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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTo treat your tinnitus, your doctor will first try to identify any underlying, treatable conditions that may be associated with your symptoms. If tinnitus is due to a health condition, your doctor may be able to take steps that could reduce the noise. Examples include:
- Earwax removal. Removing impacted earwax can decrease tinnitus symptoms.
- Treating a blood vessel condition. Underlying vascular conditions may require medication, surgery or another treatment to address the problem.
- Changing your medication. If a medication you're taking appears to be the cause of tinnitus, your doctor may recommend stopping or reducing the drug, or switching to a different medication.
Noise suppression
In some cases "white noise" may help suppress the sound so that it's less bothersome. Your doctor may suggest using an electronic device to suppress the noise. These devices include:
- White noise machines. These devices, which produce noise simulating environmental sounds such as falling rain or the ocean, are often an effective treatment for tinnitus. You may want to try a white noise machine with pillow speakers to help you sleep.
- Hearing aids. This can be especially helpful if you have hearing problems as well as tinnitus.
- Masking devices. Similar to hearing aids, these devices produce a continuous, low-level white noise that suppresses tinnitus symptoms.
Medications
Drugs can't cure tinnitus, but in some cases they may help reduce the severity of symptoms or complications. Possible medications include:
- Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, have been used with some success. However, these medications are generally only used for severe tinnitus, as they can cause troublesome side effects, including dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and heart problems.
- Alprazolam (Niravam, Xanax) may help reduce tinnitus symptoms, but side effects can include drowsiness and nausea. It also has the potential to become habit-forming.
- Acamprosate (Campral), a drug used to treat alcoholism, is effective in relieving tinnitus for some people. However, more research is needed to determine how well it works for tinnitus.
