Nearly 36 million Americans suffer from tinnitus, a constant buzzing, roaring or chirping sound in the inner or outer ear. While some head noise is normal, individuals with severe tinnitus are plagued with incessant babble throughout their day. Routine activities such as checking one’s email and driving to the market become unbearably difficult and full of distractions. Many patients of this incurable disease fall into bouts of anxiety and depression.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus is often caused by exposure to loud noises; musicians and army soldiers make up for a large percentage of its patients. Health experts predict an increase in tinnitus and other hearing-related diseases as a result of the popularity of noise-cancelling iPod earbuds which produce unhealthy levels of noise waves and may cause permanent ear damage.
Musicians warn teens to lower the volume
Most people are unaware of this affliction; many probably have it and didn’t realize they were not alone. Celebrities such as Wil.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and William Shatner are trying to change all that.
Wil.i.am told the Sun that music is his only escape from the constant ringing of tinnitus; much of his success can be attributed to his inability to slow down.
Music is his only escape
“I don’t know what silence sounds like any more. Music is the only thing which eases my pain,” says the singer for the Black Eyed Peas.
Jack Black, famous for his rowdy rocker persona, also warns teens to protect their hearing in this YouTube video:
Heavy metal drummer Lars Ulrich of Metallica, who also suffers from tinnitus, delivers his speech on hearing loss in this video funded by H.E.A.R:
The Tinnitus Foundation released this montage of famous people with tinnitus, including Pete Townshend, David Letterman, Barbra Streisand and Ronald Reagan.
William Shatner and co-star Leonard Nimoy were often exposed to loud eruptions on the sets of the Star Trek films. In his video for the American Tinnitus Association, William Shatner describes an explosion during filming which forever altered his hearing ability.
Find your inner sanctum.
Tranquility with Tinnitus? Sounds like an oxymoron if there ever was one, but it’s no joke. Finding peace of mind with a constant ringing in your ear or some of the various other sounds associated with tinnitus might seem like a distant dream. Whooshing, clicks, cricket sounds- it seems like more than you can handle.
There might not be any outright cures for tinnitus in this day and age, but there are coping mechanisms to help you find peace of mind: meditation, homeopathic remedies…and faith.
Part I of Tranquility with Tinnitus will help you find your inner sanctuary from tinnitus using three relaxation techniques recommended by the Mayo Clinic.
Setting the Scenario
Begin by finding a nice warm, quiet room free of disturbances. If there is a telephone, disconnect it. Cover the television or computer with a small throw. Soften the lights, set up some soothing “white noise” like a gentle fan or relaxation CD. Take off your shoes, lay down on a mat or soft rug and begin…
1) Autogenic relaxation
Autogenic relaxation means looking inwards with your “third eye,” as it’s referred to in transcendental meditation.
- Slowly breathe in at the count of three;
- Hold the breathe for the count of three;
- Very slowly release your breathe at the count of six, imagining a balloon gently losing air through a pinhole.
- Concentrate on slowing your heartbeat.
- Make a mental checklist of any sensations, sounds or pains which are going through your body; recognize them, accept them and breathe towards them.
- Repeat a soothing mantra; use that mantra throughout the day anytime you feel stressed and feel and need to return to your “safe place.”
2) Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive relaxation is a great way to give your muscles a massage from the inside. In times of acute anxiety a mini-PMR can be done inconspicuously at your desk or even while dining at a restaurant.
- Lie flat, getting yourself into a relaxed position.
- Will your muscles to let go, release tension.
- Direct your inner eye to your right foot; clench it tightly. Now, let go and feel the warmth as your muscles relax. Repeat with the left foot.
- Slowly and systematically work your way upwards, tightening and releasing your legs, abdominal muscles, chest, back, shoulders and arms.
- Much stress is stored in the head, so don’t neglect this vital area. Focus on your neck, jaws, cheeks, ears, eyes and forehead.
- Many find that PMR, with practice, brings on a deep sensation of euphoria and inner quietude.
3) Visualization
Another common practice is to use your imagination as a tool for relaxation; many meditation CD’s are available which will guide you through various exercises.
- Imagine yourself in your comfort zone; this could be anyplace that makes you feel happy and safe, such as the beach or a rustic woods. See the deep blue ocean, a purplish sunrise or emerald green pastures.
- Focus on all the sounds of your comfort zone; crashing waves, birds winging, etc.
- Now imagine tactile sensations, like the gentle breeze, woolly pine needles, or the warm sun on your face.
- Smell the salty ocean air or the deep incense of the forest.
Many tinnitus sufferers have found their symptoms lessened through practiced meditation. If you have a hectic schedule, try waking up a half-hour early and setting aside that time to meditate. Not only will it get your day off to a good start, it will also give you a sort of mental “home page” to go back to when things seem to be spiraling out of control.
Recommended reading: The Calm Technique: Meditation without Magic or Mysticism, by Paul Wilson
Sources:
Birmingham and District Tinnitus Group
How is Meniere’s Different From Tinnitus
Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that, unlike tinnitus, affects both hearing and balance. It is characterized by episodes of dizziness, buzzing, ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and progressive hearing loss, usually in one ear. It is named after the French physician Prosper Ménière, who first reported that vertigo was caused by inner ear disorders. Meniere’s disease occurs due to an increase in volume and pressure of the endolymph of the inner ear, and is a progressive disorder which often gets worse with time. Although, progression of Meniere’s is unpredictable: symptoms may worsen, remain the same or disappear altogether.
An episode of Meniere’s disease is usually characterized by an attack of vertigo which sometimes lasts more than 24 hours, tinnitus which increases in volume and temporary hearing loss, which can become worse and more permanent with more attacks. Nausea and sweating can also be experienced during an episode.
Meniere’s disease is not known, but it is believed to be related to endolymphatic hydropsor excess fluid in the inner ear. It is thought that endolymphatic fluid bursts from its normal channels in the ear and flows into other areas causing excess pressure and damage. This may be related to swelling of the endolymphatic sac or other tissues in the vestibular system of the inner ear, which is responsible for the body’s sense of balance.
The symptoms may occur in the presence of a middle ear infection, head trauma or an upper respiratory tract infection, or by using aspirin, smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol, all of which also aggravate the experience of tinnitus. They may be further exacerbated by excessive consumption of salt in some patients. It is most commonly treated with a variety of prescription medications and may even benefit from surgery. However the condition may return even for individuals post surgery, which is why a more permanent and less invasive solutions are currently being researched for the treatment of Meniere’s disease.
Current peer reviewed research explores a correlation between damage caused by neck trauma, such as whiplash, and disorders associated with cranial nerves, like Meniere’s disease and Trigeminal neuralgia. A pinching of nerves between the vertebrae of the spine, called subluxation, can cause pain and symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo and other indicators associated with Meniere’s. This subluxation can be analyzed and adjusted by upper cervical specific chiropractors, which may help relieve some if not many, of the symptoms.
What does tinnitus sound like?
Patients who complain of tinnitus usually describe their sounds as similar to those reported by normal subjects placed in a soundproof booth: most use words as ringing, buzzing, humming, and whistling; some mention hissing, crickets, roaring, falling water, and a variety of other descriptions. Just as the prevalence of tinnitus is related to the presense and severity of hearing loss rather than to particular otologic disorders, the quality of tinnitus is generally unrelated to specific diagnosis and is thus of little diagnostic use. One exception is the tinnitus of Meniere’s disease, which is usually described as low pitched or roaring. In classic cases of Meniere’s disease this correlates with low-frequency hearing loss, but in early cases, when the audiogram may be normal between vertigo spells, a history of roaring tinnitus may be a clue to diagnosis. Of course, patients who describe pulsatile sounds, particularly if synchronous with the heartbeat should be suspected of having somatosounds caused by vascular lesions in or near the ear.
Acoustic shock due to loud noise, ear infection and physical trauma are common causes of hearing loss and tinnitus. Meniere’s disease as well as mercury/lead poisoning, deminishes the function of neural pathways.
Study in Journal of Otolaryngoly showed Vinpocetine supplementation diminished Tinnitus by 66%.
