Alternative treatments are known to reduce ringing in the ears, and included among these treatments is acupressure. Tinnitus is just one of the problems and conditions being addressed to by acupressure, together with other alternative treatments such as reflexology, meditation, ayurveda, biological feedback, aromatherapy, Alexander Technique, acupuncture, herbal remedies, and homeopathy.

It is not surprising that tinnitus sufferers resort to alternative treatments as conventional drugs may cause serious side effects. Antidepressants, for instance, which are prescribed to ringing in the ears patients to manage stress are reported to cause drying of the mouth, constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, and blurring of one's vision, among others. Furthermore, there are no conventional drugs which are formulated to directly treat tinnitus.

Let us establish the acupressure–tinnitus relationship by getting to know the two first. As you might have already known, tinnitus, which is better known as ringing in the ears, is the perception of sound even though there is no external source. Its common causes include repeated exposure to loud noise, sinus problems or allergy, stress, Meniere's Disease, thyroid disorder, ototoxicity, head and neck injuries, and blood flow related medical conditions such as hypertension, anemia, and atherosclerosis. Acupressure, on the other hand, is the application of physical pressure with the use of fingers, elbows, or other device to areas of the skin where meridians terminate from connections to various parts of the body.

How does then, this application of pressure help in treating ear ringing? The meridians being referred to above can be used to direct the nervous system of our body to release muscular tension as well as aid the flow of blood to damaged parts. Also, acupressure makes your body release endorphins. These are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, and they give a person a sense of well-being. The production of large amounts of these compound stops pain and speeds recovery from injury. This means that tinnitus patients who undergo acupressure have their stress reduced, and the medical conditions that have caused the unwanted sound treated. In effect, the ringing in the ears is also reduced.

The good thing about taking advantage of the acupressure - tinnitus relationship is that the sufferers of the condition is that the treatment has no side effects. Alternative treatments, in general, have raised doubts, especially among the the practitioners of conventional medicine. However, sufferers of ringing in the ears should not be faulted for patronizing alternative tinnitus treatments as what these people want is to reclaim the life that has been taken away by the unwanted sound.