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Have you ever been in a quiet room and heard that faint ringing in your ears? For some people this ringing is not at all faint and is more like a roar or a scream.
These are people who suffer from a condition called tinnitus and in the Czech Republic alone an estimated nearly 2 million people suffer from it.
Most of these people cannot do much to help themselves with this condition, or they reach for various over-the-counter medicines. These, however, usually have little effectiveness and various unpleasant side effects.
Today we present 5 alternative ways to treat this problem. First, however, let’s say a little more about this condition.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is usually defined as the perception of ringing in the ears that does not come from any external source.
Although people typically describe it as ringing, these sounds can be anything from buzzing, hissing to other kinds of sounds. They differ in their loudness.
For some the sounds are constant, for others they may come and go.
They most often occur when there is little or no ambient background noise. Examples include situations like reading a book, being in a quiet room, or when trying to fall asleep.
In some cases the described sounds can even synchronize with the heartbeat.
Causes of ringing in the ears
The most common cause of buzzing in the ears is long-term exposure to loud noise.
It typically develops in people who spend a lot of time at concerts, discos, construction sites, riding noisy motorcycles, or if they frequent shooting ranges or are around noisy equipment.
Loud sounds cause permanent damage to the cells located in the inner ear, which later leads to tinnitus, or even permanent hearing loss.
Sometimes a single exposure to an extremely loud sound is enough to cause this condition.
Although noise is the main cause of this condition, there are other reasons, such as:
- blockage of the ear by accumulated earwax, infection or a benign tumor
- some medications such as aspirin, painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants
- natural aging
- Meniere’s disease
- otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth near the middle ear)
- head or neck injury
To suppress the noises in the ears people often resort to various pharmaceutical preparations. These not only cause new symptoms, but are also not very effective. Sometimes they can even worsen tinnitus.
Fortunately, there are several natural remedies that have been proven effective and have almost no negative side effects. Here are 5 such solutions.
1. Akupunktura
Several studies have been conducted that demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of ringing in the ears.
A good acupuncturist experienced in Traditional Chinese Medicine will be able to propose treatment for different types of tinnitus. Such treatment usually focuses on releasing the „obstructions“ in the ear canals.
It will probably require 10 to 15 sessions before noticeable improvement occurs. During these, acupuncturists mainly focus on points located on the skull and ears.
2. Ginkgo biloba
Gingko biloba is an extensively researched herb in herbal medicine believed to improve blood flow in peripheral areas of the body such as the head or brain.
This makes it an effective herb for tinnitus, especially in cases where the condition is caused by poor blood circulation to the ears.
For maximum effectiveness it is recommended to take capsules with a higher content of standardized ginkgo extract.
Relief should appear within about 6 weeks. After the symptoms subside it is possible to reduce the daily dose to approximately 40 to 60 mg.
3. Clearing the Eustachian tube
This is a technique used to release blockages of the tube located behind the eardrum by draining fluid from your ear.
It helps especially in cases of tinnitus caused by blockage of the nose, ears, throat and sinuses, because the upper respiratory tract is connected to the Eustachian tube.
To perform this technique first make sure your hands are clean.
Then open your mouth and feel with your index finger the gums above the upper wisdom teeth. Behind the canines there are bent bones with cartilages that allow you to open your mouth.
Move the index finger further until you feel an elastic tendon approximately at the root of the tongue. Somewhere in this area the Eustachian tube begins. Now press the indicated spot gently from side to side for about 15 to 20 seconds.
Do the same on the other side.
Do this at least once a day. After about one week the ringing in the ears should be reduced.
If you do not feel comfortable with this procedure, ask an ENT doctor for help if they are open to such alternative methods.
4. Dietary supplements
Supplements with vitamin B12 and zinc are suitable for the treatment of age-related tinnitus, especially in people who suffer from their deficiency.
The effectiveness of zinc in these cases has been confirmed by several studies. Take it for 3 to 6 months.
Similarly good results have been recorded with the use of vitamin B12.
Although no official studies have yet been made in this regard, many people claim that taking as little as 100 mcg (micrograms) daily helped them.
5. Background noise
Background noise can suppress the buzzing caused by tinnitus. Since buzzing in the ears most often occurs when you are in a quiet environment, real background noise can effectively „drown it out“.
There are special devices that create such background noise. These are usually ocean noise or the sound of falling rain.
If the buzzing in your ears prevents you from sleeping, try to get a device that has small speakers built directly into the pillow.
If you don’t want to buy devices, you can use other household appliances for this purpose, such as fans, air conditioners or humidifiers in winter and dehumidifiers in summer.
There are even various hearing aids that block the ringing in the ears. Today you don’t even have to buy them, because you can find mobile phone apps that create background noise.
Conclusion
If you have personal experience with ringing in the ears, be sure to share it with us and other readers in the comments under the article.
You will thus also help others with health problems that trouble such a large number of people today.
