How can I stop my ears from ringing?

ON Jul 29, 2010 at 2:14PM

I get a ringing in my ears that comes and goes. What’s causing this, and is there anything I can do to stop it?

Question:

ABOUT THE EXPERT

Tanya Edwards, M.D.

A family physician, Dr. Tanya Edwards is passionate about using nutrition for the prevention and treatment of chronic illness. She... Read more

Chronic or intermittent ringing in the ears, also called tinnitus, is pretty common as we get older. The most frequent cause of tinnitus is hearing loss due to aging. When the ringing is also associated with dizziness, vertigo and a feeling of fullness in the ear, the culprit may be Mnire's disease, a condition triggered by an imbalance of fluid in the ear -- it can't be cured, but it can be controlled with dietary changes and in some cases diuretics or topical antibiotics. An ear, nose and throat physician can help you pinpoint the cause, double-check that there are no anatomical problems or tumors, and perform a hearing test to see to what degree, if any, hearing is affected. Taking steps to reduce stress, including meditation, exercise and acupuncture, can actually diminish or alleviate the bothersome ringing in some cases. Answer:

iVillage

How can I stop my ears from ringing?

Tanya Edwards, M.D.