Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the term
used for noises or sounds which are heard in one or both ears or in the
head which do not come from an external source. They are often described
as a high-pitched ringing but can also be described as a
buzzing, hissing, pulsing, whistling, roaring, or various other sounds.
Tinnitus can be very mild in loudness and only noticeable in a quiet
room or it can become extremely loud and annoying to the point where the
sufferer hears nothing else. It can be present all of the time or occur
intermittently.
from its stored data of sounds with which it is familiar. When no
‘match’ can be made from previous experience, the brain focuses on the
sound to such an extent that the sound is effectively magnified and the
brain gives it a level of importance it does not deserve.
This
happens in the same way as when you are alone in your house at night and
you hear the sound of a blind knocking against a window sill, or the
floor boards expanding or contracting. Your senses go into a state of
high alert, and the sounds are given unnecessary significance. This is
because the limbic system within the brain is interpreting the sounds as
signals of possible danger.
In the same way, whenever you are aware
of your tinnitus, your brain automatically interprets the sounds as a
sign that something is terribly wrong, or as a danger signal. If this
continues, your mind becomes obsessed with the sound, continually
focusing on it and thus maintaining your body and mind in a state of
high alert.
If this fearful pattern of thought is left unchecked,
the negative response to the sound is reinforced. This ‘programming’ of
the brain must be corrected so that you learn to manage your tinnitus
rather than letting it manage you.
associated with anxiety and, in particular, depression. Without doubt,
there is an association between tinnitus annoyance and a poor
psychological state. Anxiety and depression play an important role in
the tinnitus process and often the characteristics of tinnitus do not
predict the distress provoked by it.
A comprehensive assessment is
essential before the implementation of a therapy. Apart from medical and
audiological parameters, perceptual, attentional, emotional and
behavioral aspects have to be equally considered. Topics of
psychological assessment include characteristics of tinnitus (loudness,
localization, pitch of sound) and the progression of tinnitus (onset,
duration, intensity, increasing and decreasing factors). Beyond that,
cognitive-emotional evaluation and coping (e.g., catastrophic thinking,
helplessness, anger, sadness, etc.), psychological impairments related
to tinnitus (depression, irritability, sleeping problems and so on),
effects of tinnitus on life (e.g., work, social interactions), sources
of stress apart from tinnitus (e.g., live events, daily hassles),
operant factors (e.g., avoidance behavior), comorbidity (e.g., mental
disorders, hearing loss), treatment history and treatment expectations.
1: Most tinnitus comes from damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear.
2: Hearing loss. Too much exposure to loud noise can cause tinnitus.3: Long-term use of certain medications. Aspirin used in large doses,
quinine, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs can affect inner ear
cells. Trauma-related damage to your inner ear.
4: Temporomandibular
joint problems. These are “jaw joint” disorders, and they may result in
clicking or grating noises when you move the jaw.
5: Stiffening of the bones in the middle ear.
6: A hole in or a rupture of the eardrum.7: Ear infection. If an infection reduces your ability to hear outside
noises, you’re more likely to hear the noises related to tinnitus.
8: Ear wax. Buildup of excess wax in your ear can reduce your ability to
hear or inflammation of the eardrum membrane, the middle ear, or the
inner ear.
9: Allergies, tumors, and problems in the heart and blood
vessels, jaws, and neck can cause tinnitus. High blood cholesterol
clogs arteries that supply oxygen to the nerves of the inner ear. If you
are older, advancing age is generally accompanied by a certain amount
of hearing nerve impairment and tinnitus.
10: Diet can affect
tinnitus. Specific foods may trigger tinnitus. Foods include red wine,
grain-based spirits, cheese, and chocolate quinine/tonic water, high
fat, high sodium can all make tinnitus worse in some people.
11:
Stress is not a direct cause of tinnitus, but it will generally make an
already existing case worse. Ringing in the ears also sometimes
accompanies vertigo (dizziness).
12: High blood pressure.
Hypertension and factors that increase blood pressure, such as stress,
alcohol and caffeine, can make tinnitus more noticeable.
13:
Meniere’s disease. Tinnitus can be an early indicator of Meniere’s
disease, an inner ear disorder that may be caused by abnormal inner ear
fluid pressure.
14: Exposure to loud noise. Loud noises, such as
those from heavy equipment, chain saws and firearms, are common sources
of noise-related hearing loss. Portable music devices, such as MP3
players or iPods, also can cause noise-related hearing loss if played
loudly for long periods. Tinnitus caused by short-term exposure, such as
attending a loud concert, usually goes away; long-term exposure to loud
sound can cause permanent damage.
• Fatigue
• Stress
• Sleep problems
• Trouble concentrating
• Memory problems
• Depression
• Anxiety and irritabilitySymptoms :-Tinnitus involves the annoying sensation of hearing sound when no
external sound is present. Tinnitus symptoms include these types of
phantom noises in your ears:
• Ringing
• Buzzing
• Roaring
• Clicking
• Hissing
noise may vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal, and you may
hear it in one or both ears. In some cases, the sound can be so loud it
can interfere with your ability to concentrate or hear actual sound.
Tinnitus may be present all the time, or it may come and go.
There are two kinds of tinnitus.• Subjective tinnitus is tinnitus only you can hear. This is the most
common type of tinnitus. It can be caused by ear problems in your outer,
middle or inner ear. It also can be caused by problems with the hearing
(auditory) nerves or the part of your brain that interprets nerve
signals as sound (auditory pathways).
• Objective tinnitus is
tinnitus your doctor can hear when he or she does an examination. This
rare type of tinnitus may be caused by a blood vessel problem, an inner
ear bone condition or muscle contractions.
People with tinnitus may display the following behaviour in the early stages:
• frequent mood swings
• depression
• anxiety attacks
• tension
• irritability
• frustration
• poor concentration
• sleep problemsextreme distress, especially in the early stages, is common. However,
the tinnitus does not cause these problems directly. It is your
emotional response that causes the problems. Modifying your emotional
response eliminates the majority of these problems.
Exercises Beneficial for Tinnitus :-
1. Breathing Relaxation Exercise:
• Breathe slowly and deeply, Hold your breath a moment.
• Relax, and then let your breath out.
• Wait a moment, then breathe slowly and deeply again, and so on.
2. Muscle Relaxation Exercise:
• Sit in a chair or lay on a bed. Find a comfortable position.
• Breathe slowly.
• Tighten your fist. Feel the tightness in your hand and wrist.
• Breathe out. As you do, relax your hand and wrist. Feel the difference.
• Repeat this with other parts of your body, Try it with your other hand, each arm, leg, foot, your back, neck, face and jaw.You can do these exercises regularly, when and where you have the time
and space. You will improve with practice. You should start to feel the
benefits quickly.
Sit comfortably in a chair.
Relax the muscles around your eyes and soften your gaze.
Allow yourself to feel sensations in the body:
Feet on the floor
Legs resting comfortably on the chair
Arms resting
Hands soft and relaxed
Tightness in your shoulders
Tension in the face
Now allow yourself to experience your breathing.
Feel the gentle movements of the body as you breathe.
Pay attention to your breath:
Entering your nose
Passing through your throat
Filling your lungs
Causing the abdomen to swell
Feeling the swell against the back of the chairNow invite other areas of the body in…take your attention to any area
where you may have pain or tension. Let any tight muscles soften and
relax. Become aware of your feelings or mood and what thoughts might be
passing through your mind. Be aware of all of these sensations together
with your breathing.
Now start to move gently – any small movement
that you can manage, maybe moving fingers up and down, circling the feet
or simply moving them side to side. Be aware of being back in the room
again, but feeling more settled and at peace.
stated by Andrew Weil, M.D. The more calmed you are, the more
effortlessly blood circulates and the lesser your stress levels. Yoga
breathing exercises are described as pranayama. To do a basic pranayama
exercise, sit up straight with your legs crisscrossed on the floor.
Inhale via your nose and enlarge your stomach. Exhale and observe your
stomach depress similar to a balloon. Take several breaths into your
abdomen and then your subsequent breathing, breathe into your lungs too
in order that your rib cage enlarges. Breathe out totally via your nose
in order that your rib cage and stomach breakdown. Lastly, breathe in to
fill up your stomach, lungs and upper chest; breathe out totally.
remedying tinnitus, as stated by Dr. Weil. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention suggest that kids obtain 60 minutes of reasonable
to demanding physical action daily, varying from brisk walking to
running. Grownups and seniors must do 150 minutes every week of
reasonable aerobic movement like brisk walking for overall fitness.
Whatever kind of aerobic action you perform, it must be founded on what
you take pleasure in and can uphold steadily.
relaxation and movement within the jaw joints for TMJ respite. To do
this exercise, put you palm beneath your chin with your mouth shut.
Press your jaw against your palm to gradually open your mouth. Utilize
your palm to apply weightless resistance as you open your mouth as far
as at ease. Shut your mouth to finish the exercise.
habit of opening your jaw consistently. To do this TMJ exercise, stand
in front of a mirror with your mouth shut. Watch how your top and bottom
teeth line up. Gradually open your mouth and remain your bottom teeth
aligned with your top teeth. The jaw might desire gliding in one route
or the other if there is tension or muscle inequity. Do not allow the
jaw to move sideways. Shut your mouth.
but you can easily balance your qi (energy) and cure tinnitus in the
comfort of your own home by gently massaging the following acupressure
zones(As In Figure):1. Acupressure Massage around your ears.
Place your fingertips of both hands about 1/8th an inch from your ears.
Close your eyes to feel for hallow spots, and fit your fingertips into
each of these indentations. Take slow deep breaths as you briskly
massage this area, by slowly turning your hand, gliding over the bumps
on your skull for two minutes.
2. Acupressure on the Base of
your Skull(GB 20) and the acupressure points near and around the top of
your head. Press these points about five times each, alternating your
position between firm pressure on GB 20, underneath the base of your
skull, and pressure into the sore spots on the back of the top of your
head. Explore all the points that are covered by wearing a Jewish cap.
3. Hold CV 6, located between your belly button and public bone, taking
slow deep breaths, into you go into a deep state of relaxation for 5 to
10 minutes.
one of the most potent acupressure points in Chinese medicine; it is
called the “Hundred Convergences” because the ancient Chinese believed
it was capable of curing 100 diseases. In addition to treating
tinnitus, you may also cure neurological and emotional disorders by
stimulating Bai Hui.
To locate it, imagine a line running on top of
your head, forward to back, between your ears, sort of like a Mohawk.
The point that is directly on top of your head in the middle is your Bai
Hui.5. GB 20 is another powerful point for curing illnesses of the head like tinnitus and headaches.Feng Chi is located at the nape of your neck. To start, place both
hands behind your head and use both thumbs to find the soft spot at the
base of your skull. Now, gently walk each thumb apart until you find
depressions that are adjacent to your large neck muscles. Press each
thumb inwards, towards your eyes.
used in Chinese medicine to calm the spirit and treat ear problems,
including tinnitus and deafness.This is located in the hollow directly
in front of each ear. To access, open your mouth, and feel the
depression where your jaws meet.7. GB 2 particularly helpful
for treating all ailments related to the ear such as tinnitus and
hearing loss. It is located directly below your Ting Gong acupressure
point.8. GB 8 is beneficial for treating damage caused by
toxins. This is especially helpful for curing tinnitus caused by
long-time use of painkillers, antidepressants, birth control, and
quinine. It is located directly above your ear.
1: Bayberry bark, burdock root, goldenseal, hawthorn leaf and flower and myrrh gum purify the blood and counter act infection.2: Ginkgo biloba helps to reduce dizziness and improve hearing loss related to reduce blood flow to the ears.3: Eat fresh pineapple frequently to reduce inflammation.
4: Include in your diet plenty of garlic, kelp and sea vegetable.
5: For ringing in the ears, mix 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of
glycerin in 1 pint of warm water. Use a nasal spray bottle to spray each
nostril with the solution until it begins to drain into the back of the
throat. Spray the throat with the mixture as well. Do this three times a
day.
Sesame seeds have been used by Chinese herbalists for the treatment of
tinnitus, blurred vision and dizziness. It is also used in Indian
Ayurvedic treatment. You can add it to foods. Other forms of sesame are
tahini, the peanut-butter-like spread made from sesame seeds, and
halvah, a popular sesame candy.7. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
and other foods containing zinc: Zinc deficiency is often associated
with tinnitus and certain kinds of hearing loss (sensorineural). So,
taking spinach and other foods containing zinc may be beneficial in the
treatment of tinnitus. Good sources of zinc include spinach (the best),
papaya, collards, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, string beans, endive,
cowpeas, prunes and asparagus.8. Sunflower Seeds :An old
Chinese remedy calls for eating sunflower seeds and drinking a tea
brewed from their hulls for tinnitus.