Tinnitus - How Can I Stop the Ringing in My Ears?

September 3rd, 2008

 

I have been a tinnitus sufferer for 8 years now. I am often asked by fellow tinnitus sufferers whether there are any treatments or methods that can be used to effectively stop the ringing. Based on my own experiences conventional medicine offers very few options (with the exceptions highlighted below). There are however other approaches based on anecdotal evidence which I have found to be very effective, some of which I have used to reduce my tinnitus by 90% since being diagnosed with the condition.

The easiest form of tinnitus to treat is tinnitus caused by existing physical conditions such as excessive ear wax, problems with the jaw joint, or cysts on the auditory nerve. These are all treated very effectively by current medicine by resolving the underlying condition. It is very important for all new tinnitus suffers to be fully evaluated by a physician to establish what treatment options are available.

Many people however suffer from tinnitus due to hearing loss, hearing damage caused by exposure to loud noise, or for reasons which will probably never be known. This type of tinnitus is particularly difficult to treat. Tinnitus retraining therapy is an effective and well published method of treatment. This focusing on trying to fool the brain into believing that the sounds associated with the condition are in fact background noise. With time, the brain learns to filter out these noises, However, it takes a long time (12 to 18 months) to work and new suffers obviously want more rapid solutions for treating their condition.

Some conventional medicines used to treat other conditions have been evaluated in clinical trials (e.g. sedatives, anxiolytics and antidepressants) but evidence to support their efficacy is somewhat disappointing.

Complementary therapy has its place in the treatment of tinnitus. The most widely discussed option is Ginkgo Biloba, although scientific evidence to support its use is lacking. Use of homeopathy, zinc supplements, vitamin D and special diets are also favoured by some patients although there is no firm evidence to back up these approaches.

Based on my own experiences, the most successful methods that have really worked are those that are developed by other tinnitus sufferers based on trial and error. By using these I have reduced my tinnitus by 90%.

CURE MY TINNITUS 

Stop Tinnitus - The Ringing in the Ear Problem

September 3rd, 2008

 Tinnitus is a problem that affects people of all ages. A variety of treatments can be used for tinnitus, but no single approach works for everyone. One of the most common is counseling–not to get rid of the sound, but to understand and cope with the tinnitus. This usually involves behavior modification therapy, which teaches relaxation techniques to help eliminate the anxiety that many people experience as a result of the condition. It’s best to consult a psychologist specifically trained in tinnitus.

There are machines that can replicate the sound you’re hearing to distract you from the noise in your head. These include hearing aid-like apparatuses and tabletop white-noise devices.

To prevent tinnitus, avoid exposure to loud noises. Also limit the amount of products you take containing aspirin, since aspirin may worsen symptoms. Caffeine is a stimulant and irritant to hearing cells, so you should avoid it as well.

Multiple studies have linked tinnitus to high levels of insulin in the blood, so try following a diabetic diet: Cut calories to maintain your ideal body weight, and get 50 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fat, and 20 percent from protein at every meal.

Tinnitus is a component of Meniere’s disease, a condition that includes vertigo and fluctuating hearing loss. In one study, long-term management of Meniere’s included a diet avoiding all processed foods and limiting daily salt intake to about 1 gram. Enhance food flavors with lemon juice, herbs, and spices instead.

Research shows that elevated blood fats may cause inner-ear malfunction. Follow a low-fat diet by avoiding fatty meats, high-fat cheeses, fried foods, and commercially baked foods. And remember: Just because a product has no trans fat doesn’t mean it’s low in fat.

CURE MY TINNITUS

Causes of Tinnitus - 3 Main Problem Areas

September 3rd, 2008

Millions of people suffer from some form of tinnitus but what causes this condition? It may be difficult to pinpoint an exact cause of tinnitus but there are several things that can be a factor or contribute to this condition. The most common cause of tinnitus is ear damage. This can be due to an injury, infection or some other medical condition.

When the tiny hairs that are located in your inner ear become damaged it can cause tinnitus. These hairs will move when they come in contact with sound waves. This motion triggers the ear cells to send an electrical signal through the auditory nerve to your brain which are then perceived as sounds. When these hairs are damaged they send random electrical impulses to the brain causing tinnitus.

Health problems related to any of the following scenarios can also cause or increase your risk of having tinnitus:

  • Hearing loss due to aging.
  • Changes that occur in the ear bones usually caused by otosclerosis.
  • An excessive amount of earwax build-up.
  • Head or neck injuries.
  • Meniere’s disease which is an inner ear disorder.
  • Acoustic neuroma is a non-cancerous tumor that develops on the cranial nerve running from the brain to the inner ear. This condition affects balance, hearing and can cause tinnitus.
  • Muscle Spasms
  • TMJ, Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome
  • Some people believe that stress and depression causes tinnitus but many medical professionals don’t agree. It is believed that the tinnitus causes a person to become stressed out and depressed, although these conditions can contribute to tinnitus and make the symptoms worse.

    There are even a variety of medications that can be associated with tinnitus such as the following:

    • Certain Cancer Medications
  • Certain Antibiotics
  • Excessive Amounts of Aspirin
  • Diuretics
  • Quinine Medications
  • Pulsatile tinnitus is the type that causes the person to hear sounds that pulsate in time with your heartbeat. These sounds can be intermittent or continuous.

    The following conditions can cause pulsatile tinnitus:

    • High blood pressure caused by hypertension, stress, caffeine and so forth.
  • Atherosclerosis due to ageing or cholesterol build-up.
  • Tumors formed on the head or neck.
  • Malformation of capillaries forming between the arteries and veins.
  • Any condition that can cause an unstable blood flow.
  • Chronic health conditions and being exposed to loud noises can also be a cause of tinnitus. Any type of loud noise can do damage to your ears especially if you are exposed to this noise on a regular basis. This is why it is recommended you wear ear plugs if you work around machinery or spend a lot of time listing to loud music. Short-term exposure can cause temporary problems but long-term exposure to loud noises can do permanent damage.

    Taking care of your health can help reduce your risk of getting tinnitus. Avoid loud noises, eat right, exercise regularly and protect your hearing at all times. Wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle or when engaging in activities that can cause a head or neck injury. You can lower your risks of getting tinnitus by taking good care of your ears and your overall health.

    CURE MY TINNITUS 

    Tinnitus Treatment Options

    September 3rd, 2008

     Have you also found it difficult to find a good tinnitus treatment web site or advice? If you have been looking for a tinnitus cure, tinnitus treatment or therapy, you’ve obviously arrived here to determine what works and what is not likely to work. Often tinnitus treatment requires some trial and error to find a treatment that works.

    The main reason is that the tinnitus treatment varies, depending on the cause. Often initial visits to an ear, nose, and throat doctor or audiologist are covered by insurance, but it is also possible that many tinnitus treatments are not covered because they are considered experimental.

    Tinnitus

    Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head. Tinnitus is a common experience and is essentially the perception of sounds that are not present in the external environment.

    Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant and the volume ranges from mild to deafening. Tinnitus happens in the absence of sound signals from the ears simply because there is partial or complete hearing loss. Tinnitus is thus the perception of a ringing sound in the ears that can be heard only by the person experiencing the tinnitus.

    Tinnitus can sound like a bell, whistle, roar, screech, hum, crickets, tone, something else, or any combination of the above. Tinnitus can also be a symptom of stiffening of the middle ear bones (otosclerosis). Tinnitus is usually more bothersome when the surroundings are quiet, especially when you are in bed. Tinnitus is not, however, a brain disease, and it is most definitely not a symptom of a psychiatric disorder or hysteria.

    Noise exposure

    Repeated exposure to loud noises such as guns, artillery, aircraft, lawn mowers, movie theatres, amplified music, heavy construction, will often result in cochlea damage, which in turn causes tinnitus. Noise-induced hearing loss is often accompanied by hyperacusis, which is a reduced tolerance to elevated levels of sound. The implications for treatment of tinnitus are that, in addition to using noise-generators to produce a competing sound, or any other sound enrichment, therapeutic approaches should target the focus of attention of tinnitus sufferers.

    Tinnitus has been linked to:

    • ear injuries
  • circulatory system problems
  • noise-induced hearing loss
  • wax build-up in the ear canal
  • medications harmful to the ear
  • ear or sinus infections
  • misaligned jaw joints
  • head and neck trauma
  • Meniere’s disease
  • abnormal growth of the bones in the middle ear.
  • Improper ear wax removal may cause damage to the ear drums and lead to irreversible hearing loss. In some cases there is an obvious cause for the tinnitus, such as a noise induced hearing loss, medication, or ear disease. An associated hearing loss with tinnitus is usually present.

    There is no drug on the market designed specifically for tinnitus treatment. Potential drugs for tinnitus treatment that act at the neurotransmitters should be targeted individually, patient to patient, guided by complementary methods yet to be established.

    CURE MY TINNITUS