Tinnitus is the ringing in the ears, buzzing, or hissing with no source, and it may be continuous or intermittent. In most cases, it is fairly loud at times, and its level fluctuates. The term "noise in ears" has been used to commonly describe the condition. However, despite its name, this constant ringing can actually affect the quality of a person's life as it brings in stress, anxiety, and sleep problems. Tinnitus, in itself, is not a disease but a symptom of the underlying cause, for example, hearing loss, ear infection, or exposure to loud noises.
The most frequent sign of tinnitus involves a constant perception of sound within the ears when no external source creates the sound. It may be ringing, buzzing, clicking, hissing, or roaring sounds that may be high or low in pitch. This tinnitus sound may be continuous or periodic and often changes significantly, that is, louder when the surroundings are quiet or during nighttime. For some, this noise may seem inaudible and bearable, but to many others, it is deafeningly loud enough to disturb the concentration of an individual, cause sleepless nights, or blur the focus of a person on their daily activities.
The victim faces partial hearing loss quite often in the ear ringing. More pronounced hearing loss for some victims means that they potentially cannot understand what's being said in noisy environments. In addition, there might be a feeling of fullness and pressure when it's like someone has water trapped in an ear or when there are sudden altitude changes. This fullness contributed to discomfort since it made the ears feel blocked or congested, and therefore, the hearing was affected and the perception of tinnitus sounds amplified.
Tinnitus is often caused in addition to symptoms such as headaches or dizziness, which may significantly interfere with one's quality of life. When coupled with vertigo, tinnitus can create a sense of spinning that causes people to become unsteady and lose their balance. This means people may walk crookedly, have sudden, brief attacks of dizziness, or feel lightheaded. This is a difficult condition because, usually, painful behaviours render daily activities challenging, such as simply walking straight. It also exposes one to an increased risk of falls and accidents.
There are many causes for tinnitus, among which are:
Loud Noise Exposure: It is caused by exposure to loud noises, such as high levels of music, machinery, and explosions. Continuous exposure to large levels of sound can affect the tiny hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear. This usually becomes permanent damage that results in chronic tinnitus, especially for people in noisy fields without proper ear protection.
Medications: Certain antibiotics, diuretics, anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as many antidepressants are ototoxic. That is to say, they are toxic to the ear. They may damage the auditory pathway and could cause tinnitus as a side-effect or worsen pre-existing tinnitus.
Medical Conditions: Medical conditions such as Meniere's disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and thyroid disease may also cause tinnitus. They may affect the flow of blood or nerve function in the inner ear or fluid balance, causing tinnitus.
Stress and Anxiety: Medical conditions such as Meniere's disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and thyroid disease may also cause tinnitus. They may affect the flow of blood or nerve function in the inner ear or fluid balance, causing tinnitus.
Ayurveda actually intends to manage tinnitus from the root causes rather than to mask the symptoms. Vata dosha, at an appropriate level, is generally the one responsible for causing tinnitus. Here's how:
Ayurvedic herbs play an important part in managing tinnitus by promoting neurological health and reducing stress levels. It is known to calm the brain and enhance cognitive function, which kills the idea of tinnitus. The effective stress management and anxiety herb - Ashwagandha calms down the mind and banishes the worries, and common triggers, which could therefore make the tinnitus symptoms worse. Ginkgo Biloba improves blood flow through the ears, which can improve ear health and subsequently decrease tinnitus. Tulsi, or Holy Basil, has a method of using strain for ear infections that cause tinnitus, so it helps relieve the noises in the ears.
Ayurvedic detoxifying treatments, like Panchakarma, are important adjunct treatments used in managing tinnitus. Nasya treatment enables the cleansing of the nasal and sinuses by putting herbal oils directly into the nostrils. It helps detoxify the body and open up the passages so that tinnitus can be removed effectively, especially in cases wherein the cause is sinus congestion. Basti, or medicated enema, is used to balance Vata dosha, and it also plays an important role in tinnitus as it keeps the nervous system calm and overall well-being.
In Ayurveda, a Vata-pacifying diet is used to be beneficial in tinnitus management to calm the nervous system and to bring energies into balance within the body. This is warm, cooked, easily digestible, and smooth food items, such as those in soups, stews, and cooked vegetables which are easy on the digestive system and help ground the body. Incorporation of fat in the diet, which includes healthy fats or good oils, like ghee, olive oil, and nuts is also helpful to the brain and nervous system, and may reduce the perception of tinnitus sound. Avoid stimulating factors like caffeine, sugar, and processed foods that damage Vata imbalance and cause tinnitus symptoms
In addition to dietary modifications, maintaining a balanced lifestyle is important. Living a routine with a regular sleep schedule, meal times, and regular exercise significantly helps to deal with tinnitus. Other useful practices include regular walking, gentle yoga, and stress-reducing techniques which decrease the level of stress associated with increased tinnitus occurrences. The use of mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing techniques can significantly calm the mind, allowing for better emotional equilibrium and easier ability to deal with the sounds that occur in tinnitus patients.
Yoga and breathing are excellent methods of reducing tinnitus since they soothe the nervous system and therefore enhance the flow of blood. Anulom Vilom (Alternate Nostril Breathing) is particularly useful in reducing stress and hence balancing Vata. Blood flow to the head, and thus to the ears, is enhanced by doing all the shoulder stands, such as Sarvangasana. Apart from correcting the two aspects of tinnitus, it also addresses the mental and emotional problems related to it and thus provides relief.
This is where meditation and relaxation exercises play an important part in Ayurvedic treatment of tinnitus. Techniques to quiet the mind, which include mindfulness and guided meditation, have proven helpful in reducing the perception of ringing tinnitus sounds. Given that stress and anxiety are primary triggers of tinnitus, managing emotional factors through relaxation practices are necessary components in the reduction of symptoms and in a better quality of life.
Tinnitus cannot cause hearing loss, but it often accompanies other conditions which may cause it. Hearing loss may sometimes make it hard to notice tinnitus since the sound of loss of hearing might mask tinnitus noise. This makes the feedback loop harder.
Although tinnitus is not life-threatening, it can have a great impact on your quality of life, depriving you of good sleep and fostering anxiety and depression.
To my knowledge, there is no cure for tinnitus, but several treatments do exist to help alleviate symptoms of tinnitus. Ayurvedic treatments work to rebalance energies in the body and healthily repair the ear to overcome tinnitus.
New therapeutic techniques include tinnitus retraining therapy, hearing aids equipped with the ability to mask sound, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Ayurvedic treatment uses a wider approach more holistically including herbs and lifestyle changes through yoga.
Getting rid of tinnitus requires maintaining underlying sources, lifestyle modifications, and therapies like Ayurveda focusing on natural healing and dosha balancing.
Yes, ear wax tinnitus is that tinnitus which arises when ear wax buildup blocks the ear canal, disturbing the perception of sounds. Cleaning ears in a safe and constant manner may help assuage such tinnitus.
Tinnitus falls under ICD-10 code H93.1. The classification is used in managing and treating tinnitus medically in hospitals.
For some, tinnitus may recede with time if its cause is self-limiting, such as ear infections or stress. But chronic tinnitus is a story of another kind, which needs continuous follow-through.
