Tinnitus - it's a loaded word.
Have you ever experienced a shrill ringing sound which causes your head to ache and simply refuses to go away? I am confident that at least eighty percent of my readers are nodding a yes to that.
Well, this phenomenon is Tinnitus.
It is not really a disease, but a symptom, which, if ignored could lead you to have serious problems later.
Tinnitus is basically a sound which is caused within the human ear and it occurs in absence of any external sound.
What is worse is that many a time doctors cannot provide you with the right advice.
Common Causes They can't pinpoint the exact cause of you developing tinnitus! But here are a few common causes of the symptom: • The number one cause of tinnitus is exposure to loud sounds and noises.
This is getting increasingly frequent because people use earphones and listen to music at really loud volumes.
What they don't realize is that the delicate nerve endings in the ears are getting damaged as a result of this.
Firearms and machinery too can be a culprit so take earplugs along if you know you'll be around them.
• Another common cause, but less well known, of tinnitus is the frequent use of aspirin.
Which of us can claim that we don't use this wonder drug? Several studies have revealed that aspirin is linked to hearing problems so think twice before you pop the pill.
• There is also the most common cause of all ailments - age.
As one grows older, the nerve endings in the ears get frayed.
So a lot of people may develop this symptom as they grow older.
• Apart from these three common causes, there are a variety of other causes which can cause you to develop tinnitus including allergies, stress and a variety of diseases like Manerie's disease.
So what can you do if you develop this annoying symptom? Fortunately there are a variety of treatments available and you can choose from rather a comprehensive list depending on your budget.
Treatment Options Homeopathic treatment is recommended because most often; homeopathic treatment doesn't come with any side effects.
What you can do is regularly put 20 to 40 mg of extracts from the Maidenhair tree or Gingko Biloba into your ears for about four to six weeks.
This enhances the blood flow into your ears and thus controls the symptom.
Another thing you can do is focus on another sound.
A lot of people go in for Tinnitus Retraining Treatment, where one can focus on another sound to take their minds off from the shrill ringing sound which can indeed drive you crazy.
This treatment combines therapeutic advice as well as sound therapy, depending on your requirements and for varying durations.
You can also use noise masking devices to get rid of the sound.
Other options include taking a variety of prescription drugs like Lidocaine, tricyclics and even Zinc Supplementation.
You could go in for surgery too.
But if you ask me, the simplest thing to do to get rid of tinnitus is turn down the volume!