Dr. HingHau Tsang's Crusade on Nutrition
Newsletter #131 --- Natural approach to Tinnitus
Tinnitus affects 40 to 50 million people in the United States. Some six million Americans have tinnitus which significantly impacts their life. Two million Americans have tinnitus to the extent that it is disabling.
Tinnitus is ringing, hissing, roaring, buzzing or other sound in the ears or head that interferes with hearing and concentration. Conventional medicine doesn't have much to offer beyond prescription drugs such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, epilepsy drugs, and antihistamines. Since these drugs can have serious side effects, they should not be used as first-line treatment.
Timmitus that are unrelated to external sounds can be intermittent or continuous. This condition can be very distracting and irritating and is sometimes associated with partial hearing loss. Tinnitus can accompany other conditions (e.g. Meniere's disease) related to the ears and nervous system, some of which need a physician's assessment and treatment.
Hearing loss is closely linked to tinnitus. However, hearing loss doesn't cause tinitus and tinnitus doesn't cause hearing loss. It is simply that poor hearing health and tinnitus often go hand in hand.
Etiology of Tinnitus
A significant percentage of cases have no known cause.
Most tinnitus is due to damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear, commonly from exposure to loud occupational and environmental noise, especially sharp explosions.
Out-of-control inflammatory processes are responsible for a significant percentage of tinnitus.
In about two percent of cases the cause may be a vascular lesion, carotid artery narrowing and other circulatory problems in the person's head contributing to inadequate blood flow to the inner ear.
Some drugs including anti-inflammatories (aspirin), antibiotics, sedatives and antidepressants can cause tinnitus.
Other causes include allergy, high or low blood pressure, a tumor, diabetes, thyroid problems or head and neck injury.
Wax buildup in the ear canal, or jaw misalignment (TMJ) can also cause tinnitus.
Natural approach to Tinnitus
Avoid exposure to loud sound and noise.
Discontinue drugs that cause tinnitus.
Exercise daily.
Get adequate rest, avoid fatigue.
Change your diet:
- Reducing fat and cholesterol is extremely important. A high fat and cholesterol diet may end up reducing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the inner ear due to blood cell clumping. Too much saturated fat and cholesterol also contribute to arterial damage in the carotid arteries in the neck as well as other vessels in the head. Medical case reports and studies mention cholesterol "clumps" and overall high cholesterol levels as causes or partial contributers to tinnitus.
- Reducing sugar intake is important. Increased sugar intake can cause hypoglycemia. During a hypoglycemic episode, adrenaline is released by the adrenal gland. This causes vasoconstriction of the inner ear and can precipitate a tinnitus crisis. In one trial, people with Meniere's disease who replaced refined carbohydrates in their diet with foods high in fiber and complex carbohydrates frequently experienced an improvement or disappearance of their tinnitus.
- Avoid stimulants such as coffee, tea, cola and tobacco.
- Eliminate alcohol.
- Lower your salt intake (salt impairs blood circulation).
Take these supplements daily
Systemic enzyme Catalytic Formula with Rutin to control inflammation. Take 3 tablets three times a day for at least 3 months. German physicians have found it very effective in many patients. Some patients might experience initial worsening for a few weeks before improvement.
Ginkgo Biloba two tablets of standardized extract three times a day with meals. Ginkgo may help by increasing blood circulation to the tiny capillaries of the inner ear. Give it at least a three months trial.
Vitamin B complex including Vitamin B12 (100 micrograms) which is crucial to proper nerve function. About half of all tinnitus sufferers are deficient in this vitamin.
Melatonin - In a double-blind trial, melatonin supplementation (3 mg taken nightly for 4 weeks) improved the symptoms of tinnitus. Among participants who had difficulty sleeping due to tinnitus, 47% of those who took melatonin reported sleep improvement after one month, compared with only 20% of those who took placebo.
CoQ10 - In a preliminary trial, supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the amount of 100 mg three times per day for 4 months significantly improved tinnitus in people who had initially low blood levels of CoQ10.
Zinc - If you are zinc-deficient, take 90-100mg of Zinc-Loz per day for three months. Zinc supplements have been used to treat people who had both tinnitus and hearing loss (usually age-related). Of those who had initially low blood levels of zinc, about 25% experienced an improvement in tinnitus after taking zinc.
Acupuncture may be helpful for some tinnitus sufferers.
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Reference
- Paaske PB, Pedersen CB, Kjems G, Sam IL. Zinc in the management of tinnitus. Placebo-controlled trial. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1991;100:647-9.
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