Did you know that a high proportion of the population suffers from tinnitus? In Canada, 37% of people report having experienced at least one episode of tinnitus during the previous year. What is this little-known disease, but which affects so many people in their daily lives?
Popular belief is that this problem is impossible to cure. On the other hand, if it cannot be eradicated, several methods and products can help relieve these disruptive noises.
Two types of tinnitus with multiple causes
Perceiving a sound in the absence of an auditory stimulus is what is commonly called tinnitus. Buzzing, ringing, whirring or whistling, tinnitus manifests itself as a different noise for each person who suffers from it.
Subjective tinnitus
Subjective tinnitus is caused by abnormal activity in the auditory cortex and only the affected person can hear it. Their causes are multiple. For example, they can appear following trauma such as too loud noise, infections such as ear infections or be due to dysfunction of the Eustachian tube .
Objective tinnitus
Much rarer, objective tinnitus is caused by noises generated in the structures surrounding the ear. Among other sources, dural arteriovenous malformations are sometimes found to cause the sounds heard.
Very variable side effects
Tinnitus, when it is occasional and short-lived, has little effect on the person who hears it. However, if you notice a ringing or ringing sound in your ears, talk to your doctor, who will assess whether there is a need to check whether the tinnitus may be linked to another disorder.
When tinnitus lasts a long time, is constantly present and affects both ears, it can have a more serious impact on health. For some people, these become distressing enough to prevent them from sleeping and make them anxious or depressed.
Who is at risk of developing tinnitus?
Subjective tinnitus has four main causes.
The loud noise
People who attend a lot of concerts or stand near amplifiers will likely hear intermittent ringing in their ears a few years later.
Aging
Hearing loss is normal in people as they age and is associated with the presence of tinnitus. In the age group 65 and over, there are 1 in 4 people with significant hearing loss. This is why many of them complain of tinnitus.
Ménière's disease
At any age, tinnitus can be caused by Ménière's disease . In Europe and North America, it affects between 1/1,000 and 1/10,000 people, depending on studies. It is an inner ear disorder that causes dizziness and hearing loss, in addition to tinnitus.
Medication
Some medications called ototoxic can affect the ears. This is the case, for example, for salicylates such as aspirin and antibiotics from the aminoglycoside class. There are also loop diuretics, particularly used in the treatment of hypertension and kidney failure, as well as certain chemotherapeutic substances among the potential culprits.
In these cases, the tinnitus usually begins at the same time as taking the medication, but it may appear only a few months after starting the medication. As soon as the link is established between tinnitus and medication, it is important to react quickly. If the problem is caught in time, there is a good chance that the tinnitus will greatly reduce or even disappear completely. If this is not the case, the use of a device may be necessary.
In all cases, you must be accompanied by a health professional if this situation arises.
How to reduce and relieve tinnitus?
Tinnitus can only be completely stopped in rare cases. However, they decrease in most people after appropriate treatment. Certain techniques and natural products can help manage symptoms effectively.
Two natural products
Formulated expressly to relieve the symptoms associated with these disturbing noises, the tinnitus granule complex is recommended as a complement to traditional medical treatment. Offered in a very practical format, it follows us everywhere so we can take it as needed.
These granules are not habit-forming and should be taken without meals. It is recommended to melt 3 to 5 under the tongue, two to three times a day. When symptoms improve, the frequency of doses can be reduced.
THE Code Red Tinnitus tablets consist of a very similar ingredient list to that of the granules. Your format preference can guide you when choosing the product. This homeopathic complex offers 60 chewable tablets, three times a day and outside of meals. It helps relieve tinnitus, but also pain and swelling in the ears.
Medical methods
When the cause of tinnitus is taking medication, we can often act directly on this by consulting a health professional. If they are rather linked to deafness, a hearing aid is likely to help people who suffer from it. For half of patients, hearing correction relieves tinnitus.
Additionally, stress and stimulants like caffeine can worsen tinnitus symptoms. This is why relaxation methods like yoga help to reduce their presence. Compensation strategies such as listening to white noise also promote falling asleep, as background noise masks tinnitus.
Complementary approaches to traditional medicine, such as osteopathy and homeopathy, have beneficial effects for people who suffer from this ailment.
Many people will experience the effects of tinnitus during their lives. Those who suffer from great discomfort can consult specialized clinics offering comprehensive tinnitus management programs. If you have any doubts, contact a healthcare professional.
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