Tinnitus And Vertigo Management With Panchakarma!

Have you tried a host of conventional therapies, taken numerous medications, consulted the best physicians - but a cure still seems elusive?

If you are looking for a faster and completely natural method of healing from these balance disorders, Ayurveda is your best option.

What is Tinnitus?
The word tinnitus is a latin derivative meaning ‘to ring’. In this condition, the person suffers from a disparity of sound in both ears without any external noise present, like hissing, roaring clicking, whistling and others.The ringing can be sporadic or continuous and the volume ranges from minute to blooming to clamourous.

Tinnitus has also been associated with-

• Sensorineural hearing loss in people with a vata dominant type of body
• Pulsatile tinnitus or rhythmic pulsing, a thumping sound that coordinates with the heartbeat.

Globally, 50 million, which is 10-18% of the total population, suffer from tinnitus.

What is Vertigo?
Vertigo is characterized by a feeling of sudden rush in the head which leads to swaying or spinning. This makes it difficult to stand in an upright position. Ayurveda calls it ‘brahma’.

Causes-
Ayurveda states that vertigo is an outcome of ‘pitta and vatta dosha’.

• When these ‘doshas’ becomes overactive, it imbalances the entire functioning system and causes irritating sensations like ringing in the ears.
• ‘Vestibular imbalance’ in the inner portion of the ear is another reason causing vertigo
• When adequate oxygen flow to the ear is disrupted, it also causes abnormal ringing in the ears

Treatment-
Panchakarma is a five (pancha) therapy (karma) which makes use of complete ayurvedic techniques in detoxification and body-mind healing. It eliminates diseases from their roots by examining individual needs like the body constitution, pitta dosha, age, digestive fire, and other factors. It is a proven therapy to restore the optimal health of the body, vitality and inner balance.

This rejuvenating program believes in two major treatment methods- ‘shodhana’ and ‘shamana’. Shodhana is cleansing of the body and Shamana refers to treatment with medications.

1. Panchakarma to treat Tinnitus

• Nasya or errhine medications- Nose drop oils like vacha calms and balance the prana vayu. The oil is warmed, put in one nostril and it flows out of the other. This removes excess vata from the head and the neck area.
• Abhyanga is of two types- Shiroabhyanga is a head massage and padabhyanga is a foot massage. In padabhyanga the soles of the feet are rubbed with warm sesame oil which calms the prana vayu. The oil penetrates deep into the skin, relaxes the body, nourishes every starved cell and removes excess waste products. It propels arterial and lymphatic circulation.
• Karnapoorna or ear drops are used to relax the vata in the ears. Approximately ten drops of sesame oil is applied and allowed to stay for five-ten minutes. The ear is cleaned and the process is repeated for the other ear.
• Kawala and Gandush is the gargling of specific medicated oils or kawath (liquid). It provides strength to the nerves of the ears and appeases the vata gandush.

2. Panchakarma to treat Vertigo
The science of Ayurveda does not state vertigo as a chronic disease. Rather it is a disorder of the nervous system. The vitiated pitta is responsible for causing the spinning sensation. This is where the Ayurvedic method of Panchakarma benefits the human body by balancing the pitta and purifying it. The healing techniques include-

• Abhyanga or regular oil massaging
• Swedana or treatment by applying herbal steam
• Lymphatic massage
• Basti or medicated enemas
• Nasya or administering oils through the nostrils