Even with so much available literature, alternative treatments and even mind-condition steps to overcome this condition, a person trying to find a tinnitus treatment often forgets one critical element. Tinnitus or that ear ringing sensation is only the symptom of a deeper problem. Very often the sensation similar to incessant ringing in the ears is caused by ear infection; illnesses affected to nasal and ear cavities; and overdosing of certain prescription medicines. Very often though, the most apparent sign of hearing loss is due to loud noises. And loud noises can be classified as any sound (whether pleasant or otherwise) that reaches more than 70 decibels. Here is how it works:

Let’s start with the physiological makeup of the human ear. Sound waves are captured by the outer ear and are funneled deep through the ear canal and into the middle ear. In turn, the middle ear or the eardrum captures the sounds and starts to vibrate in order to amplify the sounds towards the inner ear or the cochlea. Now the cochlea is a circular tube that is fluid-filled; this fluid helps amplify the traveling sounds as well. The cochlea also contains thousands of sensitive hair cells that bend and flex according to the degree of vibrations in the fluid. The main function of these hairs is to sense and modulate sounds, so that even the slightest noise can be translated to energy and passed on to the brain.

Unfortunately, loud noises or any sound beyond 70 decibels can damage these sensitive hairs, especially after prolonged exposures. Prolonged exposure means anything from 1 minute to 12 hours. The World Health Organization or WHO recommends that in order to protect our hearing, we should not be exposed to any noise louder than 85 decibels for more than 8 hours; 100 decibels for more than 2 hours; and anything above 150 decibels for more than 2 minutes. For your information: 85 decibels is only slightly louder than a normal phone dial tone and that whirring noise coming off an electric shaver.

Prolonged exposures to very loud noises can easily damage the sensitive hairs in the cochlea, causing them to split or die. Mild cases of hair destruction (splitting) can cause that incessant ringing in ears sensation. The fluid in the cochlea continues to vibrate and the split hairs continue to amplify the tiniest sounds. Unfortunately, with damaged sensitive hairs, any stimulus or any noise can trigger the ringing of the ears since the hairs no longer bend or flex as they should. These hairs become rigid and vibrate as the fluid in the inner ear vibrates. And the greater the vibration, the louder the ringing becomes.

No amount of “masking” or trying to overpower the ringing noise (using music or other pleasant auditory sound) can help ease off the sounds of tinnitus, because the sound waves that these elements generate also contribute to the vibrations of the fluids in the cochlea. The only possible way to tone done the tinnitus caused by loud noises is to let the hairs regenerate – which should take a long, long quiet, healing time.

If these are not allowed to regenerate, the hairs ultimately die – and that causes complete hearing loss. Gradual hearing loss due to long exposures to loud noises is due to the gradual depletion of these sensitive hairs.

Tinnitus, the condition of experiencing continuous ringing in the ears, is so prevalent that much literature has been written about its causes and cures.  In overcoming tinnitus, what you need to know is that no single miracle cure yet exists to treat all types of problems associated with ear ringing.  For this condition, in most cases, is just the manifestation of some other underlying physical or health disorder.

Nonetheless, there’s one type of tinnitus treatment that is receiving much public attention and some preference.  This proposed solution to ear ringing is homeopathic medication which addresses the four man causes of the disorder: noise damage, allergies or sinusitis, stress and trauma, and Meniere’s disease characterized by an abnormality in the inner ear fluid pressure.

Homeopathy is based on the Law of Similars wherein a substance that produces harmful effects if taken in overdose could help remedy the same effects if such substance is administered in safe, diluted doses.  To its practitioners, homeopathy is a natural and scientific way of healing by employing the body’s own capability to heal itself.

The school of thought of homeopathy was propagated during the 19^th century by a German doctor, Dr Samuel Hahnemann, who observed that herb, plant and animal substances that can cause disease  can be diluted  for treatment of people exhibiting  symptoms similar as the disease brought by the substances. Based on this theory, a system of dilution and a ‘succusion” process of vigorous shaking was developed to make supposedly ‘potentised’ homeopathic cures.  In addition to Germany, the practice of homeopathy has popular following in such countries as the UK, France, Greece, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan and India where there are 120 schools offering four-year homeopathy courses. Significant homeopath practice is also recorded in South Africa where there are medical doctors practicing homeopathy.

Homeopaths advocating their type of tinnitus treatment profess that their medication does not work overnight.  Patients have to persistently take the homeopathic medication. And there’s a long list of do’s and don’ts some of which may be difficult to avoid such as the treatment’s exposure to strong odors, sunlight and heat.  Cortisone and its derivatives can also neutralize the homeopathic tinnitus treatment.  Many foods and beverages also have to be avoided while under homeopath medication for ringing of the ear.  These include chocolate-based food products, coffee and cola drinks.

Persons suffering from ear ringing and are keen on taking homeopathic medication for relief, however, should note that one recent study published in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, dismissed homeopathic remedies as nothing better than placebo, a finding vehemently contested by homeopaths of course. Nonetheless, The Lancet research appears extensive enough to have some credence in the scientific community, covering four types of homeopathy: clinical, complex, isopathy and classical.

Homeopathic treatment is therefore a controversial issue which is best avoided by those seeking the sure-fire ways for tinnitus treatment.  Still, the best alternative of tackling the perennial ringing in the ears would be to exhaust all possible medical means with the help of either a doctor or an audiologist.

There’s a one-word definition for tinnitus- annoying.  But to be simply precise, this is an affliction wherein the subject experiences constant or intermittent ringing, buzzing or humming in the ears even as external sources to such sounds are absent. 

A research at the University of Iowa has identified several likely causes of ear ringing. One is that tinnitus is just an inescapable part of the natural aging process.  Other causes include exposure to loud noises, injury to the head, or medication side effect.

Even as ear ringing is likely to be experience by those going into their senior years, tinnitus can also afflict children.  There are more than 60 million people in America who suffer from this problem, and for more than 10 million of them, ringing in the ear is so acute that it already affects significantly their day-to-day activities, especially if  hearing loss already accompanies this malady or if it results in sleeplessness.

The help of a physician or audiologist is needed by these individuals seriously impacted by ringing of the ears.  For these people, a thorough physical and health examination is important because ringing in ears could also be the symptom of another disorder which may be more serious and upon which tinnitus treatment would also depend.

Sad to say, tinnitus is incurable in many cases, mainly those ringing ear experienced by the senior citizens.   There is no medicine or surgical procedure yet developed that have been scientifically proven and approved by the healthcare practitioners and authorities as totally effective in eliminating all ear ringing problems.  Thankfully, treatment is possible in some cases of ringing of the ear.  One is if a medication is causing the ear ringing wherein changing or stopping intake of that particular medicine will solve the problem immediately.

Ringing of the ear is addressed in several ways by the healthcare community to help chronic sufferers adjust to the disorder.  One is through direct intervention wherein background sound is introduced to the tinnitus-afflicted individual, using either wearable or non-wearable devices.  More pleasant sounds, such as gently failing rain, are employed to mask the ringing in the ear. For those already suffering from hearing loss, a hearing aid is also prescribed to facilitate better communication and reduce or eliminate the stress brought about by the tinnitus problem.

Masking sound to relieve ringing in the ear has been proven by a study done at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). The research found that a low-pitched sound from a standard MP3 player is enough to suppress and bring temporary relief from tinnitus.  The low-pitch sound that the UCI researchers used is within the 40-to-100 hertz frequency in a pulsing mode that delivered a calming and pleasant tone to suppress the high-pitched ringing in the ear of a tinnitus subject.

Another proven beneficial approach to ear ringing disorders is through simple counselling.  This form of therapy is essentially a self-help endeavour wherein the patients collaborate with counsellors in addressing particular problem areas brought by the ear ringing disorder.  Self-help books are an appropriate complement to counselling to cope with the tinnitus problem.