7 Natural Techniques to Reduce Tinnitus (Remedies That Work)

Are you struggling with tinnitus? Have you had trouble finding an effective treatment? After working with over 300 patients via telehealth and helping them with their tinnitus, I’ve compiled a list of natural techniques that may help reduce chronic tinnitus. These techniques combine my research in real-world case studies, success stories, and online research. Let’s dive in. 

Natural Technique #1: Eat An Organic And Clean Diet. 

I recently interviewed a hearing professional who developed tinnitus and hyperacusis late in life. They had a very challenging case that required thinking beyond traditional audiology. Over a two-year period, they went from having loud intrusive tinnitus that affected every minute of their life, to barely perceptible tinnitus and ultimately a much better quality of life.

When I asked them how they did it, they said that maintaining a clean, whole food organic diet was a big part of how they got better. And the good thing about this approach is that there are no negative side effects​​—it can only further support the process of getting better and recovering from tinnitus. ​​

Natural Technique #2: Limit Negative Information Related To Your Condition. 

Nowadays, it is increasingly common to want to stay up to date with all the news, TV, entertainment, and other media. We seek stimulation. However, it is important to limit what kind of information we take in and expose ourselves to. That’s why it’s important to establish boundaries and mediate the amount of negative information and media we take in. Small actions like choosing to read a book rather than watching the news thus helps to develop positive neural pathways that aid us and our treatment of tinnitus or hyperacusis. 

Another important point to consider is to be careful about what information you look at online regarding tinnitus. If you spend considerable time searching for tinnitus cures or reading about the experiences of other tinnitus patients, then you’ll be putting your tinnitus front and center in your brain and potentially creating a negative mental reaction. It’s important to be mindful about how you’re spending your time and what kind of negative information you might be consuming. 

Natural Technique #3: Practice Yin Yoga. 

Yoga entails moving through various body postures, often on either a yoga mat or the ground. Yin yoga is a specific restorative type of yoga that activates and accesses the restorative part of the nervous system called the parasympathetic nervous system. When your brain and body is in a parasympathetic state, it feels calm, relaxed, and in control. After prolonged periods in the parasympathetic state, the brain starts to learn that the tinnitus sound is not a threat and begins to process it in a more productive manner. Yin yoga is natural and has no negative side effects. You can go to an in-person studio and work with an instructor, or you can follow some videos and routines online.

Natural Technique #4: Perform A Guided Body Scan. 

A guided body scan involves laying on the ground or on a yoga mat and slowly bringing your awareness and concentration through the different sections of the body, feeling for various sensations, heat, tightness, and so on. Many patients report considerable success using this technique. If you’re looking to take the first step in integrating guided body scans into your practice, I would advise reading the book Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, which covers how to practice mindfulness using guided body scans and meditation.

Natural Technique #5: Practice Guided Breathing Exercises Such As Meditation Or Box Breathing.

Meditation often involves focusing on one’s breathing, which in turn creates a healthy response in the limbic system in the brain and the autonomic nervous system function in the body. This helps manage in-the-moment anxiety and also shows the brain how to be less reactive to tinnitus. Box breathing is another technique to manage anxiety, with a focus on longer exhales and nice, full inhales, which helps to calm and regulate us. For a tinnitus-specific meditation series, feel free to check out Day 1 of the Tinnitus Meditation Challenge. 

Natural Technique #6: Try Some Minor Changes To Diet. 

Light dietary changes may provide health benefits. However, the research covering how diet interacts with tinnitus specifically is still incomplete, so I cannot strongly endorse it. Nonetheless, there are anecdotal reports of people successfully using alternative approaches like intermittent fasting in order to regulate their tinnitus and bring their levels down. I advise you to speak to a nutritionist, registered dietician, or health coach that specializes in nutrition, as they can provide appropriate recommendations. 

Natural Technique #7: Try Craniosacral Or Standard Muscle Massages On A Weekly Or Biweekly Basis. 

Massages help calm the nervous system. They can help us get out of anxiety loops and relax the autonomic nervous system, which plays a part in the sustained activation of tinnitus.

At the end of the day, you ultimately get to decide which of these natural techniques make sense for you. If you work with an audiologist that specializes in tinnitus, you can ask questions and start to understand which of these techniques might fit your needs and case history.