Question: I've had tonal tinnitus for 18 years. Recently after the flu I now have pulsating tinnitus (humming).Can anyone offer suggestions for alternative medicine treatments that work?

Answer: In the majority of cases, tinnitus is caused by damage to the hearing organ. In these cases, there is normally no need for treatment other than reassurance that the tinnitus is not being caused by another treatable illness.In the very rare instance where the tinnitus is extremely bothersome, there are a number of treatment options.Some of the most helpful include antianxiety or antidepressant medication, biofeedback and other relaxation techniques, and sometimes maskers—small devices like hearing aids that help to block out the sound of the tinnitus with "white noise."For people who are bothered by tinnitus only when trying to sleep, the sound of a fan or a radio set to low volume is usually all that is required to relieve the problem.Most people with tinnitus find that their symptoms are worse when under stress, so relaxation techniques can be helpful.Caffeine may worsen symptoms.Hearing loss worsens the effect of tinnitus, so hearing protection and avoiding loud noises is very important in preventing worsening of the symptoms.For most people, though, simply ignoring the tinnitus will allow it to fade into the background, just as wearing a piece of jewelry or a watch becomes unnoticeable to us after a short time, unless we consciously think about wearing it.In cases where the tinnitus is caused by one of the other rare problems (such as a tumor or aneurysm), treatment of the tinnitus involves fixing the main issue. Although this does not always resolve the tinnitus, some people note relief of their symptoms. Only a very few cases of tinnitus are caused by identifiable, repairable medical conditions.