# tinnitus ..does it ever stop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinnitus-does-it-ever-stop/777127 "2017-01-14T17:29:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinnitus-does-it-ever-stop/777127/21 "2017-01-17T13:21:36Z")
Some of the sounds from [mynoise.net](http://mynoise.net) (especially some of the ones in the “brainwaves” section) are made for tinnitus relief, and work quite well for me. There’s a huge variety of other interesting background sound there as well. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinnitus-does-it-ever-stop/777127/22 "2017-01-17T17:51:23Z")
There is _some_ evidence _Ginkgo biloba_ might work. > **[Ginkgo biloba extract in the treatment of tinnitus: a systematic review](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3157487/)** > > Tinnitus is a symptom frequently encountered by ear, nose, and throat practitioners. A causal treatment is rarely possible, and drug and nondrug treatment options are limited. One of the frequently prescribed treatments is Ginkgo biloba extract.... _There are studies of various Gingko preparations which have shown no effect but these were of poor methodological quality. However, the currently available literature shows that there is evidence for the successful treatment of tinnitus with the Ginkgo biloba extract, EGb 761®. Of note, all trials using this extract consistently demonstrate its superiority over placebo. The average treatment effects may be limited in magnitude and not all patients seem to respond to the drug, yet, given the annoying and often disabling nature of tinnitus, even moderate improvements may have a considerable impact on patient quality of life._ In any case " Ginkgo leaf supplements are generally safe." > **[Ginkgo Biloba](https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/supplement-guide-ginkgo-biloba#2)** > > Ginkgo improves blood flow to the brain and may help ease a number of circulation problems, including vascular dementia and leg pain caused by clogged arteries. WebMD explains the benefits and risks of this popular supplement. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinnitus-does-it-ever-stop/777127/24 "2017-01-20T21:03:36Z")
For me it will never go away, but I only notice it when in very quiet situations or discussing it (like now - it’s very loud). I had surgery on both ears, a couple of years separating the surgeries, after my eustachian tubes got blocked up and infected. The surgeons removed my mastoid bones because the antibiotics weren’t effective enough. The infection damaged my middle ears and the tiny bones in there are not optimal, plus the infection went into my brain cavity and produced a cranial abscess. That resulted in brain surgery, twice, and the leakage of infection into my bloodstream I think caused me to be unconscious, hallucinating, and unable to eat or drink for around two weeks. The first time it happened, I was relatively unconcerned until I was in a hospital - after being misdiagnosed multiple times by three General Practitioners, and two Ears, Nose and Throat specialists at a hospital, and the GP in the EMT - and told the shadow in the X-ray meant I might have brain cancer, a cyst or an abscess, and needed an MRI scan to check. This was only after my second visit to the ER, and after throwing up buckets of blood in the hospital. because of the amount of painkillers I was taking. I’d never had any issues with my ears previously and so was too casual when waking up with pus on my pillow. I’d thought it was a minor infection that would be cured with the GP’s antibiotic tablets and drops, plus I was on the strongest painkillers the chemist was allowed to give. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinnitus-does-it-ever-stop/777127/25 "2017-01-20T23:45:08Z")
😕 “Ear-ringing medicine?” ---
**Author:** ![ronam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@ronam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ronam)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinnitus-does-it-ever-stop/777127/26 "2017-01-26T09:40:09Z")
I’ve had a little ringing for as long as I can remember (I’m 18 yrs old and can’t remember a time I _could_ hear complete silence, which may be unusual), but recently it got worse after a sort of “attack.” Oh well, the doc gave a grim prognosis but onwards I push. In your case, ask about TMJ. Or, it could be a Eustachian tube issue. I’ve had ENT issues myself for a while. I suppose it could be caused by your job – gradual onset tinnitus is generally not a great sign in terms of curability, but don’t let that scare you. My anxiety problems makes it worse because I can obsess over the noise. In any case, welcome to the tinnitus club, if only temporarily. It effects millions in the U.S. alone. So while it may be annoying at times, you should at least be able to take _some_ comfort in knowing that many others are in the same boat. Some people get hearing loss, and in some people that hearing loss is accompanied with tinnitus. You can have tinnitus without hearing loss, which is rare, but can be caused by usually benign tumors like schwannomas along the auditory nerves. Sometimes it is just a brain issue, specifically in the auditory cortex. Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease, and has a lot of different causes. Encouragingly, there may soon be a way to reverse hearing loss, and thus tinnitus in many people, using [cochlear cilia regrowth techniques](http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/07/human-hearing-loss-could-be-reversible/491777/). Pretty rad. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinnitus-does-it-ever-stop/777127.md?page=1)