Ayurvedic Treatment for Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in one or both ears. It causes a feeling of ringing or humming in the ears. About 15 – 20% of people face this problem.

This condition usually does not occur on its own, but due to underlying medical conditions such as ear injury, age-related hearing loss, or problems in the circulatory system.

Patients with tinnitus hear whistling, ringing, pulsating, roaring, hissing, or clicking sounds that vary from intermittent to constant. The pitch can vary from low to high.

Types of Tinnitus

There are two types of tinnitus that are common:

Subjective Tinnitus: Subjective tinnitus is the most common type and causes problems in the outer, middle, or inner ear. In this type, there is a defect in the auditory nerves or auditory pathways. Only the patient can hear those noises;

Objective Tinnitus: Objective tinnitus is detected by a doctor when one undergoes appropriate testing. This is a rare type of tinnitus that is caused by problems with the blood vessels in the bones of the middle ear or muscle contractions.

Signs and symptoms

Patients suffering from tinnitus have the following signs and symptoms:

Sounds of ringing, roaring, clicking, humming, hissing, buzzing.

Causes of tinnitus

There are a number of reasons that can lead to tinnitus:

• Age-related problems: At the age of 60 years and older, a person’s hearing deteriorates. Sometimes complete loss of hearing occurs;

• Blockage due to earwax: Earwax is a substance that protects the ear canal by slowing the growth of bacteria and trapping dirt. When too much earwax accumulates, it causes irritation or hearing loss in the eardrum;

• Changes in the ear bones: Stiffness of the bones in the middle ear affects hearing, causing tinnitus;

• Exposure to loud noise: Short and long-term exposure to loud noise can cause permanent ear damage;

• Meniere’s disease: This is an inner ear disorder that causes abnormal fluid pressure in the inner ear;

• Head or neck injuries: Head or neck injuries affect the inner ear, resulting in damage to nerves and brain function. Such injuries cause tinnitus on one side;

• Acoustic neuroma: This is a benign tumor that extends from the brain to the inner ear. It controls hearing and balance, also called vestibular schwannoma;

• Certain medications: Medicines such as aspirin, antibiotics, and quinine cause damage to the ear, which may lead to tinnitus.

An Ayurvedic perspective on tinnitus

Ayurvedic treatment is the best for treating tinnitus as it targets the root cause.

Tinnitus is known as Karnanada in Ayurveda, which is not considered a disease. This is simply a symptom of a disorder in prana vayu.

Prana Vayu is a subdosha of Vata, which usually resides in the head and supports the functions of the brain. Vata management is the prescribed main line of the treatment of tinnitus.

The following Panchakarma procedures are available to help manage all the signs and symptoms associated with tinnitus.

• Nasya: medicated oil is introduced into the nostrils to balance and calm the prana vayu responsible for tinnitus;

• Shiroabhyanga: In this treatment, head massage is performed using medicated oil to calm the prana vayu in the body;

• Karna Purana: In this procedure, warm medicated oil is poured in drops into each ear. It soothes Vata dosha in the ear. The oil dripped into one ear is left for five to ten minutes, after which it is cleaned;

• Gandush and Kavala: In gandush, the medicinal oil is retained in the mouth for a certain period of time. In Kavala, gargling with medicinal oil is done to strengthen the nerves of the ears and eyes. This maintains aggravated Vata dosha in the body.

Internal Therapies – Vata balancing herbs such as Ashwagandha, Bala, Sariva, Amalaki should be considered.

Healthy tips and lifestyle
Follow a healthy diet and lifestyle according to your constitution.
Include fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet.
Avoid stale foods.
Drink plenty of warm or hot water.

Avoid foods that increase Vata dosha in the body.

Practice yoga poses like pawanmuktasana, surya namaskara, tadasana, ardha chandrasana, trikonasana, uttanasana, sasangasana, etc.

Do pranayama like swana, nadi shodhana, bhastrika, savitri.

Do meditation and relaxation exercises such as yoga nidra and savasana.

See also: Yoga Nidra.

TODAY’S TIP: If excess noise contributes to poor health, then silence has exactly the opposite effect. If you want to restore your nervous system, improve concentration, get rid of headaches or just relax, treat yourself to a relaxing weekend, or even better, go for a few days in nature. Just as noise can cause tension and stress, the practice of silence (mauna) helps the brain relax. According to research, sitting in silence for about two minutes may be more benef  icial than listening to “relaxing music” because silence regulates blood circulation and blood pressure in the brain.