What is the connection between melatonin and Tinnitus? Is melatonin a treatment or does melatonin help Tinnitus? Let’s explore the connection.
Before we get into the melatonin Tinnitus connection, let’s take you through a quick introduction as to what melatonin is, what it does and why you might need it as a supplement to help manage your Tinnitus condition.
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Melatonin 101
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced in the human body. Your body’s pineal gland and also your eye’s retina produce this hormone.
What does melatonin do?
The primary purpose of melatonin is to create drowsiness and also lower your body temperature. It also has vasoactive and antioxidant properties. Vasoactive substances relax blood vessels while antioxidant substances prevent free radical damage.
So, basically, melatonin prepares you for a good night’s sleep. You can learn more about how Melatonin works in the body at this NHS link here.
How Severe is Your Tinnitus?
Find out by using this THI (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory) Scoring Calculator
Why might one need melatonin?
Remember we told you that melatonin is produced naturally. Well, what’s interesting is that is that your body also produces this hormone on a schedule. It’s called the circadian rhythm. It is based on your exposure to the blue light spectrum.
Before artificial lights, the sun was the only source of blue light. When the sun went down, your body had a clear signal to begin producing melatonin, to help you prepare for a night’s sleep. But, with the advent of electronic devices, particularly smartphones and laptops that are held very close to our eyes, blue light is everywhere.
When you are watching Netflix or sending out that email at 11 PM, your pineal gland and your retina essentially think that the sun is out and you are not sleeping anytime soon. Melatonin production is compromised. You stay awake longer. Sleep comes slowly or you don’t sleep as well as you can.
What a timely supply of melatonin as a supplement can do is normalize the supply of melatonin in your body, giving it all the right signals to sleep well.
Melatonin and Tinnitus
So, how does melatonin specifically help people suffering from Tinnitus? By helping them sleep better is how.
People suffering from Tinnitus usually have trouble sleeping well. Those with very severe Tinnitus have a lot of trouble both falling asleep and staying asleep. Melatonin can significantly help in such cases.
Melatonin reduces PERCEIVED Tinnitus
Please note that melatonin cannot reduce the intensity of your Tinnitus. If you are looking to just pop in melatonin tabs for a few nights and are hoping for the ringing to get quieter, it is unfortunately not going to happen.
But, where it can help is reduce the emotional distress associated with your Tinnitus condition. In other words, it makes Tinnitus a lot more bearable or manageable than what it is now.
Studies exploring the Melatonin and Tinnitus connection
There have been a few small studies that have explored the connection between Tinnitus and melatonin, to explore if melatonin can be a viable treatment or management option for those suffering from Tinnitus.
This study for example followed 60 people. The participants were asked to evaluate their Tinnitus condition using questionnaires and interviews. Each one came up with a score called Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). This metric basically measured how much Tinnitus adversely affected their lives. Higher the number, the more severe Tinnitus was.
There were the results of the study;
- Melatonin takers reported a reduction in THI, from 33.91 to 26.09
- Placebo takers also reported a reduction in THI, from 33.91 to 26.43
- 46.7% of melatonin takers reported better sleep
- 20% of placebo takers reported better sleep
As you can clearly see, the group that took melatonin slept better and also felt less distressed about their Tinnitus condition in general. Surprisingly, the placebo group also fared quite well, indicating that Tinnitus could be a condition that is quite significantly affected by stress and anxiety.
Should you take Melatonin for your Tinnitus?
First of all, melatonin is a prescription only drug. Though it is non-addictive, you cannot buy it as an OTC drug. But, before you talk to your doctor about it, here are circumstances where melatonin can most likely help you manage your Tinnitus condition.
Melatonin can best help your Tinnitus condition if you;
- Describe your Tinnitus symptoms as extreme or severe
- Are severely emotional distressed by Tinnitus
- Have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep (insomnia)
Melatonin is also more likely to help you if you;
- Are a male
- Have not or do not suffer from depression
- Do not take any other medication to treat your Tinnitus
In conclusion, melatonin cannot directly reduce Tinnitus or the intensity of ringing in your ears. But, it can definitely help you sleep better. Sleeping better will allow you to better manage or cope with your Tinnitus condition. This can improve quality of life by improving your emotional wellbeing.
There are other things you can do as well. For example, you can wear Tinnitus ear plugs both during the day and night, to protect your ears or mask the ringing.
Most importantly, keep a positive outlook when you suffer from Tinnitus. Tinnitus usually has no cure but natural supplements can help you enjoy long dormancy periods where the ringing just stops, like it did for me. You can read my story by going to this site’s homepage.
