Tinnitus: Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the herbal treatments that tinnitus treatment providers allow their patients to try. It has no known side effects and doesn't seem to worsen the tinnitus and so it is typically allowable. The idea is that magnesium is essential in maintaining healthy cilia cells inside of the cochlea.

Some people claim that magnesium cured their tinnitus. If cilia cells are destroyed, they are non-regenerative and therefore will not grow back no matter how much magnesium is being consumed. An analogy would be to think of oneself pouring fertilizer on a dead tree stump and claiming that the tree came back to life. That would be a miracle. This analogy is applicable to people whose cilia cells have been amputated by sudden loud noise. The microscopic fallen trees will not grow back. 

There are people who suffer from acute tinnitus, who have not had an amputation of the cilia cells but instead have damaged cilia cells that may repair over time. Here's where magnesium might help. As an analogy, think of a thirsty tree that is bent. Adding fertilizer may help to reduce the time it takes for those damaged cilia cells to repair. That is the idea behind adding magnesium. 

People who have amputated cilia cells, whose tinnitus is getting worse over time, may want to try magnesium to strengthen the undamaged cilia cells as a preventative measure to slow or stop the progression. There's no way to determine the efficacy of adding magnesium to one's diet. 

I started on a daily liquid vitamin called Max Effect that has 25mg of magnesium in the hopes of preventing my tinnitus from getting any louder. As it stands, the tinnitus is barely tolerable. I can't imagine it getting any louder. So, I'm trying to strengthen the remaining cells. There is no way that I'll be able to tell whether it is working. I'm not endorsing Max Effect. But, I am raising awareness of the product as a possible source of magnesium. Consult your doctor before you try any treatment.