Hello. I am an Audiologist, and have had tinnitus for my whole life.
As noted there are many causes of tinnitus, and for most people, there is a combination of causes. When there is pressure or fluid in the middle ear, infection in the outer or middle ear, or a build up of cerumen (ear wax) in the ear canal, the tinnitus is perceived as being louder because those conditions are blocking ambient noises so the internal sounds are more noticeable.
As with so many conditions, what works for one person may not work for another. There are devices that mask the tinnitus with other sounds, devices that teach the patient to tune-out the tinnitus, and for those with hearing loss, hearing aids also offer a masking effect. Ginko Biloba is the only supplement that has been correlated with reduction in tinnitus in a significant number of patients in independent clinical studies. However, supplements are not regulated, and therefore the quality and quantity of effective ingredients on the label may not be what’s actually in the bottle. Also note that ginko is a blood thinner, so a person must first consult their physician – especially if they or their family history has cardiovascular illness.
I am on my iPhone getting a pedicure, so I can’t get links and all that. Arches Tinnitus Relief Formula is a brand of Ginko from an ENT Physician who promises quality control. I have used it, and it did relieve my tinnitus, but it did not ‘cure’ it. I did not expect it to, and their staff honestly advised me that it wouldn’t. The key is to take the supplement consistently – I am not good at doing that, but when I did, the ringing was far less noticeable and it was noticeably louder when I was not consistent.