To cure tinnitus or ringing in the ears, you don’t always have to depend on medical treatments. With proper treatments, home remedies can also work well. Most importantly, you should be aware what things trigger tinnitus before having the problem treated. Here are some suggested home remedies for you to try in combating this annoying ear problem.

1. Avoid exposure to loud noises

If your tinnitus is caused by constant exposure to loud sounds or noises (for instance, your working environment is very noisy or you are used to listening music at high volume), the first thing to do in relieving the problem is by minimizing the cause. Use ear plugs to avoid over exposure to loud noises and lower the volume of the music as much as possible.

2. Get enough sleep

Our body heals and regenerates its functions during our night’s sleep. Take 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to help improve your tinnitus.

3. Prevent anemia

Some people might notice that anemia can worsen their tinnitus. Consuming foods that prevent anemia such as eggs, red meat, seafood, whole grain cereals, raisins, dried figs, or other foods that contain iron and vitamin B12 is helpful in relieving tinnitus. You can also take blackstrap molasses to gain more energy and prevent anemia.

4. Eat a healthy diet

Consume foods that are rich in vitamins A, B, E, zinc and amino acids such as vegetables, raw fruits, sea vegetables, kelp and garlic. Consume less of caffeine, alcohol, salt, sugary foods, tobacco products, saturated fats, dairy products, and processed foods as they may aggravate your condition. As aspirin may trigger tinnitus, avoid also aspirin-like herbs such as willow bark, meadowsweet, wintergreen, black haw, uva ursi and cinchona. Soy foods are too high in phytic acid, which interferes with the assimilation of zinc and other nutrients. It is best to avoid foods that contain soy flour, tofu and soy milk.

5. Mask the annoying noise

There may be times when your tinnitus gets worse. To relieve the annoying ringing in the ears, you can try masking the noise. Listen to some music, noise from an out of tune radio, or noise from a fan to combat ringing or buzzing that comes from inside your head.

6. Relieve stress

Stress is also believed to be one of the factors that trigger tinnitus. When your tinnitus worsens because of stress, take time to relax. Getting some spa treatments, taking yoga classes, trying acupuncture, meditating or involvement in any activity that can reduce stress is helpful in relieving your hearing problem.

7. Herbal remedies

Some plants that are reported to improve tinnitus include gingko biloba, black cohosh, hawthorn, goldenseal, mustard seeds and sesame seeds.