Tinnitus

Many prescribed medications list it as a side effect, for example. It can also be triggered by loud noise – either a single blast or exposure over a long period of time.

It is likely to be often caused by inflammation in the ears, or constriction causing restricted blood flow. Eating a diet low in saturated fat and high in essential fats can help. Having diabetes or a blood sugar problem can be a contributing factor. This is probably because blood sugar lows increase adrenalin which constricts blood vessels. Infection and allergy are two other contributors that could cause inflammation in the ear.

Therefore I recommend you check out your food allergies and include 2 grams of vitamin C in your daily supplement programme. One of the most common causes of inflammation is a hidden food allergy. Although milk and wheat are common foods, and hence worth avoiding for a fortnight to see if that makes a difference, it can be anything. The only way to find out is to have an IgG food intolerance blood test. This is the main antibody causing food reactions. (There is another type of antibody, IgE, that also causes allergic reactions but most IgE allergies will show up on an IgG test.)

The second line of attack is to reduce inflammation. Excessive mucus production is part of the body’s inflammatory response. There are a number of natural anti-inflammatory remedies that may help, such as omega-3 fish oils and the herbs such as boswellia and curcumin. These are also worth trying.

My favourite anti-allergy nutrients are quercitin (500mg), together with MSM, vitamin C, bromelain and glutamine. You can get these all together in a combination supplement. Also, you want to up omega 3 fats, and especially EPA. Aim for a month taking 1,000mg of EPA. If you eat oily fish three times a week that means supplementing 500mg of EPA daily. Do this for a month, and avoid your food allergens and you may well find that your tinnitus improves.

Sometimes physical imbalances in your neck or skull can result in tinnitus. A cranial osteopath can correct these.