Try these herbal treatments for tinnitus, these safe and natural methods help control this annoying hearing problem.
Read more about natural remedies for hepatitis C: Herbal Treatments for Hepatitis C.
Herbal Treatments for Tinnitus
I have problems with tinnitus, mild dizziness and
lightheadedness. I’ve tried many vitamins and herbs, with no
success. I tried ginkgo for a month, but I am getting tired of it.
Do you have any idea how to solve it?
L.R.
Via e-mail
Willard responds: This is one of the more
difficult health issues I have treated in the last 30 years. I have
seen research stating that ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is up to 80
percent successful for tinnitus (ringing in the ears), but another
research paper from a few years ago found no significant cure rate
for tinnitus in almost 1,000 patients, in a double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial. My experience in treating tinnitus with
ginkgo has produced a success rate of around 20 to 30 percent.
Is there a way to get better results? Well, to be honest,
treating tinnitus is very difficult. The overall success rate for
treating tinnitus in our clinic is between 40 and 50 percent. I
have had the best results when using kidney and/or liver herbs
(especially tonics) according to Chinese medical theory. Because
ginkgo works as a tonic for the capillaries of the kidneys,
treating tinnitus with ginkgo makes sense from this perspective. I
also have had favorable results with two Chinese products (patent
medicines): Beijing Concentrated Tinnitus pills and Liu Wei Di
Huang Wan. These are available at health-food stores and herb
shops.
Several other supplements have yielded varying levels of
success. One Western herb I recently have used with success is
rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea), 1,000 mg twice daily. I also recommend a
rotation of the following herbs: black cohosh (Cimicifuga
racemosa), 40 to 60 mg twice daily; ligustrum (Ligustrum lucidum),
400 mg three times daily; mullein (Verbascum spp.), 2 to 4 grams
daily of herb equivalent, plus mullein oil in the ears; lesser
periwinkle (Vinca minor), 20 mg three times daily; and zinc, 50 to
100 mg daily.
Foods also can be helpful, such as sunflower seeds, fenugreek
(Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed tea, onions and litchi fruit. I
often refer patients to a reputable acupuncturist and/or homeopath,
as both of these approaches have had some success.
Khalsa responds: Your symptoms are indicative
of many possible conditions, some of which are potentially quite
serious, so medical assessment is essential. Tinnitus is one of the
most difficult conditions to treat with any therapy. It has many
causes, including brain dysfunctions and damage caused by loud
noises.
Ginkgo has been shown to benefit tinnitus, but scientific
results have been mixed. Certain recent experiments have shown very
good success, but in others, ginkgo was no better than a placebo.
Natural healing practitioners, who use it widely, report good
outcomes. Ginkgo has antioxidant qualities, and the herb is an
ideal treatment for a host of disorders of the head and brain. And
general inner ear dysfunction, including dizziness and vertigo, is
treated with ginkgo extract.
The original French study on ginkgo for tinnitus used a simple
95 percent alcohol tincture of dried leaf, which proved to be quite
effective, and this preparation is dramatically less expensive than
the highly processed European extracts that now dominate the
market.
Another plant that may help is the cordyceps mushroom (Cordyceps
sinensis). Cordyceps may well be the next ginseng, due to its
seeming ability to increase energy levels, sex drive and athletic
performance. A dose of 3 grams daily may lead to significant
improvements in tinnitus, as well as fatigue, dizziness, cold
intolerance, frequent nighttime urination, low libido and memory
loss.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, where it is called dong chong
xia cao, cordyceps is classified as a general health tonic, with
the capability to improve energy, stamina, appetite, endurance and
sleeping patterns. It’s also used in treating circulatory,
respiratory and immune problems, as well as sexual dysfunction. It
is thought to have a particularly beneficial effect on the kidneys
and lungs. There are scant human studies on cordyceps, but its
traditional uses, along with current animal research, add up to a
pretty compelling picture.
Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa has more than 25 years of experience with medicinal herbs. He is a licensed dietitian/nutritionist, massage therapist and board member of the American Herbalists Guild. Khalsa’s book Body Balance is available on our Bookshelf, page 58.
Terry Willard is a clinical herbalist, president of the Canadian Association of Herbal Practitioners and founder of the Wild Rose College of Natural Healing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is the author of eight books and a CD-ROM, Interactive Herbal.
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