Tinnitus is not a disease but a symptom or sign of something wrong with the auditory system which includes your ear, the auditory nerves connecting the inner ear to the brain and the parts of the brain that are responsible for processing sounds. There are a variety of conditions that can cause tinnitus out of which the most common is the noise-induced hearing loss.
Tinnitus is usually described as a ringing in one or both the ears, but it can also sound as clicking, hissing, roaring or buzzing even when no external sound is present. The sound can be very soft, loud or even high or low pitched. People experiencing severe tinnitus face various problems with hearing, working or sleeping. But before you go to the tinnitus natural cure discussion, let’s talk about the various sounds people hear and the possible underlying causes behind it.
- Clicking: People hear this type of sound in bursts when the muscle contracts in and around the ear which may last from several seconds to a few minutes.
- Rushing or humming: This type of sound is usually vascular in origin which you may notice during exercising or changing positions during a workout.
- Heartbeat: In this case, the sound of your heartbeat gets amplified in your ears if you have blood vessel problems such as high blood pressure, tumor or even the blockage of the ear canals or the eustachian tube.
- Low-pitched ringing: Meniere’s disease is responsible for producing low-pitched ringing in one or both the ears. Sometimes, these low-pitched sounds become intense during a vertigo attack.
- High-pitched ringing: Getting exposed to very loud noises or a blow to the ear can cause a high-pitch ringing in the ears that may stay from few hours to a few days. However, hearing loss due to long-term noise exposure or age-related health issues can make tinnitus permanent.
Tinnitus treatment
There is no definite cure for tinnitus. There are various treatments available for tinnitus that will help you to manage the perception of the sound in your head or reduce the intensity of tinnitus. Natural cure for tinnitus might not be able to stop the perceived sound, but it can certainly improve the quality of your life. Before the treatment procedures start, your doctor may examine your ears, head, and neck and look for the possible causes of tinnitus with the help of various tests that are as follows:
Audiological exam: In this test, you will be seated in a soundproof room wearing earphones through which different specific sounds will be played and you will be asked to indicate the sounds one at a time. The results will then be compared with that of a normal person of your age which in turn will be able to indicate the possible causes of tinnitus.
Movement: In this test, your doctor will ask you to move your eyes, neck, arms or legs or clench your jaw which will help to understand the possible causes depending on the tinnitus being worsened or not.
Natural cure for tinnitus
Cutting out nicotine, caffeine and other stimulants: Stimulants are substances that increase activity in the body by exciting your brain, central nervous system or other systems of the body at a cellular level that can make your tinnitus worse. One of the worst stimulants is nicotine that can worsen your tinnitus symptom by harming the blood flow to the sensitive nerve cells.
On the other hand, caffeine is also a type of stimulant that can affect some people and can cause sleepless nights or even tinnitus. It is advisable to reduce caffeine intake so that you can reduce the symptoms of tinnitus.
Diet improvement: Having a balanced diet every day can significantly act as a natural cure for tinnitus. Try cutting down bad food habits like skipping meals and consumption of junk and fast foods. Avoid foods high in sodium as sodium can lead to fluid retention and high blood pressure, both of which can make the symptoms of tinnitus worse.
Try consuming foods enriched in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, copper, etc., so that you can cure tinnitus naturally.
Follow a daily exercise routine: Stress is a major underlying cause of tinnitus that can increase tinnitus symptoms by several folds. So, people suffering from tinnitus need to break the stress cycle and indulge in exercises, workouts or even yoga, which are considered to be a natural cure for tinnitus.
Exercises and other physical activities produce endorphins which are chemicals that act as a natural painkiller and mood boosters when released into the brain. Moreover, endorphins improve the quality of your sleep, which can significantly reduce the level of stress and anxiety in your brain which in turn will act as a natural tinnitus treatment.
Make a playlist: Music is always known for its soothing properties and can act as a natural cure for tinnitus if you can create a playlist with relaxing tracks on it. It will help you to stay distracted from the ringing sounds in your ears.
Long bath: Sometimes a long bath with your favorite salts and oils can act as a natural cure for tinnitus.
So, consult a doctor at the earliest, get your condition diagnosed and then try the above natural remedies to lead a better life.
