Tinnitus or ringing in ear is a common problem that affects millions of people worldwide
. Currently there is not a specific drug used to treat ringing in ear. Antidepressant medication is the most commonly prescribed drug for this problem of tinnitus. At the present the most popular antidepressants are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). The popular drug Prozac is an example of a SSRI. However, what is ironic is that a common side effect of antidepressants is ringing in ear or tinnitus.
Ruling out that a medication you are taking is causing or aggravating your tinnitus should be one of the first things you do. Along with also ruling out any relationship to foods, beverages or caffeine. Tinnitus has been reported as a side effect of ninety percent of the ten popular drugs that are currently used for depression. In some studies looking at the effectiveness of antidepressants for tinnitus, it was found to make it worse a small percentage of cases.
Despite an apparent association between antidepressants and a side effect of ringing in ear or tinnitus, the actual cause and effect has been difficult to establish. Usually if your tinnitus was triggered by antidepressants after stopping the medication for about 3 weeks the tinnitus should resolve. To hamper the understanding of this relationship is the fact that the development of tinnitus appears to be a very individual case by case basis. Independent of person, drug and even dosage of the drug. For example although one antidepressant may cause tinnitus in a certain individual, it does not mean that another antidepressant will have the same result in that particular individual.
Strategies used to combat the onset of tinnitus with the use of antidepressants is to change the dosage by splitting it up through out the day. Also commonly used is the strategy of reducing the total daily dose.
A better solution would be to look for a natural solution to your ringing in ear or tinnitus. These have proven to be highly beneficial for individuals and with no adverse side effects. What is great about these solutions is that they are targeted at the cause of the tinnitus and not just masking up the symptoms.