Did you ever have endless nights of constant buzzing and humming, even if there is no external noise? The annoying ear sounds that have been keeping you up most nights may be due to a condition referred to as Tinnitus.
And yes, the constant ringing, clanging, banging, buzzing and other irritating noises can cause a lot of stress and frustration! Commonly referred to as "head tinnitus," Tinnitus is a result of nerves transmitting impulses emanating from the ear itself to the brain.
The condition often characterize by either one or two of the following: hearing loss due to impact or age, ear infections, impaired ear drums and underlying health conditions like diabetes, circulatory problems, and high blood pressure.
The intensity of the volume, the frequency of the episodes and the shrill of the noise itself vary from one person to another and could be experienced in either one of the ears or both.
If you think you're alone, you're mistaken.
Tinnitus is a condition affecting about 36 to 50 Million Americans, 12 Million of which have been severely affected.
About 50% of the statistics of recurrent tinnitus have also exhibited circulatory problems, diabetes and high blood pressure, 30% of those are over the age of 65 and have started hearing degeneration and only about 20% have had impacted ear drums, ear infections and ear bone malformation.
DIET and LIFESTYLE CHANGE More research shows that diet and lifestyle have major roles in controlling tinnitus symptoms.
Links have been drawn between the food that we take and the lifestyles that we practice are both directly related.
People with extreme tinnitus are advised to drop salt, trans-fat and saturated fat and caffeine entirely from their diet plan.
Thus, fast food, chips, chocolates and other food options high in sugar, salt and cholesterol are to be avoided.
Instead, we can snack on non-fat, low sugar cookies and biscuits, fruit preserves, freshly cut fruits and vegetables and salt-less crackers.
Always remember to go for those that are high in Vitamin B Complex (Thiamin and Niacin, Zinc and Magnesium.
Vitamin B Complex is said to reduce acceleration of ear muscle and ear drum degeneration and has been prescribed to people who developed hearing loss and tinnitus due to long-term exposure to loud noises.
Most of the patients suffering from both are found to be Vitamin B deficient and are even prescribed intramuscular injections of Vitamin B12.
Loading up your diet with oysters, eggs, milk and milk products, fish, poultry and lamb will provide you with enough Vitamin B Complex requirements that can help ease the symptoms of tinnitus.
Zinc and Magnesium have also been found to be effective in controlling hearing loss and tinnitus symptoms.
And an intake of zinc and magnesium enriched food like whole wheat grain cereals, beans, nuts and fish, for a period of three to six months significantly reduces the volume, intensity and frequency of tinnitus symptoms.
It is also beneficial to include Vitamin-A rich food like dark green leafy vegetables and yellow vegetables and fruit like yam, oranges and cantaloupes, as Vitamin A has been found to reduce the ringing in the ears.
VITAMINS AND FOOD SUPPLEMENTS Given the changes to our diet, our dieticians and doctors would also prescribe supplements and vitamins that can help our bodies recover their strength and well being and support the healing process.
As such, nutritional supplements are given on a daily basis with the following recommended dosages:

• Vitamin B 12- 100 to 500 mg
• Vitamin B3 - 50 to 500 mg twice a day
• Zinc - 30 mg (daily intake should not exceed 80mg)
• Vitamin A - 5,000 to 10,000 I U and is not recommended for pregnant women

The recommended daily dosages for the above mentioned Vitamins and Minerals can vary from one patient to another, depending on the requirement.
It is important to ask your doctor for specifics in order to maximize your options.