Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a noise heard inside your ear caused by damage to the cochlea, a small organ in the internal ear. The most common cause of tinnitus is chronic and loud noise exposure. It can also be associated with other diseases, such as Meniere’s disease (see section on Meniere’s), and it often occurs with hearing loss-but it is not caused by it. Other causes of tinnitus include wax blockage, infection, and tumor of the auditory nerve.

Common Symptoms

The noise can be several varieties, including buzzing, ringing, crickets, roaring, hissing, or whistling. It can be intermittent or continuous, and it is usually more prominent at night.

What You Need to Know

Treatable causes of tinnitus (infection, tumor) should be ruled out by an examination or testing. In addition, there are more than 200 medications (including nonprescription) that can cause tinnitus, especially aspirin, some antibiotics, and quinine. If you are taking any medications, check the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) to see whether that medication can cause tinnitus. Because noise exposure is the primary cause of chronic tinnitus, always wear hearing protection. Loud music increases the risk, so those who listen to rock music or other music at high decibel levels should be warned of the risks.

General Recommendations

Diet: Salt, caffeine, alcohol, and smoking can make tinnitus worse and should be reduced or eliminated.

Your balanced healing action plan for Tinnitus

Step 1: Undergo Acupuncture

Acupuncture can resolve or reduce tinnitus long term, and I recommend it first. The longer the tinnitus is present, the more difficult it is for acupuncture to be effective. Principal points usually are found on the face, head, and hands, with supplemental points on the legs and feet. Always seek evaluation and treatment from a practitioner certified in acupuncture. You should notice improvement within six treatments, but you might need additional sessions for maximum benefits.

Step 2: Take an Appropriate Homeopathic Remedy

If your symptoms persist, I recommend trying homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies differ, depending on the type of sound being heard. Chininum sulphuricum is used for buzzing or hissing. Salicylium acidum is used for roaring sounds with hearing loss. Kali iodatum is used for ringing sounds. Barboneum sulphuratum is used for roaring sounds accompanied by feeling that your ears are blocked and tingling sensations. You should consult a qualified home­ opathist for guidance on which remedies will be most beneficial and for proper dosages. You should notice improvement within one to two months.

Step 3: Take Vitamin B12 and Vitamin A

If your tinnitus continues despite the above methods, then take vitamin B12 (1,000mcg daily) and vitamin A (5,000 IU to 10,000 IU). These vitamins are necessary for normal ear function and hearing and may help in some cases. Beneficial results may take several months.

Step 4: Take Feverfew or Gingko Biloba

If you continue to have ringing in your ears, take feverfew (50mg to 125mg whole leaf standardized to contain 0.6 percent to 0.7 percent cardenolide). If feverfew is not helpful, try gingko biloba (160mg to 240mg daily), which is effective when a circulation problem is causing your tinnitus. It may take several weeks to two months to be effective.

Step 5: Undergo Cranial-Sacral Manipulation

Some people have structural problems involving the bones of the face and surrounding the ear. If the previous steps have not helped you, I recommend that an osteopath evaluate you to determine whether such a structural problem exists. If so, you can undergo an osteopathic technique called cranial-sacral manipulation, in which the bones of the face and skull are realigned. You should notice improvement within three to four treatments.

Step 6: Undergo Hypnosis

If you are still bothered by tinnitus, I recommend that you undergo hypnosis, which might help you to “turn off” the sound for days or weeks at a time. You can use hypnosis in addition to the previous steps.

Step 7: Use a Sound-Masking Device

If nothing has helped by now, there are several devices, such as tinnitus maskers, that are vailable. These devices are designed to block out the tinnitus by making different sounds, but sometimes they can be worse than the tinnitus. Another method, called auditory abituation, uses a device that generates “white noise,” teaching the brain to ignore the tinnitus. Consult an ear specialist (otologist) for further information and guidance.