Home Care and Remedies for Tinnitus (Ears Ringing)

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a condition characterized by a persistent ringing, buzzing, or other sound in the ears that is not caused by an external sound. The noise can be low or high pitched and can vary in loudness. It may be constant or come and go.

What are the signs and symptoms of Tinnitus?

• The primary symptom of tinnitus is hearing a sound in the ears or head when no external sound is present.
• Commonly described as a ringing, buzzing, clicking, hissing, humming or even roaring sound that is usually constant.
• Other symptoms can include hearing loss, ear pain, and sensitivity to loud sounds or lightheadedness.
• Difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating and feelings of depression or anxiety can also be experienced with tinnitus.

What are possible complications of Tinnitus?

• Tinnitus can have many serious and debilitating consequences, especially if left untreated. People who suffer from tinnitus often experience problems with their concentration, memory, emotions and sleep quality. In extreme cases, it can lead to depression and even suicidal thoughts.
• People with severe tinnitus may become socially isolated due to their inability to handle loud noises or engage in conversation with others in environments which are too noisy for them.
• Hearing loss is another possible complication of tinnitus if the condition is not addressed properly or quickly enough.

Ayurvedic and daily home remedies and tips to avoid Tinnitus

Ayurvedic Remedies

• Drink warm sesame oil mixed with basil leaves and a pinch of salt.
• Take a mixture of 2-3 drops of castor oil, 1 teaspoon of honey, and 1 teaspoon of sweet flag powder (Acorus calamus).
• Massage your earlobes with some sesame oil for 20 minutes daily.
• Take ghee or clarified butter, warm it slightly and pour 2-3 drops in the affected ear two times a day for several days.
• Prepare a paste from the bark of the banyan tree and apply it over the affected ear every night before going to bed.
• Apply warm sesame seed oil on your forehead as well as behind your ears regularly to reduce tinnitus symptoms.
• Boil some water in a pan and add some camphor to it and inhale the steam twice daily to get relief from tinnitus symptoms.

Reduce Stress Levels

• Stress can trigger episodes of tinnitus so reducing stress may help reduce its intensity.
• Relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation can help reduce general stress levels while specific methods such as sound therapy - listening to calming music - can also help specifically target tinnitus-related stress levels for an effective treatment plan.

Regular Exercise

• Research shows that regular exercise can increase blood flow around the head and neck which may impact positively on symptoms of tinnitus radiation patterns .
• When exercising try to focus on basic strength training activities like push ups , sit ups , running etc rather than high impact activities like kickboxing or rock climbing .

Avoid Trigger Foods/Drinks

• Certain foods / drinks may aggravate tinnitus by increasing inflammation in the body – alcohol consumption being one example in particular .
• Cutting down OR completely avoiding any food items / drinks that aggravate symptoms is especially important if suffering from chronic high pitched ringing in one ear .
• Common triggers include: caffeine , chocolate , processed food high in sugar / sodium , MSG seasonings etc .

Change Your Sleeping Position

• Some positions you sleep in – such as lying flat on your back – cause more loud ringing sounds than sleeping with your head elevated on a few pillows. Sleeping positions make a big difference.
• Change it up every night depending upon what helps alleviate tinnitus better !

 What are the surgical treatments for Tinnitus?

• Cochlear Implants: This is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides electrical stimulation to the auditory nerve which may help mask the effects of Tinnitus.
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): This method is used to deliver electromagnetic pulses to certain parts of the brain involved in the generation of tinnitus sounds, thus reducing their severity and frequency.
• Radiofrequency Ablation: In this procedure, a probe is inserted into the ear canal and high-frequency radio waves are used to heat and ablate (i.e., destroy) certain structures in the ear that are thought to be producing tinnitus noise.
• Stereotactic Radiosurgical Lesioning: With this approach, radiation beams are directed at key areas of the brain in an effort to damage tissue responsible for producing tinnitus noise and reduce its effects on an individual’s hearing ability.

Best doctors to consult for Tinnitus?

• A doctor experienced in ear health and ENT (ear, nose, and throat) conditions is typically the best person to consult for tinnitus.
• Audiologists, general physicians, neurologists and psychiatrists can also help diagnose and manage tinnitus.
• People with severe or persistent cases of tinnitus may want to consult a specialist such as an otologist (ear specialist), neuro-otologist (specialist in the nervous system associated with the ear) or neurotologist (specialist in disorders of the head and neck).