If you have tinnitus, you’ll try almost anything to stop the constant ringing in the ears; have you ever considered weight loss as a tinnitus cure? Scientists who saw a link between intracranial hypertension and morbid obesity wondered if weight loss surgery might be the answer to finding the elusive cure for tinnitus…reduced ear ringing through weight loss.
Who’re you calling idiopathic?
If you’ve been suffering from tinnitus for many years, it is possible that you have what’s called “idiopathic intracranial hypertension,” or pseudotumor cerebri (PTC), which is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluids surrounding the brain, causing immense pressure. It sounds scarier than it is. “Idiopathic” means that they don’t know what causes it, and “pseudotumor” refers to the fact that it causes the same symptoms as a tumor, only without the tumor.
Pseudotumor cerebri is characterized as a neurological disorder because of the effect that the intracranial pressure has on the cerebral nerves.
Intracranial hypertension, meet tinnitus
There are many symptoms associated with pseudotumor cerebri, and pulsatile tinnitus (whooshing sounds in the ear that correlate with your heartbeat) is one of them. There are many causes of tinnitus, from ear damage to chemical poisoning, but pulsatile tinnitus is specifically caused by brain blood vessels that become swollen, triggering the cranial nerves into producing ear ringing and pounding sounds in the ear that are in time with your heartbeat.
What are the symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri?
Symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri are often worsened by frequent coughing and sneezing.
Here are the most common symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC):
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Pulsatile tinnitus
- Numbness in the hands and feet
- Muscular feebleness, including facial muscles
- Altered sense of smell
- Disorientation
- Double vision
- Untreated, may lead to vision loss
Intracranial hypertension, meet obesity
Although scientists are not certain as to the exact cause of pseudotumor cerebri, they have acknowledged some high correlations in people with morbid obesity and tinnitus. Many studies have been conducted linking elevated cerebrospinal fluid with severe headaches, pulsatile tinnitus, and morbid obesity.
Also, it has been proven that losing weight relieves pseudotumor cerebri and the symptoms of pulsatile tinnitus at the same time, as evidenced by this study:
- Sixteen women who suffered from morbid obesity and pulsatile tinnitus underwent weight loss surgery for this study.
- The body mass indexes (BMIs) of the study participants ranged from 33 to 70, with 45 being the median.
- Healthy BMI levels are between 18.5 and 24.9, with 30 and above signifying morbid obesity.
- Following weight loss surgery, the women who participated in this study lost between 55 and 218 pounds, averaging about 100 pounds per person in weight loss.
- The average weight for each tinnitus sufferer following surgery was 165 pounds.
- Before the weight loss surgery, average cerebrospinal fluid pressure measured at 344 mm H2O.
- After receiving weight loss surgery, tinnitus patients saw an average decrease in cerebrospinal fluid pressure by 198 mm H2O.
- Out of the 16 patients, 13 reported a complete cessation of pulsatile tinnitus symptoms.
- Only three patients continued to suffer from pulsatile tinnitus, even though they lost a significant amount of weight.
- Scientists concluded that losing weight is effective at relieving pulsatile tinnitus and pseudotumor cerebri.
What else can I do to relieve cerebrospinal fluid pressure?
If going in for weight loss surgery is not an option, there are other effective and noninvasive ways to reduce or completely alleviate tinnitus symptoms.
- Lose weight naturally. What many people don’t realize when considering weight loss surgery is that you will still have to dedicate yourself to adhering to a strict diet. So why not bypass the gastric bypass, and lose weight the good old-fashioned way? Scientifically speaking, if you expend more energy than you put in, then you will lose weight. Exercise more, and count your calories by following a food diary, many of which are available free online or via iTunes.
- Limit salt. Salt is known to cause swelling, and by limiting your salt intake, you decrease your chances for suffering from stroke, heart attack, and tinnitus.
- Try natural supplements. Many vitamins, herbs, and holistic medicines are helpful for alleviating tinnitus by reducing blood pressure. Some good ones to try are ginkgo biloba, black cohosh, Coffea cruda, and Carbo vegetabilis.
Please tell us…
Would you consider having weight loss surgery, if you thought it would cure you of your tinnitus?
What methods have you tried to cure tinnitus?
What about homeopathic and alternative medicine- have you explored the options of natural remedies for tinnitus?
If you have anything to add, please feel free to comment below. We welcome your suggestions or questions!
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Thank you!
Read more about tinnitus cures:
Top 17 Tinnitus Treatments- Have you tried all of these?
Finding Tranquility with Tinnitus, Part II: Homeopathy
Magnet Therapy a No-Go for Tinnitus Ringing in Ears
Sources:
Gastric surgery for pseudotumor cerebri associated with severe obesity- PubMed, NCBI
Tinnitus is a condition which causes constant ringing in the ears; while in some cases “phantom” tinnitus symptoms are neurologically based, other tinnitus causes involve tinnitus sounds which can be heard by a tinnitus specialist.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a hearing loss related disorder which affects millions of Americans. Although not a disease, tinnitus symptoms are caused by an underlying medical condition. Tinnitus sufferers hear constant ear ringing that is unrelated to any actual noise outside their bodies. Tinnitus sounds are described as ringing, clicking, roaring, buzzing or chirping sounds. Severity of the tinnitus symptoms determines the frequency, pitch and volume of the tinnitus noises.
What are the causes of tinnitus?
Tinnitus symptoms can arise from a variety of causes. In fact, there are hundreds of medications which are known to contribute to tinnitus.
Tinnitus is caused by:
- Age related hearing loss
- Noise induced damage to the inner ear, usually from long-term exposure to dangerously high noise levels, including loud music through iPod ear buds, manufacturing job shop noises, engines and explosions.
- Excessive ear wax
- Puncturing of the ear drum with a cotton swab or other foreign object
- Drug interactions, such as birth control, antibiotics, quinine, antidepressants and anti-inflammatories
- Medical conditions like Meniere’s disease, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) or chronic ear infections
- Also read: Which Came First- Tinnitus or Hearing Loss?
What is the difference between objective tinnitus and subjective tinnitus?
Subjective tinnitus emanates from the inner ear and is only heard by the tinnitus patient. Most cases of chronic tinnitus are subjective, and are believed to be caused by neurological disorders involving the cochlea of the inner ear and its communication with brain circuits which are responsible for interpreting sounds.
Objective tinnitus involves audible clicking sounds which are caused by bone structure near the inner ear. Tinnitus specialists are usually able to hear small noises caused by objective tinnitus. Objective tinnitus is the less common than subjective tinnitus.
Stop that Ringing in your Ears: Get Tinnitus Treatment Now
What tinnitus treatments are effective for curing tinnitus?
There are no known tinnitus cures which can stop tinnitus symptoms forever, but many promising herbs for tinnitus have been proven helpful for alleviating ear ringing and providing measured relief from chronic tinnitus.
- Ginkgo Biloba has been scientifically proved as an effective natural remedy for tinnitus, and is one of many nutrients which are combined in many tinnitus medications to treat the symptoms which cause tinnitus, such as high blood pressure, inflammation and constricted blood vessels.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy uses environmental background noise to banish tinnitus sounds. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: the Sounds of Silence
- Hearing aids help with tinnitus symptoms which are caused by hearing loss.
- Tinnitus maskers are wearable devices which provide tinnitus relief by competing with tinnitus ear ringing. Tinnitus Maskers: Relief is on the Way
- For more information on treatment of tinnitus, read The Many Causes of Tinnitus.
Sources:
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
Managing tinnitus requires understanding what it is and what causes it.
Tinnitus is the sound of ringing of the ears, when no external stimulus is present. This sound may also be heard as a whistling, buzzing, hissing or whooshing.
For some people, the sounds created by tinnitus come and go after a short period of time. For others, they are a constant annoyance. The pitch may be high or low, and it can occur in one ear or both.
A doctor may be able to hear the tinnitus in some cases, but not all. It depends on the source of the tinnitus.
Tinnitus is caused by damage to the hair-like cells located in the cochlea of the inner ear. It can also be caused by damage to cells along the auditory nerve. This nerve connects the ear to the brain. Damage to these cells may come with age or be the result of injury from loud noises.
A person with too much cholesterol in the blood may have an increased blood flow to the ear. In such a case, a person’s tinnitus would take on the rhythm of the heartbeat. This is known as pulsatile tinnitus.
Some people have problems with their bite, or TMJ, which is pain in the temporomandibular joint, or jaw. These people have a higher incidence of tinnitus. For these individuals, stress can make their tinnitus worse.
A visit to an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist (ENT) is advisable to determine if there is anything serious (such as an acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor that requires surgery). The ENT should also administer a hearing test to see if you have a loss of hearing that needs to be addressed.
If the ENT does not find anything wrong, he may suggest relaxation techniques that can possibly help relieve tinnitus.
Certain foods and medications can exacerbate the symptoms of tinnitus. Keeping a daily log can help you pinpoint the trigger. You should include the type of sound you hear, what you ate and what you did immediately prior, as well as any medications you took. Pay close attention to aspirin, antibiotics and antidepressants.
Following the above suggestions can help you keep your tinnitus under control.
When looking for the right treatment for your symptoms of tinnitus it is best to affirm the type of the disorder you may have. Your doctor should always be the individual who thoroughly diagnoses you, but it is important to be self-aware, as in many cases it may help your doctor and yourself with your further treatment option.
There are generally two sorts of tinnitus objective and subjective
OBJECTIVE TINNITUS
In some cases, a doctor can himself hear an actual sound emanating from the patient’s ears. This is called objective tinnitus. Objective tinnitus can arise from muscle spasms that cause clicks or crackling around the middle ear. Some people experience a sound that beats in time with the pulse (pulsatile tinnitus), but it can also arise as a subjective phenomenon from an increased awareness of blood flow in the ear. Rarely, pulsatile tinnitus may be a symptom of potentially life-threatening conditions such as carotid artery aneurysm or carotid artery dissection.
SUBJECTIVE TINNITUS
Subjective Tinnitus is the type of symptom clusters which are experienced without any audible outside sounds being present. It is caused by a number of different conditions including listening to loud music, aging or having some form of mineral/vitamin deficiency. Again your doctor should correctly diagnose the origin and the best treatment for this type of tinnitus, but these types of symptoms tend to be more difficult to treat. Because of the widespread causes of this particular type of tinnitus a number of different therapies may need to be used before any success is achieved. These treatments stem from cognitive-behavioral therapy usually administer by a psychologist, acoustic therapy by an otolaryngologist and herbal therapy offered by herbalist or therapeutic outlets such as http://www.tinnitusdx.com
Other possible mechanisms of how things can change in the ear is damage to the receptor cells. In humans these receptor cells do not regenerate after being damaged. Therefore, if these hairs become damaged, for example through prolonged exposure to excessive noise levels, then to certain frequencies occurs even deafness may occur.
The mechanisms of subjective tinnitus are often obscure. While it is not surprising that direct trauma to the inner ear can cause tinnitus, other apparent causes (e.g., temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and dental disorders) are difficult to explain.
Research has also proposed that there are two distinct categories of subjective tinnitus: otic tinnitus, caused by disorders within the inner ear or in the acoustic nerve, and somatic tinnitus, caused by disorders outside the ear and nerve but still within the head or neck area.
While most discussions of tinnitus tend to lean towards physical mechanisms as causes of the symptom, there is strong evidence that tinnitus can be stress-related. The symptoms should be addressed by improving the state of the nervous system using gradual, unobtrusive, long-term treatments and by paying close attention to the self-described states of the patient, as in this illness guidance by the patient is necessary for a positive treatment outcome.
Tinnitus Causes
The exact physiological cause or causes of tinnitus are not known. There are, however, several likely sources, all of which are known to trigger or worsen tinnitus.
- Noise-induced hearing loss – Exposure to loud noises can damage and even destroy hair cells, called cilia, in the inner ear. Once damaged, these hair cells cannot be renewed or replaced. Hearing loss can also be caused by excessive noise exposure. Coincidentally, up to 90 percent of all tinnitus patients have some level of hearing loss.
- Wax build-up in the ear canal – The amount of wax ears produce varies by individual. Sometimes, people produce enough wax that their hearing can be compromised or their tinnitus can seem louder. If you produce a lot of earwax, speak to your physician about having excess wax removed manually-not with a cotton swab, but by an otolaryngologist (also called an ear, nose, and throat doctor).
- Certain medications – Some medications are ototoxic-that is, the medications are toxic to the ear. Other medications will produce tinnitus as a side effect without damaging the inner ear. Effects, which can depend on the dosage of the medication, can be temporary or permanent. Before taking any medication, make sure that your prescribing physician is aware of your tinnitus, and discuss alternative medications that may be available.
- Ear or sinus infections – Many people, including children, experience tinnitus along with an ear or sinus infection. Generally, the tinnitus will lessen and gradually go away once the infection is healed.
- Jaw misalignment – Some people have misaligned jaw joints or jaw muscles, which can not only induce tinnitus, but also affect cranial muscles and nerves and shock absorbers in the jaw joint. Many dentists specialize in this temporomandibular jaw misalignment and can provide assistance with treatment.
- Cardiovascular disease – Approximately 3 percent of tinnitus patients experience pulsatile tinnitus; people with pulsatile tinnitus typically hear a rhythmic pulsing, often in time with a heartbeat. Pulsatile tinnitus can indicate the presence of a vascular condition-where the blood flow through veins and arteries is compromised-like a heart murmur, hypertension, or hardening of the arteries.
- Certain types of tumors – Very rarely, people have a benign and slow-growing tumor on their auditory, vestibular, or facial nerves. These tumors can cause tinnitus, deafness, facial paralysis, and loss of balance.
- Head and neck trauma – Physical trauma to the head and neck can induce tinnitus. Other symptoms include headaches, vertigo, and memory loss.
- Certain disorders, such as hypo- or hyperthroidism, lyme disease, fibromyalgia, and throacic outlet syndrome, can have tinnitus as a symptom. When tinnitus is a symptom of another disorder, treating the disorder can help alleviate the tinnitus.
