Ear problems, Tinnitus

[Guest guest]

Before discussing ayurvedic perspective, it may be informative to

study the view of modern science. Allopath members on this list should not take

the mention of some experiences here too seriously. The author is not

criticisizing any one in particular.

 

Tinnitus causes perception of sound in one or both ears or in the

head, in the absense of any external sound. It is often referred to

as "ringing in the ears", although some people hear hissing, roaring,

whistling, chirping, or clicking. The ringing can be intermittent or

constant-with single or multiple tones-and its perceived volume can

range from subtle to shattering.

 

It is estimated that in U.S. alone, over 50 million experience

tinnitus to some degree. Of these, nearly 25% have severe enough

tinnitus and about 5% are so seriously debilitated that they cannot

function on a "normal," day-to-day basis. The population of affected

appears to contain more number of "intellectuals", in sedantary

occupation.

 

The exact physiological cause or causes of tinnitus are not known to

science. 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.

· 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.

· 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. On the other hand, tinnitus

can start by removal of wisdom teeth, (last molars) if cranial nerves

in the neighborhood get damaged. This is how a close friend of author got

tinnitus. Orthodontists try to correct the irregular teeth alignment. During the

treatment, possible damages to nerves can not be ruled out.

· Cardiovascular disease - Approximately 3 percent of tinnitus

patients experience pulsatile tinnitus; they 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.

· Certain medications - Some medications are ototoxic-that is,

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.

· Head and neck trauma - Physical trauma to the head and neck

can induce tinnitus. Other symptoms include headaches, vertigo, and

memory loss.

 

Tinnitus does not discriminate: people of all ages experience

tinnitus. However, tinnitus is not a common complaint from children.

Children with tinnitus are less likely than adults to report their

experience, in part because children with tinnitus are statistically

more likely to have been born with hearing loss. They may not notice

or be bothered by their tinnitus because they have experienced it

their entire lives.

 

Children, like people of all ages, can be at risk for tinnitus if

they are exposed to loud noises. Recreational events like fairs or

car races or sports games can all include high-decibels activities

that can damage kids' ears.

 

Though a large number experience tinnitus, not everyone experiences

it to the same degree. Some people hear ringing or other noises in

their ears immediately following exposure to excessive noise, like

right after a concert, but the sound is temporary. Other people

report hearing a slight noise all the time if they listen for it, but

most of the time cannot distinguish the noise over all the other

sounds in their environment. Other factors can affect the severity of

the condition from patient to patient, such as different degrees of

hearing loss and different kinds of noises heard. Interestingly, the

loudness of the tinnitus, when measured in a laboratory setting, did

not correlate to the severity of the tinnitus as rated by the

patients themselves. Every person has his or her own level of

tolerance to the tinnitus sounds. It is a very personal and

individual experience. There are many who experience ringing in only

one year while other ear appears normal. However, due to this

unbalance, they are unable to sense the direction of the sound and

also likely to loose some words in a sentense.

 

Often the practitioners of the modern medicine use words "you just

have to learn to live with it." Far from being helpful, this phrase

increases the isolation and frustration of the tinnitus patients—they

are alone, and they are without hope. Often, patients say that they are going

mad at the continuous noise.

 

Ayurvedic name for Tinnitus is "Karnanada". One more

term "Karnashweda" is also used. This is vatic disorder in ayurveda.

Hence the reasons which cause vitiation of Vat dosha are also causing

this disease. Thus lack of adequate sleep, tired nerves due to

increased worries, incessant talking, excess fasting, excess

exercise, sudden shock/grief/fear, excess and difficult to digest

cerals in the food, excess bitter medicines/vegetables etc are some

of the reasons for tinnitus. Depletition of dhatus as a result of

excess indulgence in sex is also another reason.

 

Vata vitiation causes are already discussed in Message No. 1443 by

author under the Topic of the Month series. There are seven seats of

Vata for Men and eight for Women. Uterus is the extra Vata seat for

women. Ear is one seat of Vata. When vitiated vata takes shelter in

ear, "Shabdvahini nadi" (auditory nerve) in particular, the tinnitus

is the result. Vata causes transport of nutrients, nerve signals and

action orders of brain. When this happens, the function of carrying

sound signals to "spectrum analyser" sections of brain gets impaired.

Nutrition of the nerve in the form of Cerebro-Spinal-Fluid, gets

affected, in the terms of modern medicine. On the other hand, the

formation of small tumors/atrophies is caused by deposition of Kapha

along with Vatdoshas in the Shabdavahini Nadi. This is another reason

that can cause tinnitus. Such a state is preceeded by frequent

chronic cold. When pitta accompanies Vata, instead of

loud/intermittant/random unpleasant noises, continuous sounds of

single frequency, something similar to the sound of "flute" [ "Venu"

in sanskrit] can be felt.

 

Treatment options:

 

The treatment of this ailment has several options depending on

the "prakriti" and ageing of the disease as well as patient. If very

old, one may be able to reduce it but not entirely eliminate it. The

treatment is mainly directed at balancing Vata.

 

Ashwagandha herbal preparations can be used. Simplest and inexpensive

way is to boil aswagandha powder 1 tsp along with 1 cup milk and 1

cup water on slow heat till 1 cup remains. This is preferably taken

at bed time along with a little sugar and cardamom powder mixed, so

that resulting sound sleep will reduce Vata dosha. Aswagandha has

certain chemicals which cause increase of serotonin, a sleep inducing

hormone. Dinner should consist of more proportion of carbohydrates

which also cause increase of serotonin. If boiling aswagandha along

with milk is not possible, Aswagandharishtam can be taken instead, 15

ml with equal water. Being an arishtam, take it after dinner rather

than at bedtime. Nowadays ayurvedic pharmacies have prepared tablets

from Aswagandha, Peeparimul, Praval pishti which will induce sleep

without causing any addiction. This relaxation to cranial nerves

reduces the ringing caused by Tinnitus.

 

Vata is always tamed by oils. There are various oils directed at

ringing and some other problems of the ear. Two useful oils

are "Bilva Tailam" and "Kshar Tailam", to be dropped 2 drops in ear

at bed time and early morning. They can be applied to insides by

using cotton bud. Another oil receipe which can be prepared at home

consists of ginger powder, saindhav salt and honey mixed to a fine

paste and boiled in sesame oil on low heat till all moisture

vaporises. After cooling and straining the oil, it can be applied to

insides of ear by using a cotton ear-bud.

 

For those who have chronic tinnitus, and fairly old ailment, Brihad

Vata Chintamani Ras is available. This is very expensive medicine as

it is made from silver and gold oxides. It acts on nerves fairly

rapidly calming Vata fast. Being a gold oxide based medicine, should

be taken only a single tablet twice a day, mixed well with cow ghee

and honey. The dose can be reduced to one tab per day, after the

reduction of ringing. One of the patients, who had partial hearing in

one ear got cured in two months by this medicine. He had a small

tumor close to the auditory nerve, as detected by modern techniques.

 

Life-style and food

 

Based on ayurvedic ideology:

 

- Use hair oil daily

- Use oil massage using Sesame oil or Mahanarayan Tailam for about 20

minutes to whole body and take hot water bath thereafter. The massage

and bath just before bedtime will aid the sleep also. In South India,

oil massage once a week is almost the rule in every house. Oil

massage calms down the Vata. Skin is an important seat of Vata, since

it is widely distributed over the body. Secondly, massage can be

quickly learnt by even an illiterate. The massage of cow ghee or

castor oil to skin of feet bottom reduces Pitta dosha and causes

sound sleep. Burning sensation in the feet also gets cooled down. See

Message No. 2077 on Ayurvedaonline.

- Observe silence for a few days and note the change in ringing. This is

connected with last recomendation in this post.

- Tinnitus appears to have some connection with the number of hours

one spends daily in front of computer monitor. The radiation emitted

by monitor is hitting the user all the time. A number of cases having

auditory or vision nerve problems are coming to light.

- Do not travel or walk in an extreme cold climate. Do not take bath

frequently.

- Do not stop natural urges when body wants to eliminate the wastes.

- To increase blood circulation, rub by a mud soap at bath time also

gives the effect of massage. In addition, it cleanses the blood to

some extent.

- Green Gram Khichri is the best balanced food during dinner, and has

easily digestible proteins in addition carbodydrates and fibres. This

will take care of indigestion and constipation.

- In addition, there are certain breathing techniques invented by

Guru Padmasambhava two thousand years ago, which have to be learnt in

presence of Guru. These are known to help in most of vatic ailments

affecting the body.

- Lastly, the peace of mind and Vata vitiation are inversely

proportional. In fact Vata dosha unbalance causes a vascillation and

constantly thinking mind. Hence, in case of all Vata disorders

meditation appears to help. This is personal experience of author.

Cannot be supported by litereature citing. However, he will be happy to know

about the opinion and experiences of other members, which is a primary objective

of this group.

 

Dr Bhate

 

ayurveda, "bonniect" <bonniect@c...>

wrote:

> I have the tinnitis. While at a Reiki class, I awoke with a

terrible headache, one of the woman there was a Reiki Master, as well

as a massage therapist. She began working her magic on me, and found

that my spinal fluid wasn't moving smoothly as it should have been,

and attributed this to the headache. It was strange because I rarely

get severe headaches like I had that weekend. Needless to say I

missed my Reiki II and flew home earlier then I was supposed to.

Since reading below, I am wondering if this may not be the cause of

my tinnitis and gradual hearing loss, or the build up of mucous?

> Bonnie

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr. Bhate:

Thank you so much for this wonderful post (No. 2304). I have an appointment

with my eye, ear, and nose doctor next week. I will bring your post with me. I

am being driven mad by the noise.

Bonnie

 

[Edited by moderator]

[Guest guest]

Dr. Bhate's exposition on Tinnitus is excellent. In those with high

blood pressure Tinnitus will either be created or agravated. All

kidney disorders with concurrent prostaglandin issues from adrenal

disorders have the ability to create sounds in the ears (mainly

ringing or buzzing sound).

 

As Dr. Bhate notes many under stress suffer Tinnitus - this is mainly

a cortisol issue and therefore all of the recommendations of

simplyfying diet and lifestyle with added therapies for calming and

stabalizing the sympathetic nervous system (oil applications internal

and external, meditation, breathing exercises, anti-vata medications.

etc.)will be helpful.

 

I agree that Tinnitus may not be cureable (many homeopaths believe

that Tinnitus is a symptom of several of the miasms - therefore

genetic). Yet tinnitus can be a very changable symptom and most

people experience it differently at differant times. Sometimes the

sound is difficult to detect - at other times it fills consciouness

and becomes very debilatating and distracting. This is caused by the

fluctuations of vata dosha and this gives a obvious avenue for

therapy to control the excess vata dosha which is the best approach

for at least reducing the level of reactivity that the patient is

suffering from the sounds. Reducing the sound is one part and

reducing the level of reactivity to the sound is another part - the

second line is probably the best approach as the sounds may or may

not be elimanated - but the reactivity certainly can be controlled.

 

[Edited by moderator to remove quoted post, which is available as Message No.

2304. While moderator agrees that quoted post should be available preferably on

the same screen while reading the comments of another member, it becomes

difficult to connect two posts when one of them is long. Those who would like to

see them together can paste both of them in MS-Word and study. Only short or

snipped posts can be retained as quoted material; crispness of the digest is

most important; however, if members do not wish to go back and forth in

archieves, you can air your feelings].