Submitted by: Dr. John Douillard
Ringing in the ears, or “tinnitus,” affects 1 in 5 adults in the United States(1) and over 250 million people worldwide. While there are many possible causes for this incessant ringing or buzzing in the ear, there are few effective therapies. In this article I share two very simple, yet extremely effective therapies for tinnitus – one of which has been used effectively for thousands of years and the other you most likely already have in your bathroom!
The causes are many and range from: head trauma, loud music or noises, age related hearing loss, stress, infection, or the side effects from over 260 medications such as aspirin and certain antibiotics. Find out below if the drug you may be taking is the cause of your tinnitus! If you are taking one of these drugs, please talk to your doctor about the possibility of switching or stopping the drug.
If you or someone you love suffers from tinnitus don’t miss these time tested and proven home therapies!
What Causes Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is perhaps most commonly caused by damage to both the small bones of the middle ear and hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear. When the ear is traumatized by shock, loud noise, infection, aging or side effects from drugs, the blood supply to the ear is stressed and compromised. This lack of blood supply often causes the production of scar tissue around the small bones of the ear. This affects the vibrational properties of the middle ear, which disturbs and potentially damages the delicate hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear. This sends aberrant impulses to the auditory nerve which can increase unwanted ear sounds, and result in tinnitus.
Allergies can cause an excess build up of mucus in the middle and inner ear, as well as the Eustachian tube, which drains the ear. Excess mucus can breed an infection, which can increase ear pressure in the middle ear, irritate the ossicles (small bones), damage the hair cells of the inner ear and cause tinnitus.
The key to healing this kind of tinnitus is to repair the hair cells of the inner ear and the damage to the middle ear.
How These Therapies Work
When blood flow to the middle and inner ear is increased, it can help reverse the damage that may be causing the ringing in the ears.
One study shows that high frequency vibration therapy shows significant reduction in tinnitus(2). In other words if one could vibrate the ear at a very high frequency it could:
1. Break up any calcification of the middle ear.
2. Increase blood supply to the middle and inner ear to initiate healing of the cochlea, hair cells and small bones of the middle ear.
3. Vibrate out any residual congestive mucus.
4. Break up any impacted cerumen (ear wax) in the outer ear.
Ultrasonic Toothbrush Therapy
Most folks have an electric toothbrush that can be used to vibrate the outer, middle and inner ear. An ultrasonic toothbrush works best, but I have seen any electric toothbrush deliver benefits for tinnitus. With the toothbrush turned on, hold the toothbrush (the opposite side of the bristles!) against the ear to induce a concentrated vibrational effect.
1. Start by closing the flap. Hold the vibrating toothbrush over the ear opening on top of the closed flap.
2. Take the toothbrush and move it around the ear where the skull and ear meet.
3. If you feel any sore areas, stay in that area longer.
4. Do this for 2 minutes per ear, twice per day.
Ayurvedic Tinnitus Therapy
(This works best in conjunction with the Toothbrush Therapy)
Ayurveda suggests a therapy traditionally called Karuna Purana, which places drops of herbalized oil into the ear. Administering oil in the ears uses the same principles as the Ultrasonic Toothbrush Therapy, which are to increase blood supply and break down any scar tissue in and around the ear to help it vibrate in a more youthful manner.
This is best done with properly herbalized Organic Nasya oil,for the ears and nose, at least once per day. This can easily be done in the shower:
1. Fill both ear canals with warm Organic Nasya Oil.
2. Close the flaps and rub both ears vigorously for 1 minute.
3. Gently rub out any sore or painful areas while rubbing and pressing on the flaps.
4. Next, for 1 minute, deeply massage around the ears where the ears meets the skull.
5. Again, if there are any sore areas, rub those out.
6. For 1 more minute, hold the ears with the index finger and thumb and massage every aspect of the ears firmly while rubbing out any soreness.
7. If there is any soreness, dont rub too hard. The soreness will go away in a few days.
Make sure that special attention is given to any sore areas or vectors while massaging. Most people notice improvements in 3-5 days. In some cases it can take a month to break up the scar tissue and increase the blood supply, which will help decrease tinnitus.
This ear oil therapy is also excellent prevention for tinnitus, colds, sinus congestion and allergies.
Isnt a few minutes a day worth clear hearing?
Stop These Medications If You Have Tinnitus
If you are on any of these below medications and experience tinnitus, please consult with your doctor about switching to a non-tinnitus causing drug or to stop the drug, if possible. The following is a list of drugs that have demonstrated tinnitus side effects, as indicated in the 1995 “Physicians Desk Reference” and distributed by the American Tinnitus Association:
Accutane [less than 1%] Mazicon [less than 1%]
Acromycin V Meclomen [greater than 1%]
Actifed with Codiene Cough Syrup Methergine [rare]
Adalat CC [less than 1%] Methotrexate [less common]
Alferon N [one patient] Mexitil [1.9% to 2.4%]
Altace [less than 1%] Midamor [less than or equel to 1%]
Ambien [infrequent] Minipress [less than 1%]
Amicar [occasional] Minizide [rare]
Anatranil [4-5%] Mintezol
Anaprox and Anaprox DS [3-9%] Moduretic
Anestacon [among most common] Mono-Cesac
Ansaid [1-3%] Monopril [0.2-1%]
Aralen Hydrochloride [one Patient] Monopril [0.2-1%]
Arithritis Strength BC Powder Motrin [less than 3%]
Asacol Mustargen [infrequent]
Ascriptin A/D Mykrox [less than 2%]
Ascriptin Nalfon [4.5%]
Asendin [less than 1%] Naprosyn [3-9%]
Asperin [among most frequent] Nebcin
Atretol Neptazane
Atrofen Nescaine
Atrohist Plus Netromycin
Azactam [less than 1%] Neurontin [infrequent]
Azo Gantanol Nicorette
Azo Gantrisin Nipent [less than 3%]
Azulfidine [rare] Nipride
BC Powder Noroxin
Bactrim DS Norpramin
Bactrim I.V. Norvasc [0.1-1%]
Bactrim Omnipaque [less than 0.1%]
Blocadren [less than 1%] Omniscan [less than 1%]
Buprenex [less than 1%] Ornade
BuSpar [frequent] Orthoclone OKT3
Cama Orudis [greater than 1%]
Capastat Sulfate Oruvail [greater than 1%]
Carbocaine Hydrochloride P-A-C Analgesic
Cardene [rare] PBZ
Cardioquin Pamelor
Cardizem [less than 1%] Parnate
” CD [less than 1%] Paxil [infrequent]
” SR [less than 1%] Pedia-Profen [greater than 1% less than 3%]
Cardura [1%] Pediazole
Cartrol [less common] Penetrex [less than 1%]
Cataflam [1-3%] Pepcid [infrequent]
Childrens Advil [less than 3%] Pepto-Bismol
Cibalith-S Periactin
Cinobac [less than 1 in 100] permax [infrequent]
Cipro [less than 1%] Phenergan
Claritin [2% or less] Phrenilin [infrequent]
Clinoril [greater than 1%] Piroxicam [1-3%]
Cognex Plaquenil
Corgard [1-5 of 1000 patients] Platinol
Corzide [ ” ] Plendil [0.5% or greater]
Cuprimine [greater than 1%] Pontocaine Hydrochloride
Cytotec [infrequent] Prilosec [less than 1%]
Dalgan [less than 1%] Primaxin [less than 2%]
Dapsone USP Prinvil [0.3-1%]
Daypro [greater than 1% less than 3%] Prinzide [0.3-1%]
Deconamine Procardia [1% or less]
Demadex ProSam [infrequent]
Depen Titratable Proventil [2%]
Desferal Vials Prozac [infrequent]
Desyrel & Desyrel Dividose [1.4%] Questran
Diamox Quinaglute
Dilacor XR Quinamm
Dipentum [rare] Quinidex
Diprivan [less than 1%] Q-vel Muscle Relaxant Pain Reliever
Disalcid Recombivax HB [less than 1%]
Dolobid [greater than 1% in 100] Relafen [3-9%]
Duranest Rheumatrex Methotrexate [less common]
Dyphenhydramine [Nytol, Benydrl, etc] Rifater
Dyclone Romazicon [less than 1%]
Dasprin Ru-Tuss
Easprin Rythmol
Ecotrin Salflex
Edecrin Sandimmune [2% or less]
Effexor [2%] Sedapap [infrequent]
Elavil Sensorcaine
Eldepryl Septra
Emcyt Sinequan [occasional]
Emla cream Soma Compound
Empirin with Codiene Sporanox [less than 1%]
Endep Stadol [3-9%]
Engerix-B Streptomycin Sulfate
Equagesic Sulfadiazine
Esgic-plus [infrequent Surmontil
Eskalith Talacen [rare]
Ethmozine [less than 2%] Talwin [rare]
Etrafon Tambocor [1% or less than 3%]
Fansidar Tavist and Tavist-D
Feidene [1-3%] Tegretol
Fioricat with Codeine [infrequent] Temaril
Flexeril [less than 1%] Tenex [3% or less]
Floxin [less than 1%] Thera-Besic
Foscavir [1-5%] Thiosulfil Forte
Fungijzone Ticlid [0.5-1%]
Ganite Timolide
Gantanol Timoptic
Gantrisin Tobramycin
Garamycin Tofranil
Glauctabs Tolectin [1-3%]
HIVID [less than 1%] Tonocard [0.4-1.5%]
Halcion [rare] Toprol XL
Hyperstat Toradol [1% or less]
Hytrin [at least 1%] Torecan
Ibuprofen [less than 3%] [Advil, etc.} Trexan
Ilosone Triaminic
Imdur [less than or equal to 5%] Triavil
Indocin [greater than 1%] Trilisate [less than 20%]
Intron A [up to 4%] Trinalin Repetabs
Kerione [less than 2%] Tympagesic Ear Drops
Lariam [among most frequent] Ursinus
Lasix Vancocin HCI [rare]
Legatrin Vantin [less than 1%]
Lncocin [occasional] Vascor [up to 6.52%]
Lioresal Vaseretic [0.5-2%]
lithane Vasotec [0.5-1%]
Lithium Carbonate Vivactil
Lithobid Voltqaren [1-3%]
Lithonate Wellbutrin
Lodine [greater than 1% less than 3%] Xanax [6.6%]
Lopressor Ampuis Xylocaine [among most common]
Lopressor DCT [1 in 100] Zestril ‘0.3-1%]
Lopressor Zestoretic [0.3-1%]
Loreico Ziac
Lotensin HCT [0.3-1%] Zoleft [1.4%]
Ludiomil [rare] Zosyn [less than 1%]
MZM [among most frequent] Zyloprim [less than 1%]
Magnevist [less than 1%]
Marinol (Dronabinol) [less than 1%] Risperdal [rare]
Marcaine Hydrochloride
Marcaine Spinal
Maxaquin [less than 1%]
References
1. Demeester K, van Wieringen A, Hendrickx JJ, Topsakal V, Fransen E, Van Laer L, De Ridder D, Van Camp G, Van de Heyning P. (2007). Prevalence of tinnitus and audiometric shape. B-ENT. 3 Suppl 7:37-49.
2. Goldstein BA, Lenhardt ML, Shulman A (2005). “Tinnitus improvement with ultra-high-frequency vibration therapy”. Int Tinnitus J. 11 (1): 1422.
About the Author: Dr. John Douillard has been teaching Ayurvedic medicine, natural health, fitness, and nutrition internationally for 22 years. He received his Ayurvedic training in India and holds a Ph.D. in Ayurvedic Medicine from the Open International University. He is the former Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Nets, co-directed an Ayurvedic center for cancer with Deepak Chopra, and has trained over 2000 Western doctors in Ayurveda.
Visit Website
Source:
isnare.com
Permanent Link:
isnare.com/?aid=814740&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies
}
