My tinnitus - at a dull roar for the most part - really ramped up a couple of months ago. Now it's a bit better. I don't guess theres anything you can do about this other than live with it?
Having long ago lost faith in doc's around the SE, U.S., I began to look into the world of evidenced based supplements and botanicals
(which means I spent my 401k on umpteen texts and get around to reading a chapter every now and then :-/).
IAE, here's some credible info you might want to consider.
"...Closely linked to hearing loss is a condition known as tinnitus , characterized by a persistent ringing sensation in the ears. Although tinnitus can be triggered by a variety of causes, the majority of cases are associated with hearing loss. 14 Researchers are still working to understand the process behind tinnitus. One popular hypothesis is when the hair cells (specialized nerve cells that help translate sound waves into interpretable signals for the brain, not to be confused with hair follicles) in the cochlea are damaged, some of the associated neurons partially lose the inhibitory regulation that keeps them from firing when no sound is present. As a result, these neurons send signals that the brain perceives as persistent noise. Supporting this hypothesis is that many people who suffer from tinnitus perceive the “ringing” in their ears to be of the same or similar frequency to their hearing deficits. Consequently, similar processes that lead to hearing loss may also lead to tinnitus; thus, interventions that prevent hearing loss may also prevent tinnitus. 14... ."
Source: Preventative Medicine, Life Extension Foundation, Chapter 5.
They go on to recommend about 10+ supplements. (Interestingly, some key ones are being used in the 'Synergy Trials', Klimas's, et al.)
Also: another text (below) offers more scientific analyses; in reference to Tinnitus the authors offer up with a much tested herb... .
"...Ginkgo biloba , the sole member of this herbal class, has been used for centuries as a tonic for the memory and whole body. Modern research suggests that extracts of this herb have the ability to positively affect blood rheology, and therefore to increase blood flow and nutrient delivery to poorly perfused tissues. This is especially true of the microvasculature, such as the capillaries, which is the site of most nutrient delivery and waste disposal. [11]"
Source: clinician'sTHE CLINICIAN’S HANDBOOK OF NATURAL MEDICINE, SECOND EDITION, ISBN: 978-0-443-06723-5