Q&A: Remedies for Tinnutis

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My mother is an active, healthy 75-year-old. Her diet is well balanced and she walks a lot every day. However, for several years she has suffered with tinnitus. Are there any herbs that would help?
—L.M., Highlands Ranch, Colorado 

Stansbury responds: Tinnitus, or ringing in the ear, can drive a person mad. The cause often is elusive, and effective therapies are nonexistent unless an underlying cause can be identified. Virtually any ear pathology — from tumors and nerve problems to poor circulation and impacted earwax — can cause the unpleasant noise. The presence of dizziness, hearing loss, ear pain or recurrent ear infections may help narrow down the origin of tinnitus. Your mother sounds quite healthy and I trust she has had a thorough medical work-up to rule out any such pathologies or to identify something that could be treated directly.

In cases where no underlying ailment can be identified, herbs such as ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) that improve circulation to the head may help, though they may take several months to yield results. If your mother has any sort of circulatory difficulties, it would be especially worth a try. Other herbs that may improve circulation to the head include rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and gotu kola (Centella asiatica). Herbs that might allay nerve and/or vascular inflammation include St. John’s wort and hawthorn berries (Crataegus spp.).

I suggest taking multiple B vitamins for three to four months, as deficiencies can cause nerve inflammation and it becomes harder to absorb these vitamins as we age.

Willard responds: I must admit, tinnitus is one of the most difficult problems facing a health practitioner — it’s annoying and hard to eliminate. Chinese theory suggests it has more to do with the capillary bed in the kidney than the ears. Chinese practitioners seem to have more success than most when treating tinnitus, by prescribing kidney tonics high in flavonoids.

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