Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Temporarily treat ringing in the ears
• Method 2 of 3: Treat chronic ringing in the ears
• Method 3 of 3: Prevent ringing in the ears
• Tips

That ringing in your ears (also called tinnitus) that you have after playing to loud music is often the result of damage to the microscopic nerve endings in your inner ear. Tinnitus can indicate underlying nerve damage or a problem with your circulation. While it's best to prevent ringing in the ears altogether, there are steps you can take to stop that ringing, even after the damage has already occurred. Read on for helpful tips.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Temporarily treat ringing in the ears

1. Try the skull-thump technique. When you come home from a concert or a club and your ears don't stop ringing, it's because the tiny hairs in your cochlea have been damaged, leading to inflammation and nerve stimulation. Your brain interprets this inflammation as a constant buzzing and this trick can help get rid of that annoying noise.
   • Cover your ears with your palms. Your fingers should point back and rest on the back of your skull. Point your middle fingers towards each other at the very back of your skull.
   • Rest your index fingers on top of your middle fingers.
   • Make a snapping motion, slide your index fingers off your middle fingers so that they tap your skull. This movement sounds like a drum. Since your fingers hit your skull, it can sound quite loud. That is normal.
   • Keep doing this 40 to 50 times. After 40 to 50 times, the buzzing will have subsided.
2. Just sit it out. Ringing in the ears from exposure to noise usually resolves on its own after a few hours. Try not to think about it by resting and avoid anything that could make it worse. If the buzzing doesn't go away after 24 hours, see a doctor.

Method 2 of 3: Treat chronic ringing in the ears

1. See your doctor to treat underlying problems. Often tinnitus is caused by a treatable condition. Sometimes healing the underlying cause can take away some or all of the ringing in the ears.
   • Have your doctor remove wax. Or do it carefully yourself. Removing excess wax build-up can sometimes relieve the symptoms of tinnitus.
   • Have your doctor examine your blood vessels. Blood vessel disorders, such as poor blood flow, can make tinnitus worse.
   • Have your doctor check the side effects of your medications. If you are taking multiple types of medication, you can check with your doctor to see what possible side effects the ringing in the ears can cause.
2. Treat tinnitus with noise suppression. Different types of noise canceling can be used to mask the sounds of ringing in the ears. These techniques include:
   • Using white noise machines. White noise machines make "background" noises such as falling rain or gusts of wind, making you hear less ringing in the ears.
     
     • Fans, humidifiers, and air conditioners can also serve as white noise machines.
   • Using devices to mask the buzzing. You wear these over your ears and produce a continuous sound of white noise to mask the chronic ringing in the ears.
   • Using hearing aids. This is especially effective if you have poor hearing in addition to tinnitus.
3. Take medications to relieve tinnitus symptoms. Although medication usually does not completely get rid of ringing in the ears, it can make it less annoying.
   • Talk to your doctor about antidepressants. Antidepressants can be effective for severe tinnitus, but unfortunately have unwanted side effects.
   • Talk to your doctor about Xanax. This is effective in reducing ringing in the ears, but unfortunately habituation can occur and it has unwanted side effects.
4. Try ginko extract. Ginko extract three times a day with meals can improve circulation in the head and neck, reducing ringing in the ears caused by blood pressure. Try to take ginko for two months before assessing its effectiveness.

Method 3 of 3: Prevent ringing in the ears

1. Avoid situations that can damage the cochlea. Because tinnitus is so difficult to treat, your best option is to prevent it or to keep symptoms from getting worse. The following things can make tinnitus symptoms worse:
   • Hard sound. Concerts are the main culprit, but construction sites, traffic, planes, fireworks and other loud noises can also be harmful. Protect your ears with earplugs.
   • Swimming. Water and chlorine can get trapped in your inner ear when you swim, causing or exacerbating tinnitus. Prevent this from happening by wearing earplugs while swimming.
2. Find an outlet for your stress. If you often have ringing in your ears, stress can make the condition worse. Find ways to release stress such as exercise, meditation, and massage.
3. Consume less alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. These substances are bad for the blood vessels because they dry them out. This mainly happens in the inner ear. Moderate your consumption of alcohol, coffee, tea with caffeine and tobacco to reduce symptoms.
4. Don't eat too much salt. Salt weakens your circulation, increases your blood pressure, and may make tinnitus worse.

Tips

• Strengthening your immune system can also reduce ringing in the ears. You are less likely to have infections and diseases that can make the annoying noise worse. An improvement in your health can also mean an improvement in your tinnitus. Live healthy, mainly through a healthy diet and regular exercise, and get enough sleep.