some individuals it can last for prolonged periods of time and become rather bothersome. Those who suffer from severe tinnitus often report difficulty carrying out everyday activities like concentrating, reading and sleeping due to disturbance from tinnitus. Because of the impact that tinnitus can have on an individual’s life, these people are often desperate to find something that may provide relief. There are several treatments that claim to relieve tinnitus, such as the use of herbal supplements. These supplements claim to provide “relief from and elimination of ear noise or symptoms associated with tinnitus”. They are comprised of a variety of vitamins and minerals which are believed to promote adequate blood flow and oxygen to the ear, including Coenzyme Q10 and Ginkgo Biloba to name a few. Many of these natural treatments have been researched for their effects on tinnitus. There have been several studies that evaluate the use of Ginkgo Biloba for tinnitus relief, which have strongly suggested that ginkgo biloba does not benefit tinnitus. Studies have proven to be inconclusive for the use of zinc in the treatment of tinnitus. Additionally, scientific evidence is unclear and very weak for the use of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and for biflavonoids, according to National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Mayo Clinic. More research needs to be done with herbal type of treatments for tinnitus before any definitive recommendations can be made regarding their use.

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