By now most people have at least some idea what tinnitus is. They either know someone who has the condition or they have heard about that ringing, buzzing, banging, or swishing that one hears in their head even when they are surrounded by complete silence. What most people don’t know is that tinnitus has become somewhat of a chicken or egg controversy.
The truth is that most professionals recognize that tinnitus is not a disease but, a symptom. Which would lead one to believe that it is entirely possible that tinnitus does not cause hearing loss nor does hearing loss cause tinnitus but, that the cause of the hearing loss is also what may in some cases cause the tinnitus as well.
For example, tinnitus is one of the symptoms to Meniere’s disease. Some people believe that the tinnitus associated with this disease is what causes people to experience hearing loss.
However, when you consider that Meniere’s disease is caused by a fluid imbalance in the inner ear it seems likely that is the excess fluid inside the ear and the damage that this fluid causes that is the root of both the hearing loss and tinnitus. Without the build up of fluid there would be no hearing loss and no Tinnitus.
Proof of this exists when you stop to consider that almost any condition that causes hearing loss either temporary or permanent can also cause tinnitus. However, not all factors that cause tinnitus causes hearing loss.
For example, allergies, medication, and stress can cause tinnitus or make tinnitus sounds seem louder but, normal hearing is often not affected at all. That is because that in these cases the cause of the Tinnitus such as the allergy does not affect or the ears or hearing.
If Tinnitus Does Not Cause Hearing Loss Why Do I Have Difficult Hearing When My Tinnitus Is At It’s Worse?
In most cases people who are severely trouble by their tinnitus but, who have no hearing loss feel as though they cannot hear because the tinnitus is so bothersome to them that they find it difficult to concentrate on anything else that may be going on around them.
As well, as not hearing people speaking to them or background sounds someone suffering from a severe bout of tinnitus is also less likely to hear the things that are going on around them or even smelling perfume or the fresh baked cookies. This does not mean that the tinnitus has affected their vision or sense of smell it simply means that they are too concentrated on the sounds they are hearing in their head to focus on things occurring around them.
In fact, in most cases on days that their tinnitus is not overly bothersome or the noise quiets for awhile these sufferers can hear, see, and smell just fine because they are focusing outwardly instead of inside themselves.
Does That Mean That My Tinnitus Can Be Cured?
Tinnitus cannot be cured in the traditional meaning of the word any more than any other symptom of a disease or condition can be cured. If the underlying problem that is causing the symptom is cured then the symptom usually goes away as well.
For example, if wax build up in your ears is causing both temporary hearing loss and tinnitus and the wax is removed from your ear your hearing may well return to normal and the tinnitus may disappear. In this case neither your hearing or the tinnitus was cured but, rather the cause of both the loss of hearing and tinnitus was removed so, the problems with both disappeared.
However, this is not always the case. Take for instance loud noises. A loud noise can lead to temporary hearing loss and tinnitus. Once you remove yourself from the source of the noise the tinnitus may soon disappear and your hearing may return to normal.
But, if you keep exposing yourself to those loud noises over and over again you may reach a point where you permanently damage your hearing and your tinnitus becomes permanent or you could have permanent hearing loss without the tinnitus being present and less often permanent tinnitus without suffering permanent hearing loss.
That is why people who work in loud environments are encouraged to wear protective devices to help reduce these loud continual noises and to protect their hearing.
While hearing loss and tinnitus often go hand in hand, tinnitus does not cause hearing loss, and hearing loss may not cause Tinnitus either. But, the condition that leads to the hearing loss may well also cause the Tinnitus.
You wake up in the middle of the night from a sound sleep with a ringing in your ears. It is so loud you can hardly stand it. An hour later, all is quiet again and you forget all about it. A few months later you again wake with ringing in your ears only this time when you sit up you find that the entire world seems to be spinning and you are so dizzy that you feel sick. You slowly lay back down willing the dizziness to go away and wondering what is going on. When this too passes, you tell yourself that it was probably nothing and go on with your life.
However, as time goes by you have more incidents or vertigo during all different hours of the day and night. The ringing in your ears comes and goes sometimes only occurring for short periods of time, other times lasting all day. You have also begun having hearing difficulties that seem to come and go as well.
You begin to wonder if you could have an ear infection or if there is something seriously wrong with you and decide to visit your doctor. After taking a history and giving you a physical exam he tells you that he wants to do some more tests to rule out the possibility of Meniere’s disease.
You have never heard of this disease and you find yourself asking what is Meniere’s disease and how could you have possibly gotten it?
Meniere’s Disease
Although the name Meniere’s disease sounds frightening and it is a chronic condition it is usually not fatal. It is a condition that occurs due to a change of fluid volume in a portion of the inner ear called the membranous labyrinth. This part of the inner ear is filled with a fluid called endolymph. An increase in this fluid can cause the membranous labyrinth to dilate, causing pressure in the ear.
Scientist who have studied Meniere’s disease believe that a rupture occurs in the membranous labyrinth causing the fluid to mix with another fluid called perilymph that is found in the space between the boney inner ear and the membranous labyrinth and that this causes the symptoms of Meniere’s disease.
Scientists aren’t sure what causes the rupture of the membranous labyrinth but, they are looking into a variety of different things they feel cause such a rupture including such things as noise pollution and infections.
It is believed that Meniere’s disease affects 1 in every thousand people and that while it can affect anyone of any age most sufferers are in their 40′s and 50′s when symptoms first occur.
Symptoms Of Meniere’s Disease
Miniere’s disease can vary in severity and symptoms from person to person. In one person it can be little more than a mild annoyance while in another it can create a lifelong disability. It is difficult to say what symptoms may occur in what person but, some of the symptoms that may indicate Meniere’s disease are:
* Dizziness or Vertigo. In many cases this dizziness can be quite severe causing a person to have to lie down immediately or they will fall. It can be accompanied by nausea which is a side effect of the vertigo and not part of the Meniere’s disease.
* Fluctuating and progressive hearing loss in one or both ears. Between episodes hearing may seem to return but as the disease progresses the hearing loss becomes more and more pronounced.
* Tinnitus in one or both ears. This too may often come and go.
* Pressure in one or both ears
* sensitivity to noise
* headaches
Symptoms can appear suddenly and may be experienced daily or as little as once or twice a year. Early symptoms may include mild to severe dizziness and tinnitus that wakes you in the middle of the night.
How Meniere’s Disease Is Diagnosed
There are a number of procedures and tests that need to be undertaken in order to diagnosis Meneire’s disease. These include:
* A complete medical history including a list of all symptoms, how often you have them and their severity
* A through medical exam
* Hearing and balance tests
* MRI
* then several tests to measure hearing loss
Treatment And Cure
At this time there is no cure for Meniere’s disease but, there are treatments available that can help reduce some of the symptoms.
* Low sodium diet to reduce the amount of fluid in the system and the inner ear. Diuretics may also be prescribed.
* Medications to help the nausea associated with vertigo and other medications as needed.
* hearing aid to help improve hearing
* Surgery as a last ditch effort in people who have intolerable vertigo or tinnitus or to help prevent further hearing loss.
* Life style changes such as resting after an attack, avoiding stress and cutting down on caffeine, smoking and alcohol consumption may help as well.
Living With Meniere’s Disease
Because Meniere’s disease affects people to differing degrees some people can continue on with more or less normal lives while making a few adjustments. Other people experience symptoms of Vertigo to such a degree that they can no longer work, drive or even participate in normal daily activities safely. This often results in severe depression and other issues that may also have to be treated.
Family members should try to keep those who have more severe symptoms involved and active as much as possible. Even when the vertigo or tinnitus is at its worst feeling a valued member of the family and being made to feel as though you are needed will help the person dealing with the disease keep a more positive attitude.
Both the person with Meniere’s disease and family members should join a support group. These groups allow people to share their experiences, give ideas on coping with the disease, and share information that may prove helpful in improving the quality of life or dealing with the problems that arise. Knowing that there is someone else who understands can make a big difference to a person suffering from a chronic condition such as this one.
Tinnitus retraining therapy or TRT as it is known is a form of habituation therapy where the person suffering from Tinnitus actually stops hearing the noises in their head unless they consciously listen for them. This therapy while expensive, has proved effective and brought relief to a number of sufferers of this condition.
Why This Therapy Works
Many people wonder why this therapy works when so many other treatments for Tinnitus fail. The answer is really quite simple, the therapy is based on what the human mind does automatically in most cases anyway and that is the unconscious but automatic blocking of many noises around us.
For example, our refrigerators, air conditioners and fans that we use on a regular basis all make noise. In most cases when these machines first start we may hear the noise of them kicking in, but, after a few seconds we no longer hear the noise it ceases to exist unless we actively listen for those sounds. It is simply there in the background unheard.
What Makes Tinnitus Sounds Different?
The best way to explain what makes Tinnitus sounds different and harder to ignore is to consider that sound the air conditioner makes once again. The reason we cease to hear it after the first few seconds is because the sound it makes is a natural one to us and indicates that the machine is working as it should be so we simply don’t hear it.
However, should the machine begin to malfunction and the sound it makes change even slightly in pitch we instantly become aware of the sound it makes because that sounds means that all is not right and that something is wrong with the machine which instantly puts us on alert because the new sound has a negative connotation.
The same is true of the the sounds the Tinnitus sufferer hears. These sounds have a negative connotation to them and tells them something is wrong, that things are not working normally. This makes them hyper alert to the sounds in their head which to them are a connotation that something is wrong with them. This fear that all is not right, is what makes these sounds so alarming and difficult to block either subconsciously or consciously.
The key to tinnitus therapy
The key to Tinnitus therapy therefore is getting the tinnitus sufferer to first accept and view the sounds in their head as natural and to rid them of the negative feelings associated with them. The first step, is getting them to understand while everyone may not hear these same noises, that does mean that they are not normal or that something is wrong.
In fact, most Tinnitus sufferers who visit a doctor have no medical condition that causes their tinnitus. Once tumors or hearing problems are ruled out, most sufferers begin to wonder if they are hearing these signs because they are losing their minds. Reassuring them, that these sounds are natural to some people the same way some people are natural redheads will help the sufferer accept the sounds as part of who they are without the negative connotations.
The removal of those negative connotations and the acceptance of these sounds as normal is the key to Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.
In many cases getting rid of the negative connotation is a long process taking a year or two to achieve. However, once it is achieved many tinnitus sufferers often report that the sounds they hear have suddenly decreased in volume. This decrease is because with the worry removed that there is something “wrong” the noise the sufferer now hears ceases to be so annoying.
It is at this point that the therapist can begin to help the Tinnitus sufferer habituate the sounds in their head so that they no longer hear them unless they listen for them.
Tinnitus retraining
Tinnitus Retraining consists mainly of constant white noise in the background which helps to lessen the impact of the sounds the Tinnitus sufferer hears in their head and individual therapy.
The combination of these two things once the negative feelings surrounding the tinnitus is removed allow the tinnitus sufferer to slowly regulate the noise in their head to that of the smooth working air conditioner. The sounds are still there, the sufferer simply does not hear them because the sounds no longer generate a cause for alarm or signal that something is “wrong” It simply becomes a part of who they are.
Tinnitus is a condition that bothers many people and affects them differently. This is a condition in which an individual hears a ringing in the ears even though there is no sound present. Currently, there is not a specific medicinal cure that is known for this condition.
Tinnitus itself is not a disease but it is instead a symptom. It can be caused by a number of different other diseases and conditions in the body. For example, it has been linked to vitamin deficiencies, ear infection, wax in the ear, and and reactions to medications. In some cases, it is also caused by noise-related hearing loss.
Since there is not a known medicinal cure, many individuals that suffer from this condition try to find other ways to help the problem. Because of this, many people turn towards natural remedies in order to try to find some relief.
There are a number of natural remedies the are used by different people with some of them being more effective than others. Some remedies work on certain people, while others may not work as well. If you are looking for help with this condition, you may need to try several different types of natural remedies before finding any relief. Here are a few of the different natural treatments that you can try.
One of the most common techniques that is used by individuals who want relief from tinnitus is eating a healthier diet. Diet can play a big role in how tinnitus is experienced by an individual. People who suffer from this condition should try to stay away from dairy products, saturated fats, processed foods, sugar, and salt. You should also try to avoid tea and soda as these sugary drinks can also contribute to the problem in some cases.
Instead of eating unhealthy food, you should try to get a balanced diet of natural foods. Try to get fruits and vegetables, as well as lean meats. You need to get plenty of protein which can be obtained by eating meat regularly.
Another strategy that you can try is to take vitamins. Many cases of tinnitus have been linked to vitamin B12 deficiency. By taking vitamin B12 supplements, many times you can improve the condition. You may also want to make sure that you’re getting plenty of vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin E.
Some people also use various natural supplements in order to try to quell the problem. For example, one of the most commonly used remedies is ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo biloba is a product that can be inserted directly into the ear in order to provide some relief. When you use this product, try to keep it up for at least four weeks and for as long as six weeks. It may take the full six weeks to get relief.
Another similar solution is to use extract from the Maidenhair tree instead of Ginkgo biloba. Some people also use sesame oil instead of either one of these. The purpose of all of these is to increase the blood flow to the ears.
Even though many people may not enjoy hearing it, exercise can also play a big role in helping tinnitus. Exercise helps you lower your blood pressure and increase circulation in the body. By doing this consistently, you can significantly improve the condition of tinnitus over time.
Quitting vices like drinking alcohol regularly and smoking can also pay dividends for you if you suffer from tinnitus. These are unhealthy practices that can increase your blood pressure and in smoking’s case, limits the amount of oxygen that is available to your body.
Something else that many people have tried successfully is chewing dried fruit. By chewing dried fruit, you will get essential vitamins and at the same time, the chewing will increase the amount of blood flow to your ears. If you do this regularly, it can help improve your condition.
Overall, there are many different things that you can try to help deal with tinnitus. Until a definitive cure is discovered, you will most likely need to try several different home remedies before any relief is located. The important thing is that you should not give up if one cure does not work. Keep trying and keeping your mind open to new possibilities. Eventually, you will find something that gives you relief.
People who suffer from tinnitus often find themselves feeling afraid, depressed and willing to do almost anything to find relief from that noise in their head only they can hear. Visits to their doctor often result in a clean bill of health and the sufferer being told that there is no physical reason for the noises they are hearing.
While this should be good news it is often not viewed in that light as most people with Tinnitus would often have a physical problem because at least then there might be hope for stopping the sound in their head. However, what they don’t realize is that there is hope for Tinnitus sufferers and that hope comes in a rather unconventional package. Hypnosis.
While most of the general public view hypnosis with suspicion the truth is that trained hypnotists are nothing like those you see on those television programs. They won’t have you clucking around their offices acting like a chicken nor will they have you performing any other asinine acts.
They are professionals like any other professionals and their goal is to help you, not to make you look stupid. But, just how can they help tinnitus sufferers? Actually, there are a number of ways that hypnosis may help in the treatment of Tinnitus. Here are a few ways it may help.
Hypnosis Can Help Diffuse The Negative Emotions Associated With The Noise Of Tinnitus
Surprisingly, people with Tinnitus can be divided into two groups. There are those who although they hear noises no one else can hear they are simply not bothered by these noises because they have no negative emotions associated with their noise. They simply view the noise as something that is just there.
The other group are the people who tend to really suffer from this condition and the sound in their head often makes them feel irritable and depressed and sometimes even frightened. For these people there simply seems like there is no escape from the constant noise or it’s effects. In these cases, what is happening is that tinnitus sufferers experience a host of negative emotions associated with the sounds they are hearing.
This is where hypnosis has proved to be of great help. In many cases, the hypnotists helps the patient to rid themselves of the negative emotions surrounding the noise they hear making them feel less frightened and able to view the noise with less frus tration and annoyance making them feel better and less depressed.
Once the negative emotions are gone the hypnotist can then help the patient focus on other stimuli making the noise in their heads less noticeable allowing them to heal.
In some cases regression therapy is used to bring the patient back to the onset of his tinnitus symptoms and allow the patient to then discuss and form an opinion as to how he should feel about the condition. Bringing the patient to a point where he can make conscious decisions about his feeling regarding this condition often helps to reduce the symptoms almost immediately.
Self Hypnosis
In many cases the hypnotist will help the patient learn how to self hypnotize himself so that whenever he feels that the Tinnitus is in control of him rather than him being in control of the Tinnitus he can hypnotize himself and regain control. This allows the patient to feel completely confident that he can manage both his Tinnitus and his feelings regarding it quickly and proficiently which further decreases his negative feelings regarding the condition.
Not A Cure
Keep in mind that hypnosis is not a cure for Tinnitus, nor does it pretend to be a cure. It is simply a treatment option that allows the patient to have some control over his condition and his feelings regarding it. This for many Tinnitus sufferers often reduces their symptoms, and allows them to enjoy a better quality of life in which their Tinnitus does not play a leading role. The noise still exists it simply loses it’s power to make the person afraid which, makes all the difference to these people.
If you suffer from Tinnitus and feel that hypnosis might help you contact the National Guild of Hypnotists to find a qualified professional in the area in which you live.
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