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| By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Tinnitus—or “ringing in the ears”—is the bane of many people’s existences. It is thought to affect 15% of the world’s adult population. Depending on who you are, it can be pronounced TIN-ni-tus (Brits and health professionals) or tin-NIGHT-us (most U.S. lay people). Both are correct, but I prefer the former.
The causes are varied: In most cases, tinnitus accompanies age-related hearing loss (presbycusis); but it can also result from high-decibel noise exposure, ear wax, fluid buildup (Ménière’s disease), circulatory problems, medications, concussions, TMJ, or even a tumor (commonly, an acoustic neuroma).
One of the problems with many proposed remedies for tinnitus is that there’s a huge placebo effect, suggesting a psychological component to the disorder. In fact, many tinnitus sufferers are anxious and depressed; to what extent this is a cause or an effect of this bothersome affliction is unclear. Because the placebo effect of any intervention for tinnitus looms large, clinical trials of supplement interventions often suggest promise, but the practical experience of most users is that the benefits may wane over time.
Before undertaking self-care for tinnitus, definitely get a work up by an ENT specialist to rule out remediable or dangerous causes. Unfortunately, in the likely event that all the tests prove negative, you might just end up stuck with a diagnosis of “idiopathic” tinnitus. Start investigating these strategies:
While these interventions may provide some relief for tinnitus sufferers, the search for a definitive cure is still underway. Promising directions include better methods of acoustic “masking” (akin to noise-reduction ear phones), deep-brain stimulation, external electrical pulses and, ultimately, cochlear regeneration with stem cell implants. Pending these developments, lifestyle modifications and supplements offer simple, safe and readily available options.
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