That chirping? Listen ...
That is what someone suffering from Tinnitus might ask. They are hearing ringing, chirping, swooshing, buzzing or thumping in their ears almost constantly. For some people, there is a constant noise. But there is no real noise.
It is reported that nearly 36 million Americans suffer from this disorder. Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head. In many cases, it is not a serious problem, but rather a nuisance. Sometimes the ringing will fade away, but then there are the times when it reflects a more serious underlying health problem. Ear ringing, or tinnitus, used to be a condition experienced only by elderly people because of the breakdown of nerves in their ears, but now doctors realize there are several different factors that contribute to the disorder.
I have tinnitus. In my case, it is caused from taking over-the-counter headache medicines and a prescription anti-inflammatory. Sometimes, the ringing is quiet and I don’t much notice it, but on the days when I have a migraine and take medicine for it, the ringing roars in my ears to no end.
Tinnitus occurs when the tiny microscopic hairs in the ear called cilia are damaged. The thousands of cilia work with the auditory nerve to transmit sounds to the brain, where they are interpreted. When these hairs are damaged, the sound is often interpreted as noise, and causes inner ear ringing. Unfortunately, when these tiny cilia are damaged, there is no way to repair them.
There are many reasons for the damage to occur: hearing loss, excessive wax build-up, ear infection, brain or head injury, Menieres Disease, Ostoclerosis, poor circulation, high-blood pressure, Hypo or Hyperthyroidism, stress and Lyme Disease. Also, adding to that list are iPods with their headsets, and now that our country has been in a conflict, most soldiers experience tinnitus from the presence of explosions and constant gunshots.
There are several different medications that induce tinnitus. These are called Ototoxic medications - substances that are toxic to the cochlea, the auditory portion of our inner ear. They can also be harmful to the middle cavity of the inner ear, which is primarily responsible for helping us to keep our balance.
Ototoxic medications include:
• Salicylates such as aspirin.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil.
• Antibiotics such as Aminoglycosides, Erythromycin and Vancomycin.
• Loop diuretics, when used as intravenous drugs for acute kidney failure or acute hypertension, chemotherapy agents and quinine.
• Birth control pills.
• Blood pressure control medicine.
• Heart medicines, such as Capoten and Altace.
• Levodopa, used to treat Parkinson’s.
• Vitamin and mineral supplements, especially those containing Vitamin A and niacin.
• Radiation therapy to the head and neck.
Tinnitus can also be triggered by allergy medications, ear problems such as Ostosclerosis, a build-up of earwax, certain foods, such as red wines, grain alcohols, chocolates, cheeses and some spices.
If you suffer from Tinnitus, there are some things you can do to improve the situation. First, see your doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
• Try to avoid taking aspirin and the products that might include it.
• Gingko Biloba extract has been proven to substantially lessen tinnitus in a span of 70 days and even making it completely disappear in 35 percent of its test subjects. A follow-up study confirmed that most of those who participated in this study had better hearing than that of their peers.
•Lipo-Flavonoid is a nutritional supplement that contains the B complex group of vitamins in a base of lipotropic agents, such as choline, inositol and pantothenic acid, plus vitamin C and bioflavonoids. Lipo-Flavonoid provides nutritional support that improves circulation in the inner ear. When circulation is improved, the cilia stay flexible, and fluids within the ear canals might flow better.
• Limit (or stay away from altogether) your intake of caffeine, salt and MSG.
Sources: www.lipoflavonoid.com; www.MedicineNet.com; www.wikipedia.org.