Tinnitus may or may not have a treatable cause. However, either way, there are strategies you can use to improve your symptoms. These include stress reduction, behavioral therapies, exercise, and medication.

Tinnitus is known for the ringing, clicking, buzzing, or hissing sounds it can cause.

However, it isn’t really a disease by itself but rather a symptom of a problem somewhere in your ear or the nerves that run through it.

One way to tackle tinnitus is to treat the underlying cause, primarily when that cause is hearing loss. When hearing loss isn’t the issue, sound-based therapies can still help by distracting you from the symptom itself.

Hearing aids

Most people develop tinnitus as a symptom of hearing loss. When you lose hearing, your brain undergoes changes in the way it processes sounds.

A hearing aid is a small device that uses a microphone, amplifier, and speaker to increase the volume of external noises. This can help the brain learn new ways to process sound.

If you have tinnitus, you may find that the better you hear, the less you notice your tinnitus.

Sound-masking devices

Sound-masking devices provide a pleasant external noise that can help drown out the internal sound of tinnitus. Many types are available, from tabletop sound machines to small devices that are placed in your ear.

These machines can play:

  • white noise
  • pink noise
  • nature noises
  • music
  • other ambient sounds

Most people prefer a level of external sound that is just slightly louder than their tinnitus, but some prefer a masking sound that drowns out the ringing completely.

You may also consider using commercial sound machines designed to help you relax or fall asleep. You can even use:

  • regular headphones
  • a television
  • music
  • a fan

Try different sounds and see what works best for you.

Modified or customized sound machines

Sound-masking devices help to cover the sound of tinnitus while you’re using them.

Modern medical-grade devices can be used to create customized sounds tailored specifically to your tinnitus. Unlike regular sound machines, these devices are only worn occasionally.

You might be able to experience benefits after the device is turned off. Over time, you may notice long-term improvement in the loudness of your tinnitus.

These devices can be useful for some people. However, they can be costly and are often not covered by insurance.

Sometimes when there is no cure, treatment involves acceptance and finding a way to live with certain conditions. This is true of tinnitus, too.

There are therapies that are designed not to cure tinnitus, but to reduce the distress and annoyance it may be causing you.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Tinnitus is associated with a high level of emotional stress. Depression, anxiety, and insomnia are not unusual in people with tinnitus.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that helps people with tinnitus learn to live with the condition. Rather than reducing the sound itself, CBT teaches you how to accept it.

The goal is to improve your quality of life and prevent tinnitus from being your focus.

CBT involves working with a therapist or counselor, usually once a week, to identify and change negative thought patterns.

CBT was initially developed as a treatment for depression and other psychological problems, but it seems to work well for people with tinnitus.

Progressive tinnitus management

Progressive tinnitus management (PTM) is a therapeutic treatment program that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers.

Tinnitus is one of the most common conditions seen in veterans of the armed services. The loud noises of war and training often lead to noise-induced hearing loss.

If you’re a veteran, talk with your local VA hospital about their tinnitus treatment programs. Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is another therapy you can ask about that may be helpful.

There are no medications that can cure tinnitus directly, but different medications may help make symptoms more tolerable.

Anti-anxiety drugs

Tinnitus treatment often involves a combination of approaches. Your doctor may recommend medication as part of your treatment.

These drugs may help make your tinnitus symptoms less bothersome, thereby improving your quality of life. Anti-anxiety drugs like alprazolam (Xanax) can also help with insomnia that stems from your tinnitus symptoms.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are a little different in the way they may help tinnitus symptoms because they actually may play a role in reducing the problem, not just your perception of it.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry messages about sensations back to the brain from all over your body, and some of the same neurotransmitters that modify sound also play a role in depression.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of the neurotransmitters that helps you process sound.

Some antidepressants work by increasing serotonin, which in turn may suppress the effects of the GABA neurotransmitter and reduce tinnitus symptoms.

According to the American Tinnitus Association, antidepressants commonly used to treat tinnitus include:

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Some behaviors, such as reducing stress or changing the way you eat, may help reduce your tinnitus symptoms.

Treating dysfunctions and obstructions

According to the American Tinnitus Association, most cases of tinnitus are caused by hearing loss. Occasionally, though, tinnitus is caused by an irritation to your auditory system.

Tinnitus can sometimes be a symptom of a problem with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). If your tinnitus is caused by TMJ disorder, then a dental procedure or realignment of your bite may alleviate the problem.

There are also nonprocedural TMJ disorder treatments that you can ask your doctor or dentist about.

Tinnitus can also be a sign of excess earwax. Removal of an earwax blockage may be enough to make mild cases of tinnitus disappear.

Foreign objects lodged against the eardrum can also cause tinnitus. A regular practitioner can check for obstructions in the ear canal, but if you’re experiencing tinnitus, it may be best to see an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist.

Exercise

Exercise can have a big impact on your overall health and well-being.

Tinnitus can be worsened by:

  • stress
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • lack of sleep
  • illness

Because of this, regular exercise might help reduce your symptoms. You may want to start with gentle exercise, such as yoga, which can also help calm your mind.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction

Stress can contribute to tinnitus symptoms. Relaxation and distraction techniques may help ease your symptoms. It can help to not focus too much on the tinnitus itself and try to avoid having complete silence in your surroundings.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a technique that helps people develop skills to control their attention and draw focus away from uncomfortable feelings.

If you experience tinnitus, it may be worth trying this technique.

There are several alternative or complementary tinnitus treatment options, including:

Many nutritional supplements claim to be tinnitus remedies. They usually combine herbs and vitamins, often including zinc, ginkgo, and vitamin B-12.

However, none of these treatment options is supported by scientific studies. Many people are convinced that the herb ginkgo biloba is helpful, but larger-scale studies have been unable to prove this.

Although anecdotal reports suggest that they may help some people, these dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not supported by scientific research.

Tinnitus is rarely a sign of a serious medical condition and may even get better on its own.

Talk with a doctor if you’re unable to sleep, work, or hear normally.

Go to your local emergency department if you’re experiencing:

  • facial paralysis or weakness in the facial muscles
  • sudden hearing loss
  • foul-smelling discharge from your ear
  • a spinning sensation
  • tinnitus after a head injury
  • a pulsating sound in sync with your heartbeat

Tinnitus may be distressing for some people. If you or someone you love is thinking about suicide, go to the emergency room right away.

Tinnitus can be a frustrating condition. There’s no simple explanation for it, and there’s no simple cure unless you have an underlying treatable cause.

But there are ways to reduce the intensity of the symptoms and improve your quality of life, including stress reduction, sound-based therapies, and behavioral therapies.

Talk with a doctor to make sure there are no underlying conditions causing your tinnitus and to discuss treatment options that might relieve your symptoms.