Tinnitus, like cancer or heart disease, is one of those "modern world" health disorders that it seems, will live on into all eternity, simply because it wasn't a widespread problem in simpler times when simpler forms of healing were practiced en

Considering this, it shouldn't be too earth-shattering for anyone to learn then that ginkgo biloba for tinnitus, from a tree that survived the ice-age, is the conditions most reputed herbal remedy.

There is a sound, scientific basis for all the recognition, both good and bad, ginkgo biloba receives in the modern world of tinnitus remedies. It has been used since ancient times in Chinese medicine for circulatory ailments, a problem that features prominently in many, if not most, tinnitus cases.

Ginkgo biloba's tinnitus healing effects come from two sources: flavenoids and terpenoids.

Flavenoids reduce free-radical damage to blood vessels and nerves and terpenoids, in the same vein (pun proudly intended), improve blood flow by dilating vessels.

This tag team can do a real number on tinnitus - but not just any tinnitus. The mass misconception that haunts every nook and cranny of the tinnitus cure realm, is that tinnitus is like a vampire that you can methodically send off with garlic and crosses. While it may be as mystical as this scenario, tinnitus is more like a phantom in that you can't see it, it is always reported differently by different people and always responds differently to different remedial actions taken by different people.

Because the prevailing misinformation surrounding it, tinnitus and the prospects for eliminating it, have taken on mythical proportions matching those of vampires. And this is why, while many tinnitus sufferers find virtually immediate and often significant ear ringing relief through ginkgo biloba usage, many more find themselves $50 lighter in the wallet and heavier in spirit.

This is also why those who prove that when attempting to overcome tinnitus, ginkgo biloba does work wonders, usually have to continue taking it to continue feeling better - which can lead to disappointment when their bodies' naturally become less responsive to its effects.

The tinnitus sufferers that ginkgo biloba will help are those with tinnitus that's what's called "vascular" in nature, which simply means that circulation problems, stemming from inner-ear nerve damage and blood-vessel problems, are at least partly to blame. This could be the result of hypertension due to overweight, a head or neck injury, or some sort of restriction of the blood vessels in your ear(s).

While you may have vascular tinnitus you still want to be careful to avoid taking the "crosses and garlic" approach to healing with ginkgo biloba. What I'm getting at is, if you have poor circulation in your ear due to a non-injury related problem, such as lung damage due to smoking or obesity, taking ginkgo biloba for tinnitus isn't going to help if you continue to smoke, or eat the wrong foods for your body. You also may have several other tinnitus causes that need to be addressed if you are to realize permanent relief.

An alleged tinnitus sufferer commenting on tinnitus-free.com, tells how they tackled the causes of their tinnitus head on and without ginkgo biloba:

"I also tried herbal meds to help with my tinnitus but unfortunately for me it did not help. I found that physical activities reduced the ringing in my ears to the point where it's almost unnoticeable."

This person also made the point which I've made here, that the remedy that works for one person, be it ginkgo, exercise, diet, stress reduction, or another natural therapy, will not necessarily work for someone else and the key is to try and try again until you find out "what works for you".

I mentioned that the prevailing misconception which keeps sufferers from actually taking responsibility for and doing anything constructive about their problem, is that tinnitus relief is a single "cure" away. Well, the studies on ginkgo are plagued by this sentiment as well.

For example, a "double blind placebo controlled" study, conducted on over 900 patients between 18 and 70 years old in 2001, revealed no greater improvement in patients who took ginkgo bilobo (three 50 mg tablets per day for 12 weeks) for tinnitus, over those that unwittingly took something that has no effect on tinnitus (in other words, a placebo). In fact, according to its results, the simple belief power of those that thought they might be taking ginkgo and weren't, was enough for them to report their tinnitus as being less loud and troublesome after three months then those that actually took it.

The problem with this study is that it doesn't take into account that most people with tinnitus have multiple causes and that the vascular problems that ginkgo is proven to help, may not even be one of them. For this reason, while ginkgo might have shown some initial benefits in the first couple of days or weeks for those who have vascular tinnitus, since the cause of these vascular problems for many of these people would have likely been due to lifestyle related problems, such as obesity, it didn't have a long-term effect.

A couple of older double blind studies do show greater improvements in those people given ginkgo biloba for tinnitus, over those given a placebo, however - if gingko's blood pressure improving powers are any indication - those suffering from vascular tinnitus likely account for the benefactors.

One group of scientists actually discovered the error of the ways of these studies. A study conducted by the American Association of Family Physicians concluded that Ginkgo has "modest positive effects" in "tinnitus of the vascular origin." The study also found that 160 mg taken in two-three doses is the most effective mode of tinnitus ginkgo biloba treatment. Natural health expert Dr Andrew Weil recommends taking "two tablets of standardized extract three times a day with meals...for at least two months" but doesn't mention how many milligrams those tablets should be.

One apparent tinnitus battle-wager giving a personal ginkgo biloba for tinnitus review on tinnitus-free.com, says that her results with ginkgo biloba indicate that the dosages themselves may be another problem with the clinical ginkgo biloba for tinnitus trials:

"I just got tinnitus, and am taking 240 mg of Ginko Biloba twice a day, and it really decreases the ringing sounds. (Several tinnitus study trials) did not dose in high quantities, and it seems that is what is needed. I might (take 240 mg three times per day)."

It should be clear to you at this point that, that ginkgo biloba (for tinnitus, at least) is no natural remedy wunderkind - no "cure," in other words. But being really clear means also understanding that that doesn't mean that it can't work wonders, to help eliminate circulation problems that may be causing your tinnitus. The key word there though is help. The secret to success when healing tinnitus, is using a holistic program that tackles the multi-dimensional problem from multiple angles, instead of resting your faith in a single solution. In other words, when it comes to your tinnitus at least, don't rely on vampire-like folklore, if you want real results.

--> Don't make the mistake of trying tinnitus ginkgo biloba treatment without knowing if you'll see lasting results. Discover "The Two Sides of Ginkgo Biloba for Tinnitus" at my natural tinnitus treatment website.

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