The A to Z of Tinnitus Remedies
Tinnitus symptoms are continuous ear ringing, buzzing or hissing in the inner ear that only the tinnitus sufferer can hear. Tinnitus sufferers may experience ringing in the ears all day, or it may come and go in phases. Tinnitus noises may also vary in pitch and volume, depending on the amount of inner ear damage to the cochlea, a network inside the ear that is crucial for good hearing. While there is no long-term cure for tinnitus, experts have agreed that certain vitamins can be beneficial for alleviating the effects of hearing loss and tinnitus.
Below is a list of the 4 best vitamins for tinnitus relief:
Vitamin A
The cochlea of the inner ear stores large amounts of vitamin A, and relies on sufficient stores in order to receive and interpret sound efficiently, according to Dr. George E. Shambaugh Jr, author of “Healing with Vitamins.” In his book, Dr. Shambaugh recommends vitamin A, in conjunction with vitamin E, as an effective tinnitus treatment. Good sources of vitamin A are orange fruits and vegetables, such as cantaloupe, yams, carrots and pumpkin. Tuna and spinach are also high in vitamin A.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is essential for a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 affects the way we touch, taste, see and hear, so it is not surprising that vitamin B12 deficiency leads to symptoms such as altered taste perception, visual disturbances, numbness or tingling, and chronic tinnitus. One Tel Aviv study, which focused on Israeli servicemen with tinnitus, found a high correlation between symptoms of tinnitus and vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in lean meats, fish, eggs and dairy products.
Magnesium
Magnesium is another essential vitamin, which is included in many tinnitus remedies. Nutritionists believe that a magnesium deficiency corrupts the ability of the cochlea to function properly by constricting vessels that lead to the inner ear. Magnesium occurs naturally in food sources such as brown rice, bananas, beans and oats.
Zinc
Zinc is another nutrient that is associated with tinnitus and hearing loss. A study featured in Otology and Neurotology determined that low levels of zinc may be a cause of tinnitus. The University of Michigan Health System reported in 1985 that 25% of tinnitus sufferers who had low zinc levels noticed a marked reduction in tinnitus symptoms when they increased their zinc intake. Foods that are highest in zinc include oysters, wheat germ, veal liver and sesame seeds.
Read more about tinnitus treatment and prevention:
5 Mistakes Tinnitus Sufferers Make
Gingko Biloba as a Treatment for Tinnitus
Stop that Ringing in your Ears: Get Tinnitus Treatment Now
Top 5 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sources:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/261616-vitamins-for-ringing-ears/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8639287
http://www.ehow.com/about_5468633_vitamins-tinnitus-relief.html
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/zinc.php
Because Tinnitus Noise is One Thing…
If you suffer from tinnitus, then you know how difficult it is to get some quiet time. Tinnitus symptoms range from mild buzzing in one ear to screeching, deafening high-pitch ringing in both ears. If you’re able to get a full night’s sleep, then count yourself lucky; many chronic tinnitus patients are woken up frequently by phantom hissing or clicking noises resonating from the inner ear.
If you’re a tinnitus sufferer with a noisy neighbor in a thin-walled apartment complex, then your chances of enjoying a few moments of serenity are twice as unlikely; you might be able to ignore tinnitus ear ringing for a while, but try ignoring an apartment tenant with an electronic drum set, a 3-piece subwoofer speaker system, and no particular allegiance to noise ordinance laws. Short of soundproofing your own walls, your only chance of getting some peace and quiet is to ask your neighbor to keep the noise pollution down.
How Loud is Too Loud? Prevent Tinnitus Now
Here are 5 steps to getting your neighbor to turn down the volume:
1) Be open: Give your neighbor a call, introduce yourself, and explain to him that you can hear his drum solos, that it’s making it difficult for you to work, relax or sleep, and give him a chance to respond. You might also want to explain that you have tinnitus, a condition which amplifies certain sounds, hurts your ears, and makes it difficult for you to get enough sleep. Now might also be a good time to explain to him that many musicians also suffer from tinnitus, due to overexposure to loud musical jam sessions, such as the type he engages in frequently.
2) Confront him in person: So, the phone call didn’t work. Calmly knock on his door, remind him of the nice chat you had on the phone, and ask him, once again, to please turn down the volume of his speaker set. Or better yet, could he please put on a pair of headphones? Invite him to come into your apartment and see for himself just how soundproof the walls AREN’T.
3) Do your homework: Now it’s time to dig in deep and do some research on your city’s noise laws. Send him a formal letter, highlighting all the legal options you are entitled to, and point out that you would much rather not resort to police involvement. Make a reference to previous noise complaints on your behalf. Keep a copy of the dated letter for future reference.
4) Call the cops: If your neighbor continues to ignore your attempts to come to a peaceful resolution, then call the police. Explain to them that you tried on several occasions to get your neighbor to keep the noise level down, and that he refuses to oblige. They will likely take down your address and make a house call. Usually, one visit from a police officer is all it takes to show your neighbor that you will not tolerate the noise any longer. He may not like confronting you when you’re upset, but he’ll like it even less when you’ve got a man in blue on your arm.
5) File a noise complaint: You may have the most stubborn (or deaf) neighbor in history. Your only option now is to file an official complaint with your jurisdiction. Provide detailed accounts of all previous communications with said neighbor, including a copy of your initial letter of protest. Once the matter is handed to the authorities, they will contact you with a court date or attempt at mediation.
More noise-related reads:
White Noise Sound Machines- The 5 Best Reviewed by Customers
Top 5 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Gear Up to Prevent Hearing Loss: Five Things you Should Buy Now
Source:
http://www.ehow.com/how_8302909_ask-neighbor-turn-down-music.html#ixzz1NoLYHOmi
Is constant tinnitus ear ringing keeping you up nights? The symptoms of tinnitus are enough to drive anybody mad during daylight hours, but at night the relentless buzzing, chirping, ringing or hissing sounds make it nearly impossible for chronic tinnitus sufferers to get a good night’s sleep.
Certain sedatives are known to interact badly with tinnitus patients. So, before you consider popping sleeping pills before bedtime, consult your doctor.
Below are some potential side effects associated with prescription sleep medications:
The morning after
People who rely on prescription drugs to get to sleep sometimes wake up with a hangover, which could exacerbate tinnitus symptoms. If you experience dizziness, nausea, headaches or lethargy the morning after taking sleeping pills, you probably didn’t take the correct dosage. Report symptoms to your doctor and ask him to double-check your prescription.
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Acid indigestion
Over 40% of US citizens suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition which causes chronic heartburn. GERD sufferers who take sleeping drugs run the risk of sleeping through severe acid reflux, resulting in damage to the esophagus which would have been prevented by waking and swallowing.
Addiction
Individuals who take benzodiazepines for anxiety or insomnia run a high risk for physical dependency, as they have been proven to be highly addictive. Some of the newer sleep medications are less habit-forming and less likely to be abused. Still, even “safe” sleeping drugs can create a dependency in that they mask the underlying symptoms which are the real culprits behind insomnia, such as tinnitus, making it less likely that the person suffering insomnia will ever receive treatment.
Yo-yo insomnia
One of the biggest mistake insomniacs make is to suddenly stop taking their sleep medicine. Going cold turkey on sleep drugs can cause rebound insomnia, creating a vicious circle of disturbed sleep. Extreme fatigue and stress associated with sleepless nights often contribute to chronic tinnitus. If you decide to stop taking your medication, ask your doctor first about developing a weaning schedule of progressively lower doses.
Tinnitus Relief: Breaking the Cycle
Sleepwalking
Sleep medications such as Zolpidem have been linked with automatic behaviors such as walking, driving and eating while asleep. Although the chances of sleepwalking are rare, the danger is very real. The FDA has ruled that certain sedative-hypnotic drugs come with a warning label about sleepwalking.
The comeback
Some prescription drugs become less effective after a long period of time, resulting in a return of previous symptoms, often at a greater extent than before. Taking a higher dose is just as ineffective as continuing with the same prescription. Patients taking sedatives to treat tinnitus are often advised to switch to a different class of drug.
Read about gentle, alternative methods for treating tinnitus and sleep problems:
Tinnitus Ear Ringing Keeping you up nights? Sleep it off with Melatonin
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: the Sounds of Silence
Stress Management and Tinnitus Relief
Sources:
Many is the number of times a tinnitus sufferers has asked himself, “What did I do wrong? How did I cause this tinnitus, and how do I get rid of it?” Although noise-related damage is the #1 cause of tinnitus, there are other known triggers.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus (ti-NIGHT-us or TIN-i-tus) is a hearing loss related condition which affects 50 million people in the US alone, although only 12 million seek medical help for their tinnitus. The symptoms of tinnitus are mild to loud whooshing, buzzing, clicking or ringing noises in the ears of varying pitch, duration and frequency. Some individuals have mild enough symptoms of tinnitus that it doesn’t interfere with their lives; they might not even notice it. Chronic tinnitus sufferers who have severe symptoms find difficulty concentrating on even small tasks, become extra-sensitive to extraneous noise and are often woken up in the middle of the night by tinnitus ringing in the ears; many experience anxiety and depression because of their tinnitus symptoms and even begin to contemplate suicide.
Here is a list of many medications and conditions which could be causing your tinnitus:
- 90% people diagnosed with tinnitus have suffered inner ear damage due to prolonged exposure to dangerously loud noises; many tinnitus patients are musicians, actors, stunt men, job shop workers and individuals who have served in the army or the military. There is evidence that listening to your iPod excessively while wearing ear buds can also create irreversible ear damage.
- Sometimes tinnitus can be caused by excess ear wax or an ear infection; rarely tinnitus symptoms could signal a benign tumor in the ear. See your pharmacist about choosing a safe ear wax removal kit, and visit your doctor to find out if you have an ear infection. You’ll be glad you did.
- Some medications have been proven to cause tinnitus over an extended period of time; aspirin is one widely recognized culprit, in addition to certain antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, tranquilizers, antidepressants and quinine medications. Tinnitus symptoms have been linked to approximately 200 prescription and nonprescription drugs and medications.
- Sometimes tinnitus is a symptom of hearing loss due to old age; as we age, our cochlea in the inner ear begins to deteriorate, significantly reducing our hearing abilities and often producing the ringing noises associated with tinnitus.
- Meniere’s disease causes damage to the inner ear and is a common cause of tinnitus.
- Otosclerosis affects the bones in the middle ear, causing hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, bad circulation, anemia, allergies, diabetes and underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) may contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus symptoms, as they restrict blood flow to the ears.
- In some cases tinnitus is caused by Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ), which may be caused by teeth grinding, excessive gum chewing, stress, jaw damage or dental problems.
- Head or neck injuries can also cause tinnitus symptoms.
Sources:
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, MedicineNet, Medicine Plus, Wikipedia, WebMD, American Tinnitus Association
When it comes to nerves and nerve conduction vitamin B-12 plays a special role. The body needs this nutrient to manufacture myelin, the fatty sheath that wraps around nerve fibers, insulating them and allowing them to conduct their electrical impulses at a better pace. A vitamin B12 deficiency can raise blood levels of homo-cysteine, an amino acid that is thought to be toxic to nerves, and cause subsequent ringing in the ears. Vitamin B12 sheathes ear nerves and may help prevent tinnitus.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with chronic tinnitus,” says Dr. Attias. “Long-term exposure to noise depletes the body’s levels of B12 and so makes the ears more vulnerable to noise-induced damage.” If you have tinnitus, and especially if you also have memory problems, ask your doctor to check your blood level of vitamin B12.
Research from the Institute for Noise Hazards Research and Evoked Potentials Laboratory at Chaim-Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan and from Tel Aviv 
University, both in Israel, looked at a group of 385 people with tinnitus and found that 36 to 47 percent suffered from vitamin B12 deficiency. All of the people low in B12 received injections of 1,000 micrograms weekly for four to six months. At the end of that time, their hearing and tinnitus were evaluated. Fifty-four percent reported improvement in their tinnitus, and approximately one-fourth reported reductions in the measured loudness of their tinnitus.
Most people get enough vitamin B12 from foods but often an individual is unable to absorb the B12 in their GI tract, which will eventually cause a deficiency. Strict vegetarians, who eat no meats, dairy products or eggs, are also at risk for deficiency, since B12 comes only from animal products. If your doctor determines that you have issues with absorbing B12 the vitamin you will need to supplement it. Those with an absorption problem will need to opt for either injections of B12 by your doctor, sublingual B12 pills from your pharmacist (studies show this method can also be poor in terms of absorption) or a transdermal B12 patch available online.
