What is the Most Effective Treatment for Tinnitus?
In this article, you will learn what is the most effective treatment for tinnitus and explain what it is, and the symptoms to look out for.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a health condition where you can hear buzzing sounds inside the ears or head. When there is no external source of the sound, it's very common to affect about 12 to 30 percent of adults at some point. It happens more often as we get older in life.
What are the Symptoms of Tinnitus
Tinnitus can be either constant or come and go and can vary in loudness be it in one ear or both. It may sound like ringing, buzzing whistling, roaring, humming, or sound like your heartbeat. Because you can't turn it off or move away from it can be extremely annoying. It also tends to be more obvious in quiet places like when you are trying to go to sleep.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a symptom rather than a disease and there are lots of reasons why people get tinnitus. In the first instance, I would recommend that you see your doctor for a proper assessment.
In general, there are seven big culprits like ear issues that can lead to tinnitus. Examples of these are
Noise-induced hearing loss
Age-related hearing loss
Wax ear infections
Meniere's disease (which is a combination of dizziness and hearing loss)
Brain causes - which are actually quite uncommon. These include head injuries, multiple sclerosis, or something which is very rare a brain tumor called acoustic neuroma.
Infections like meningitis or syphilis can potentially lead to tinnitus.
Medications - lots of drugs are ototoxic which literally means toxic to the ear tinnitus and are often the first sign of ototoxicity. The negative effects of phototoxins on our ears can be reversible and temporary or irreversible and permanent. However, drugs like diuretics certain antibiotics non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs, and chemotherapy agents can all potentially harm our ears.
Jaw problems - The main one is TMJ dysfunction or temporomandibular.
Joint dysfunction.
Vascular causes.
If your tinnitus sounds like a pulse or your heartbeat then the sound may be due to the movement of blood from a narrowing and the carotid artery for example. It's particularly important to see your doctor promptly if you experience this type of tinnitus. Most cases of tinnitus have no identifiable causes.
What is happening at the nuts and bolts level when sound waves reach our ears they travel into the middle and inner ear where there are these things called ear cells. These cells magically transform sound waves into electrical signals which travel to our brain to be processed.
If the ear cells are damaged through medications or due to lots of loud noise over a long time, the circuits in the brain don't get normal signals. As a result of this, the brain makes tinnitus instead
One of the most common causes of tinnitus is damage to the ear cells. However, if there are problems anywhere along the auditory pathway, it can result in tinnitus.
Can Tinnitus Go Away on Its Own
Many people have misconceptions about tinnitus. Some think that it will go away on its own. However, tinnitus can only go away when it is caused by some kind of problem or disorder and is not simply a normal part of life.
In most cases, tinnitus will go away by itself. If your tinnitus condition persists for several weeks, then that means some form of treatment should be sought.
Foods that Trigger Tinnitus!
It can be difficult to determine what triggers tinnitus. The best way to identify trigger foods is by using a food diary. A food diary is a list of all your foods and how often you eat them. It provides you with an opportunity to identify the foods that trigger your tinnitus.
The main goal of the food diary is to analyze whether a change in the list of foods is related to tinnitus.
Examples of foods that trigger tinnitus are:
* Fruit, including tangerines and melons
* Alcohol
* Dairy
* Potatoes
* Dairy products
* Dairy products
* Dairy, including ice cream
* Beans and legumes
* Saturated fats and trans fats
* Processed meat
* Alcoholic drinks
There are many examples of foods that trigger tinnitus. The main point of the food diary is to understand which foods trigger your tinnitus.
Consulting Your Doctor
If you suspect that your tinnitus is caused by food, it's important to consult your doctor.
Your doctor can diagnose tinnitus. He or she may recommend that you eliminate specific foods from your diet. For example, your doctor may recommend that you eliminate some fruits and vegetables.
You can ask your doctor whether it's correct to recommend eliminating certain foods.
What is the Most Effective Treatment for Tinnitus?
There are 2 things you should definitely do before starting any tinnitus treatment. The first is to have your ears examined by a health practitioner. They should make sure there isn't lots of impacted wax or an ear infection occurring. A check should be made on the glands around the neck and behind your ears and to listen to the arteries in your neck.
The second thing is to get a formal hearing test done because hearing loss is commonly associated with tinnitus. Furthermore, if it is you need a hearing aid, that may help the tinnitus to go away. As always the idea behind any treatment is to treat the cause and not the effect.
Tinnitus Treatments Available Right Now:
Ototoxic medications with your doctor - Your doctor should have a careful look at all your medications and see if any drugs which are potentially ototoxic.
The use of hearing aids - If the hearing loss is the cause of the tinnitus condition then a hearing aid would be useful.
Quit smoking - Research has shown that nicotine is associated with tinnitus. By giving up cigarettes, it may help with your tinnitus condition.
Sound therapies - Some people find listening to the radio at a low volume between stations can distract from the tinnitus. Likewise just generally listening to music, a radio, or a fan. Noise-canceling headphones are another good option. You can also get masking devices that are worn like hearing aids that generates low-level white noise.
Other minor methods includes cognitive behavioral therapy, and lifestyle changes.
These will not treat the cause of your tinnitus but may help alleviate the symptoms.
Do dietary supplements help with Tinnitus?
Dietary supplements can help with the symptoms of tinnitus. In some cases, supplements can help decrease the symptoms of tinnitus. This depends on the type of tinnitus and the number of supplements taken.
However, if tinnitus is caused by exposure to loud noise, supplements are unlikely to help. Dietary supplements can increase the concentration of endorphins in the body.
Endorphins are compounds that can reduce the symptoms of pain and stress. The body releases endorphins when the body perceives a threat or danger. Endorphins cause the body to release growth hormones. This can increase energy and improve concentration.
In fact, research indicates that endorphin levels drop when people are exposed to loud noises. Supplementing with endorphins can help reduce the symptoms of exposure to loud noise. An increased concentration of endorphins can also be helpful in the treatment of anxiety.
Dietary supplements also can help increase the concentration of serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that is released in the brain. It is responsible for communication between the brain and the body.
In some cases, supplementing with the highest concentration can help provide relief for anxiety, including tinnitus.
Dietary supplements that contain L-theanine can also help reduce the symptoms of tinnitus. Theanine is an amino acid that is found in green tea. It can help increase energy levels. Theanine can also help reduce anxiety and calm the mind. It can also increase the concentration of endorphins.
In addition, L-theanine can help reduce the symptoms of tinnitus. It can help calm the mind and decrease the symptoms of anxiety.
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Natural Treatment for Tinnitus
Ginkgo Biloba Supplements
If you are seeking natural treatment for tinnitus you can try Ginkgo Biloba supplements. This plant is believed to be able to improve blood flow to the brain. It is used in the treatment of tinnitus, but it does not always work (probably because there are many unexplained causes of tinnitus).
In one recent study, it was found that the data obtained are insufficient to argue that Ginkgo Biloba can effectively fight tinnitus. At the same time, results from another study indicate that a standardized extract of Ginkgo Biloba, EGb 761, may reduce tinnitus. EGb 761 is "a standardized extract from the leaves of Ginkgo Biloba that has antioxidant properties as a free radical scavenger. The standardized extract of Ginkgo Biloba is a strictly defined product and is approximately 24% flavone glycosides and 6% terpene lactones.
Coenzyme Q10.
The body uses coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, to reproduce cells and keep them working. This coenzyme is also an antioxidant. CoQ10 is found in organ meats: heart, liver, kidneys.
One study suggests that taking CoQ10 tablets may be beneficial for patients with low serum CoQ10 levels.
Get more Zinc.
In one study, nearly half of the tinnitus patients who received 50 milligrams of zinc daily for 2 months improved. This is a fairly large dosage.
The recommended dosage is 11 milligrams per day for adult men and 8 milligrams for women. Do not take zinc without a doctor's recommendation. If you intend to take high dosage zinc, do so for no more than two months.
Balance the zinc with copper. High zinc concentrations cause copper deficiency and even anemia. To avoid this, take copper tablets. The daily dose of copper should be 2 milligrams.
Try Melatonin.
Melatonin is a hormone that is responsible for sleep. One study found that 3 milligrams of melatonin taken at bedtime can reduce tinnitus in men with bilateral tinnitus who have not experienced depression in the past.
Acupuncture for tinnitus
To help with the tinnitus and the ringing in your ears, you may want to consider acupressure, which is a treatment that involves pressing certain points on your body. Acupuncture can be a good alternative to painkillers. The main goal of acupuncture is to help ease the pain and anxiety caused by tinnitus.
You can ask your health practitioner about acupressure and tinnitus. Remember that the more you press and release, the better you are likely to feel.
Conclusion
Finally, it is recommended that you see your doctor for a full blood workout especially if you are having any serious health conditions. Let the doctor look at your blood sugars and do a glucose tolerance test to see if this explains the cause of your tinnitus.
If so, it will be the start of a journey in improving your lifestyle through diet and exercise so you can potentially get rid of your tinnitus problem.
These are the most effective treatment for tinnitus that you can find right now. Unfortunately, there is no known tinnitus cure found as yet.
There is still research being done worldwide to find a cure for tinnitus. The results have been very promising so far for this frustrating condition!
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SOURCES:
UpToDate: "Patient education: Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) (Beyond the Basics)."
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: "Tinnitus."
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: "Tinnitus."
FamilyDoctor.org: "Tinnitus."
Cleveland Clinic: "Cerumen Impaction."
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: "Tinnitus."
University of Maryland Medical Center: "Tinnitus."
Vestibular Disorders Association: "Dietary Considerations."
American Hearing Research Foundation: "Tinnitus."
The American Journal of Medicine: "A Prospective Study of Caffeine Intake and Risk of Incident Tinnitus."
Better Health Channel, Victoria State Government: "Tinnitus."
British Tinnitus Association: "Sound therapy (sound enrichment)."
Healing Health Foundation: "Counseling & Sound Therapy for Tinnitus."
American Tinnitus Association: "Sound Therapies."
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Clinical Practice Guidelines: "Patient Education Discussion Points for Bothersome Tinnitus."