Can these cure my tinnitus?

I've been suffering from tinnitus (abnormal noise in the ear like ringing or swishing) for quite some time now.  Most of the time I feel dizzy and anxious because I can never sleep well. I have used masking noises like white noise before sleeping but it doesn't seem to work anymore. A friend of mine suggested that I use Alprazolam (Xanax). I've also seen some articles online saying that niacin and melatonin can help with the condition as well. How effective are they for treating tinnitus? What are the other treatments for this condition aside from noise masking and medication? Thanks.

[Arti Sharma, M.D.]

Hello,
Tinnitus is caused by allergies, hearing loss, medications, tumors or loud noises, high or low blood pressure, heart problems etc. Alprazolam is an antianxiety drug. Niacin may be used by some doctors in tinnitus but there is no scientific evidence that it is effective. While using it you may consider the side effects like stomach pain, irregular heartbeat and yellow eyes or skin symptomatic of jaundice. Further study is needed to support its use. Melatonin possibly helps tinnitus by improving sleep but it is best to contact your ENT specialist before using any of these medications. Keep me posted.
Best luck and take care!