I have come across anecdotal evidence that diuretics will improve tinnitus. Is there any truth to this?
—Kimberly Fleek, MMSc, PA-C, Atlanta
Diuretics have been used to treat Ménière’s disease, a syndrome of deafness, vertigo, and tinnitus. However, the use of diuretics in this debilitating disorder is aimed at treating the vertigo, not the tinnitus (the mechanism of action is the elimination or reduction of endolymphatic hydrops). Unfortunately, there are no good medications for tinnitus, and patients must choose between masking, behavioral therapy, or treatments aimed at aggravating comorbid conditions, such as depression and deafness. For example, in patients with severe sensorineural loss, cochlear implants can effectively reduce tinnitus in 75% of patients. For further discussion, see Dinces E. Treatment of Tinnitus. In: UpToDate. Rose BD, ed. Wellesley, Mass.: UpToDate; 2006.
—Reuben W. Zimmerman, PA-C (100-7)
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