Medications for Tinnitus
Tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) doesn't have a cure, but some medications and treatments may help reduce the severity or manage the symptoms. Here are some medication options and related treatments:
🧪 **Medications (used off-label)**
There are no FDA-approved drugs specifically for tinnitus, but these may help in certain cases:
1. **Antidepressants**
- **Amitriptyline** or **Nortriptyline** (tricyclic antidepressants)
- May help if tinnitus is associated with depression or anxiety.
- Side effects: dry mouth, drowsiness, constipation.
- **SSRIs (e.g., sertraline, paroxetine)**
- Mixed results in studies, but may help reduce distress caused by tinnitus.
2. **Anti-anxiety medications**
- **Benzodiazepines** (e.g., clonazepam, diazepam)
- May reduce tinnitus perception short term.
- Risk of dependence; not a long-term solution.
3. **Anticonvulsants**
- **Gabapentin** or **carbamazepine**
- Sometimes used if tinnitus is related to nerve damage.
- Limited evidence of effectiveness.
4. **Zinc or Ginkgo biloba**
- Used as supplements; results are inconsistent. Some people report mild improvements.
🔈 **Non-drug Treatments**
These often work better than meds:
- **Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)**: Top treatment for tinnitus distress.
- **Sound therapy / white noise machines**: Helps mask the tinnitus sound.
- **Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)**: Combines sound masking and counseling.
- **Hearing aids**: If hearing loss is present, they can help reduce perception.
🧠 Other Medical Options
- **NMDA antagonists (e.g., memantine)** – still experimental.
- **rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation)** – a brain stimulation technique with promising early research.