Tinnitus is the medical term for ringing in the ears. It is characterized by hearing phantom sounds when none are present. While the condition is annoying, it is not usually a sign of any serious medical issue. The noises may sound like ringing, buzzing, whistling, hissing or roaring and they may vary in pitch and volume. In some cases, the phantom noises may be so loud that they make it difficult to hear actual sounds.
Causes
A number of medications may cause tinnitus as a side effect. These include antibiotics, cancer medications, diuretics, malaria medications and aspirin in high doses. The tinnitus symptoms usually disappear when the drug is stopped or the dose is reduced. Age-related hearing loss is a common cause of tinnitus. Short-term exposure to very loud noise, such as a loud concert, may cause temporary tinnitus. Another common cause of ringing in the ears is impacted earwax that causes irritation of the eardrum. More rarely, tinnitus is caused by a blood vessel disorder such as atherosclerosis or high blood pressure.
Role of Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace element in the body and is found in the central nervous system including the cochlea. It is also an essential component of an enzyme known as copper-zinc superoxide dismutase that has been linked to tinnitus. Although the exact mechanism that causes tinnitus is not well known, there is some evidence that zinc supplementation can be beneficial. Patients with tinnitus have higher rates of zinc deficiency, especially in elderly patients. Four out of five small scale studies have shown improvement of symptoms with zinc supplementation, according to the National Institutes of Health, although a large-scale clinical study is still needed.
Sources
Oysters are the best source of dietary zinc, providing up to 265 mg per serving. Other foods high in zinc include beef, wild game, poultry, crab and lobsters. For vegetarians, fortified breakfast cereals provide significant amounts of zinc. Beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products also provide moderate amounts of zinc. Supplemental zinc is available alone or in in most multivitamin supplements.
Amounts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's recommended dietary allowance of zinc is 11 mg for adult men and 8 mg for adult women. Pregnant women should receive 11 mg per day and breast-feeding women should receive 12 mg. Daily intakes over 40 mg are not recommended.
Other Treatments
Medications cannot cure tinnitus but they can help reduce the symptoms for some individuals. Tricyclic antidepressants and alprazolam may be prescribed for severe cases of tinnitus. Others have success with white noise generators to mask the sound frequencies of tinnitus. If your tinnitus is caused by another underlying health condition, your doctor will try to treat the symptoms of that condition.
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