Tinnitus Control
Tinnitus, often called ringing in the ears, is a condition that is often only a symptom of another condition, but can occur on its own. When a person hears a ringing sound in the absence of external noise, the diagnosis is most often tinnitus.
Tinnitus can occur in either both ears or only one. While most people hear a ringing, it can also sound more like hissing, humming, roaring, clicking, or a steady beep. The sound might be occasional or constant, but most sufferers find it miserable.
There are many causes of tinnitus and no known cure. When tinnitus is the symptom of a primary disorder, the treatment and cure of that disorder can clear up the tinnitus in many cases. Sinus infections, allergies, and middle ear infections can all cause ringing in the ears. Medications can potentially cause tinnitus, but that side-effect most often goes away when the medication is discontinued.
Controlling tinnitus is dependent upon figuring out what caused it. When it is medication related, talk to your doctor about the side-effect of ringing ears and see if he or she can recommend an alternative treatment. If it is infection related, see your doctor to get a prescription to treat the infection.
The most common cause of tinnitus is damage to the cochlea in the inner ear due to noise pollution. When this is the case, the damage is almost always permanent. If the ringing does not go away in a few hours, it may not ever disappear. In this case, it is going to be a matter of controlling the noise in your head.
If your tinnitus is permanent, you will need to find effective measures to assist you in carrying out daily functions, as the persistent ringing in your ears can be quite distracting. Some people believe that listening to background noise can help tune out the ringing. Masking the buzzing noise is one of the highly recommended treatments around, and there are many specialty CDs and MP3s available. White noise is one sound that works as well as many other types of noise.
Homeopathic medicines can help to lessen symptoms of tinnitus as well. Passionflower can help neurotransmitter activity, gingko biloba is helpful for increasing blood flow to your brain, and extract of horsetail has been shown to be quite effective in curing many hearing disorders.
Alternative medicine doctors also recommend eating a healthy diet, which includes meat and dairy, as well as Vitamins B and B-12. Avoiding stress can help decrease the ringing, and increasing exercise can help to cut down on the stress. Exercise releases endorphins, which make you feel better and more relaxed. It also increases circulation, which can benefit tinnitus.
Always talk to your doctor to rule out another cause of the tinnitus symptoms. Even though there may not be a cure for tinnitus, your health care provider can assist you in finding ways to keep it under control.
