This entry was posted on Thursday, September 1st, 2011 at 2:10 am and is filed under Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
While there is no definitive cure for tinnitus, there are treatments which can alleviate the severity and or duration of the condition, estimated to afflict one in five people.
Vitamin, Herbal and Dietary Remedies
Because poor blood circulation to the ears is considered to be one of the causes, various remedies target that tinnitus. Antioxidants and ginkgo biloba are believed to increase blood circulation in general, and are frequently recommended to relieve tinnitus. Patients are also encouraged to take magnesium and zinc supplements, along with Vitamins A, E, and B12, each said to promote healthy tissue generation throughout the body. Dietary recommendations include eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, consuming foods rich in zinc and magnesium, liberal use of garlic, and avoidance of saturated fats and sugar, which are believed to impede circulation. Sesame and sunflower seeds, along with candies, butters, and teas made from them are advised, as are fenugreek and mistletoe teas. Among the many herbs commonly consumed are rosemary, bayberry bark, horsetail, goldenseal and black cohosh extracts.
Physical Remedies
Externally applied techniques such as warm compresses, heating pads, and chiropractic manipulation of the neck are useful in aiding circulation. Acupuncture, acupressure, deep breathing exercises, aromatherapy, and posture improvement have all been utilized in attempting to relieve tinnitus. Those who have access to hyperbaric oxygen chambers claim to experience some relief, while others employ the introduction of certain liquids into the ear, including onion juice, saline solutions, and castor oil. Using small hearing-aid like devices, called masking, helps to drown out the irritating noise, as does exposure to the ‘white noise’ generated by static from a radio. Electrical stimulation, always performed by a professional, helps some people. New techniques known as ‘retraining therapy’ purport to use specially modified music and other sounds, which exercise the healthy portions of the inner ear, eventually taking over the functions of the damaged parts. Finally, surgeries to repair surgical lesions in the ear or other procedures such as placement of endolymphatic shunts, nerve sections, or labyrinthectomies are sometimes attempted, usually performed only in severe cases.
Drug Therapies
A few medications seem to bring relief to tinnitus sufferers, while cessation of others makes a difference. The use of anti-anxiety medicines and some anti-depressants, anticonvulsants, antihistamines, and anesthetics such as lidocaine have all had successful outcomes in certain people. Aspirin, anti-inflammatories, and some other anti-depressants can contribute to tinnitus, so changing these medications also seems to reduce the incidence or severity of the symptoms.
Holistic Therapy Approach
Holistic medicine practitioners analyze the physical, nutritional, environmental, and emotional needs of their patients. In doing so, their recommendations of healthy diet and exercise, balance in all aspects of life, concentrated efforts to reduce stress and ‘know thyself’ often coincide with the above-mentioned remedies and approaches. Biofeedback, meditation, hypnosis, and affirmations as healing aids are standard practices in the holistic approach to tinnitus. Cognitive therapy and targeted counseling are used to help patients deal with the emotional toll they experience as a result of their affliction.