6 ways to reduce tinnitus or ringing in your ears

Medical professionals describe tinnitus as a perception of noise in one or both ears, despite no external sound. Researchers have identified ways to help alleviate the symptoms:

• Magnesium Dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, bananas, avocados and dark chocolate, helps control the ringing sound.
• Acupuncture – This medical practice can stimulate areas of the brain where ringing initiates.
• Minerals and vitamins – Scientists believe tinnitus may be linked to a deficiency in zinc and vitamin B12. One study showed taking ginkgo extract and melatonin provided relief from tinnitus.
• Black coffee – Researchers found that women who drank large amounts of caffeinated coffee reported lower incidences of tinnitus. They believe that caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and reduces tinnitus risk. (However, we aware of high blood pressure.)
• De-stress – Activities that lower stress, such as exercise, meditation, laughter, and relaxing, also can reduce the risk of tinnitus and alleviate symptoms.
• Sound therapy – Researchers have discovered that sending vibrations to the brain, called Transcranial stimulation, helps relieve tinnitus.

Prevention
These days many people to wear earbuds to listen to music or podcasts. Often, they turn up the volume to block out sounds around them. Prolonged use of earbuds at a high volume can lead to hearing damage. Help prevent tinnitus by turning down the volume a bit. Also, take time each day to relax. Tinnitus can accompany chronic anxiety and stress.

Causes
WebMD reports there are several reasons why people experience tinnitus:

• Loudness – Exposure to an explosion or loud sounds over time, such as those at music concerts or sporting events, can cause ear ringing.
• Excessive earwax – A buildup of earwax can muffle hearing and cause ringing in the ears.
• Aging – Adults often notice decreased hearing as they age.
• Ear infections – During a cold or the flu virus, nasal passages can swell, increase ear and sinus pressure, and impair hearing.
• Medications – For example, antibiotics, antidepressants, diuretics, aspirin and anti-inflammatory or cancer drugs, can cause temporary ringing in the ears.
• Jaw problems – Ear pain or experiencing popping sounds when chewing food may be an indication of jaw misalignment, such as TMJ (temporomandibular joint), and cause ear ringing.
• Blood pressure – Stress, alcohol, caffeine or hardening of the arteries can increase blood pressure, making the blood pump harder through the veins. In the vessels close to the ears, the pumping may sound louder and create ringing.
• Medical issues – Lyme disease, fibromyalgia and Meniere’s disease can create side effects that cause ear ringing.

Impact
In the past, tinnitus usually was diagnosed in adults after age 50. However, researchers in Canada studying 170 students ages 11 and 17 discovered that nearly 29 percent had chronic tinnitus, which could be a sign of permanent nerve damage. Be careful with earbuds and wear hearing protection in all loud situations. Carry one or two pairs of inexpensive ear plugs in your vehicle. They’ll muffle the loud sounds that can lead to hearing loss.