Top 4 Aromatherapy Oils To Remedy Ear Ringing, And How To Use Them
Aromatherapy treatment, or use of essential oils, dates back to thousands of years ago. These oils are pure essences extracted from roots, barks, flowers, and leaves of various healing plants.
Essential oils typically come in small bottles and are clear or almost clear in color. They should not feel oily when touched.
Aromatherapy works for reducing ear ringing because the aromas impact the limbic system (which regulates emotions and memory functions) and pharmacologically relieve anxiety and tension.
The top 4 essential oils used to relieve ringing ear symptoms are:
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
- Juniper Berry (Juniperis communis)
- Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum ssp serotinum)
These oils are known to decrease congestion in the nasal passageways, reduce stress, and improve circulation throughout the body. Improved air and blood circulation as well as less tension in the body lead to relief from the ringing, pulsing, and buzzing in the ears known as tinnitus.
Which brand of oils should I buy?
I frequently hear this question about which specific brands of these essential oils are best. My recommendation is always to find the most high-quality and pure oil you can find. Many companies sell excellent quality essential oils. Typically, the products that are higher quality are also more expensive. After doing research, reading reviews, and speaking with some of my patients, I am including my recommended brand of essential oils to help reduce ringing in the ears.
doTERRA Lavender Essential Oil
doTERRA Cypress Essential Oil
doTERRA Juniper Berry Essential Oil
doTERRA Helichrysum Essential Oil
After you have your essential oils, try these simple but effective application methods.
Don’t forget, consistency is key so the best frequency for treatment is 3 times per day for 1-2 weeks. The oils can impact people differently so make sure you trial all the essences for ear ringing (lavender, cypress, juniper berry, and helichrysum) as well as the synthetic oil blend (instructions below).
- Pure essential oil application method:
- Use a dropper to squeeze 2-3 drops of your essential oil on a cotton swab.
- Gently, and with a circular motion, apply the oils to key areas around your face including the ear lobe, temples, behind the ears, and sides of the neck.
- Do not apply the essential oils directly into your ear lobe.
- Synthetic oil blend application method:
- Pick a carrier oil, which is a less powerful oil that can be the base of your aromatherapy blend. I recommend coconut oil because it is readily available (many people have it in their cupboards already) and because of its ability to be quickly absorbed by the top layer of the skin. Other examples are jojoba oil, castor oil, or almond oil.
- Find a small container to mix and store your oil blend. Amber bottles are commonly used because they provide a dark environment to keep your oils fresh and they come with a dropper lid. You could also use a small mason jar.
- Measure out 1/8 cup of coconut oil (or other carrier oil) and add 15 drops of each of the essential oils that help with ear ringing: lavender, juniper berry, and cypress. Add 5 drops of helichrysum.
- Close the lid to your bottle and gently shake and swirl the ingredients together. Research shows that allowing the bottle to sit in a cool, dark place for 24 hours helps to better combine the ingredients. However, the manual method of shaking the bottle is effective as well.
- Now apply the essential oil blend by squeezing out 2-3 drops onto a cotton swab and rubbing it into the crucial areas surrounding the ears: earlobes, temples, behind the ears, and the sides of the neck.
- Inhalation method:
- Place 4-5 drops of either pure essential oils or your blend of oils into the palms of your hands.
- Rub your hands together gently to stimulate the healing powers of the oils.
- Now, place your nose as close as you can without actually inhaling the oils and breathe in deeply.
- Breathe in your essential oils or oil blend 5 times.
- Direct application method:
- Squeeze 2-3 drops of either the pure essential oils or your synthetic blend on a cotton ball.
- Repeat this procedure on a second cotton ball.
- Place the cotton balls in the ear lobe but DO NOT push it into the ear canal. The cotton balls should be sitting snugly up against the entrance to the ear canal. If you have small ears, you could break one cotton ball in half so each ear will have 1/2 of a cotton ball in it.
- Keep these cotton balls in your ears overnight.
- When you wake up, remove the cotton balls and wash your ears with warm water.
- Essential oil diffuser/vaporizer method:
- You will need to purchase an aromatherapy vaporizer/essential oil diffuser if you want to try this method.
- Typically, you will squeeze the instructed amount of drops (1-2 drops is usually recommended) of your essential oils on a scent pad or directly into the device and a fan inside the vaporizer will circulate the aromas through the air.
- The nose is one of the quickest ways to the brain. The nose is also interconnected with the ears so your treatment will be as direct as possible.
- It is recommended that you try this in a small room (such as a bathroom). Find a comfortable spot to sit and once the aromas start entering the air, take deep breaths to really inhale the scents.
- Another way to use the vaporizer is to run it in your bedroom during sleep. This will allow for longer exposure to the essential oils in the air and can soothe you if you have trouble sleeping due to the ringing or pulsing sounds in your ears.
- Do-it-yourself herbal steam method:
- Get a large, heatproof bowl, a towel, your essential oils or oil blend, and boiling water.
- Fill up the bowl with the boiling water until it is 1 inch from the top.
- Add 5 drops of the essential oil or oil blend of your choice.
- Drape the towel over your head and place your face as close to the bowl as possible. The towel should also cover the bowl.
- Inhale the steam with long, deep breaths. Continue to do so for about 10 minutes or until the water cools off.
I’ve used the essential oils you recommend and it has worked well most of the ringing is gone,,,,what a relief!!! Thank you so much.
Shirley, I have a constant high pitch whistling in my ears all the time. Did you use the recommended oils listed above? I am very interested. How did you apply? With the diffuser or directly on the ears, etc?
where did you get these oils
I purchase my oils from Edens Garden online. The Now brand is available at Whole Foods. Also, Plant Therapy is available online. The Helichrysum essential oil is expensive (like $44 for 5 ml).
I have just added a section to this article that includes a recommended brand – doTERRA – that is both highly rated and that others have reported success with for relieving ringing in the ears!
How long before you noticed a difference? Which way did you use them?
Hello Shirley,
I have a high pitched whistling in my right ear. I plan to try the overnight cotton ball method. Which oil and method helped you ? Thank you.
I have had the ringing all my life and when my dr put me on a low sodium diet it worked.
Hi Shirley,
Did you use one oil at a time? What was your method that you used?
I have non-stop tinnitus & it is wearing me out.
Thank you
I am so thrilled to hear that! Thanks for updating us about your results!
Where do you get these oils ??
I get mine from either Walmart, or Puritan Pride vitamin store. They both are reasonable priced.
I am very happy with both places. Good Luck
Check out the brand doTERRA as well. I have updated the article if you would like to check it out!
Where to buy oils ??
Teresa, you can buy essential oils many places now. I buy mine from Edens Garden. just google Edens Garden….they are very reasonable, and very fast with free shipping. I plan to use this mix for my husbands tinnitus problem. Wish you the best.
I get the 100% therapeutic grad3 oils from Young Living. Health Canada has approved quite a few of them now so they may even be covered by a health plan. They are the most pure ones out there.
Have the oils worked for anyone? My ringing is constant and high pitched.
How many minutes should I run the oil diffuser per session when using the Essential oil diffuser method.
You suggest the best frequency for treatment is 3 times per day for 1-2 weeks.
Thank you.
Honestly, as long as your body can handle it. I say about 10-15 minutes but try it out and see how you feel. Let us know how it works for you!
Applying undiluted essential oil to the skin can cause irritation. Make sure you test your diluted essential oil on a small area of skin before applying the mixture in or around your ear.
I have minears disease which means that me body produces too much fluid in the inner ear and when it leaks out into the outer ear canal it causes virtigo. The ringing has been present all my life. My nose throat and ear specialist put me on a low sodium diet to control the amount of fluid my body retains If I eat too many salty things I get severe ringing.