Those unwelcome noises in your ear often described as buzzing, roaring, ringing, whistling, or hissing sounds is called tinnitus (literally from the Latin word ringing).
Though benign by itself, tinnitus does impact the quality of life for many Americans. One in 20 experience prolonged tinnitus and the number increases with age. Tinnitus is almost always associated with hearing loss and even though the exact mechanism that produces the sounds is not well known, it is not imaginary. The sounds may be intermittent, continuous, or pulsing. Tinnitus can interfere with normal activities and since it is usually worse in the evenings, it tends to disturb sleep. There are many causes for tinnitus including degenerative hearing loss, ear infections, neurological problems, and Meniere’s disease. Many prescription medications and chemotherapy also produce tinnitus.
In Chinese medicine, kidneys govern hearing and ears, tinnitus, therefore is often associated with progressive kidney deficiency brought on by overwork and excessive sexual activity. Another, often seen cause of tinnitus is emotions. Anger, frustration, resentment and hatred stagnate the liver Qi, which over time produces fire disturbing the ears. Diet plays a key role as well. Improper eating habits and consumption of mucous forming foods promotes formation of phlegm, clogging the energetic pathways and preventing proper nourishment of the ears. In my treatments, I focus more in the underlying causes, whether strengthening the kidneys or regulating the emotions, or clearing away phlegm. In doing so, I remove the root causes of the condition and let the body naturally resolve the problem. By incorporating acupuncture, herbal prescriptions and educating my patients on proper eating and life style choices, I have had many successes in treating tinnitus.
Dietary Recommendations
It has been reported that diets high in complex carbohydrates, fibers and essential amino and fatty acids can help prevent and even reverse tinnitus and associated hearing loss. Low cholesterol, and low fat diet is therefore advised. Eat more whole grains, green leafy vegetables rich in complex carbohydrates, organic sources of low fat protein and incorporate more black beans, celery, pearl barley, adzuki beans, yams, lotus seeds, walnuts, and chestnuts. Chinese black dates, black sesame seeds, chrysanthemum flowers, grapes and mulberries are also helpful.
Avoid cold raw foods, cold fruits. Dairy products, refined sugars and saturated fats promote buildup of phlegm and dampness and should be eliminated. Stimulating foods, spicy foods, coffee, alcohol and smoking should also be avoided.
Home Remedies
• Simple ear irrigation may remove excess earwax and relieve tinnitus. There are ear-washing kits available at your local pharmacies that will give you specific instructions on the process.
• Boil ½ cup of lotus seeds and 1 ounce of chrysanthemum flowers in 2 cups of water to make tea, drink three times daily.
• Boil 6 cups of water with ½ cup of rice, ½ cup of black beans and ½ cup of adzuki beans and 4 ounces each of black sesame seeds and crushed unshelled walnuts to produce soupy porridge. Eat twice daily for one month
• Blend thee stalks of celery, and 4 ounces of black grapes. Drink 1 cup with pulp at room temperature three times per day for one month
• In a frying pan, warm 2 tablespoon of salt and place in a sealed cotton pouch, place over ear making sure the temperature is not too high. Leave for 10 minutes.
Supplements
• 2-5 mg of melatonin daily has been shown to improve symptoms of tinnitus
• 15 - 30 mg of zinc and 15 mg of manganese daily.
• Vitamin B complex supplements including B12 have been shown to relieve tinnitus due to noise.
Herbal Remedies
• Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) helps improve hearing and reduce symptoms of tinnitus. Take 80 to 120 mg of ginkgo daily.
• 10 mg of periwinkle three times per day contains vincamin a substance that decreases tinnitus.
• 6 grams of cordiceps three times daily was shown in clinical studies to reduce tinnitus
• 10-15 grams of mulberries in decoction can help strengthen the kidneys and relieve tinnitus. Mulberries are great as anti-aging and can be taken for long periods of time. You may even eat the ripe fruit.
• For chronic tinnitus a Chinese formula, Unblock the orifices and invigorate blood is used. It contains peonie, ligustici, apricot seeds, safflower, scallion, jujube, ginger and musk.
• For tinnitus with emotional upset or due to hypertension the Gastrodia Uncaria decoction is preferred. It contains gastrodia, gambir, abalone shell, gardenia, skullcap root, Chinese motherwort, ox cyathula, eucommia bark, mulberry mistletoe, fleeceflower vine, and poria.
Mind Body Exercise
Exercise is important for stimulation of blood circulation, reducing cholesterol, and preventing premature decline of vital energy. A regular regiment of daily qi gong and tai chi exercises combined with a moderate cardiovascular exercise is best. I have extensively used Qi Gong exercises with my patients to help maintain good hearing and reduce degeneration. In particular, the Liver cleansing Qi Gong is very useful. You may also perform Beating the Heavenly Drum and Sounding the Heavenly Bell exercises which can be found under hearing loss section. Do these exercises daily for optimum results.
Liver Cleansing Qi Gong
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart in front of a medium to large healthy tree. Inhale while raising your right leg and exhale while placing your right foot on the ground in front of you between your body and the tree.
2. Inhale while raising both arms from the sides to hands over the top of your head and exhale while lowering your hands downward in front of your face. Visualize green color light running down your face as your hands move down to chest area.
3. Inhale as you move your hands to the right rib cage over your liver and exhale as you move the arms down the right abdomen and the right leg as if pushing down and out with your hands. Visualize the green light moving the toxins out of liver and down the liver meridian on the inside of your right leg and out of the big toe.
4. The tree is a receptacle of liver energy and is capable of regenerating itself, much like its ability to absorb toxic carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
IMPORTANT
• Certain antibiotics like aminoglycosides, gentamicin tobramicin have been shown to cause hearing loss.
• Aspirin has been known to cause tinnitus
• Some diuretics, such as furosemide (Lasix), and some anti-hypertensive drugs, such as the (Ziac), can cause hearing loss.
• Chemotherapy is often associated with tinnitus
• Avoid exposure to noise. And turn down the ambient noises.
• Alcohol, and smoking speed up decline and promote plaque buildup which prevents proper nourishment of the ears.
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