Tinnitus is a phenomenon of the nervous system connected to the ear, characterized by perception of a ringing or beating sound with no external source. This sound may be quiet, or loud enough to drown out all outside sounds. In simple language – when you are hearing bells and it is not even Sunday, you could have tinnitus, an unusual symptom that causes a ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound in the ears. This is an especially persistent condition, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Tinnitus is the name for these head noises, and they are very common. Nearly 36 million Americans suffer from this discomfort. Tinnitus may come and go, or you may be aware of a continuous sound. When the ringing is constant, it can be annoying and distracting.
Causes of Tinnitus
Most tinnitus is caused by a problem with the “sensorineural” system, which is involved in transmitting signals from the inner ear to the brain. Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss. For this reason it is more common in older people who have age-related hearing loss. Some of the possible causes of tinnitus are listed below
Tinnitus may also be caused by allergies, high or low blood pressure (blood circulation problems), a tumor, diabetes, thyroid problems, injury to the head or neck, and a variety of other causes including medications such as anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, sedatives, antidepressants, and aspirin.
Symptoms of Tinnitus
The sensation of tinnitus is the sound of high-pitched whistling or buzzing, ringing or hissing. It can also be a quite complex sound, like the roar of an ocean. The sounds may be constant or come and go. The sound can be in one or both ears, or perceived elsewhere in the head. It is equally common in men and women and can be associated with almost any disorder of the ear.
People who have tinnitus sometimes have an underlying problem, such as an ear infection, Meniere’s disease, or even heart disease or anemia. That’s why people with tinnitus need to see a doctor as soon as possible
Home remedies for the treatment of Tinnitus
1. Stay Away From Stimulants
Doctors have found that drinking alcohol or coffee or smoking cigarettes can make tinnitus worse. For some, giving these things up can significantly reduce the noise. Helps to get relief from tinnitus
2. Onion Juice
Using the warmed juice from the fresh onion as ear drops ( 2 drops in each ear for the night time)is also very good. Cover the ear with a cotton and wool cloth for keep it warm.
3. Stop Taking Aspirin
If you take aspirin regularly, you many want to consider switching to another pain reliever, like ibuprofen. Taking aspirin on a regular basis has been shown to increase the risk for tinnitus and also to make the symptoms worse.
4. Protect Your Ears
Exposure to loud sounds caused by everything from rock concerts to lawnmowers – can make tinnitus worse. Try to avoid loud environments whenever possible. Or, if like most people you can’t do that, if you wear ear plugs it should significantly reduce the volume. You can purchase different types at a drugstore, or a doctor can prescribe something that will filter out harmful noise while still allowing you to hear.
5. Eat Well to Protect Your Hearing
Research suggests that a healthy diet may help protect you from tinnitus and other types of hearing damage. You may want to ask your doctor about magnesium, as well. Some research has suggested that people who don’t get enough of this mineral may be at risk for hearing problems.
6. Turn on a Distraction
Having constant noise in your ears can be annoying, to say the least. Doctors often recommend that people “mask” the sound of tinnitus by giving themselves other things to listen to – playing the radio softly at night, for example, or turning on a fan.
7. Garlic Cloves
A tablespoonful of sesame-seed oil, heated with a clove of garlic, then filtered and cooled to a bearable temperature, can be instilled (1-2 drops) in the ear. Do this twice a day for 7 days.
Alternative names :: Ear infection, Otitis externa, Swimmer Ear
What is Swimmer’s Ear infection ?
Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the ear canal. If you stick your finger in your ear, you’re feeling a little of the ear canal. But if you have swimmer’s ear, and you stick your finger in your ear – YOW. Otitis externa is commonly known as swimmer’s ear – is an infection of the ear canal, the tubular opening that carries sounds from the outside of the body to the eardrum. It can be caused by many different types of bacteria or fungi.Children get it frequently. So do dogs that splash in ponds and lakes. Even taking a dip in the neighborhood pool can get the stage for a painful and occasionally serious infection called swimmer’s ear.Swimmer’s ear, or external otitis, occurs when bacteria or other organisms that live in water take up residence inside your ear. The warm, moist environment is entirely to their liking, and sometimes they’ll thrive, causing a painful infection. Incidentally, you don’t have to swim to get swimmer’s ear. Anything that causes the insides of the ears to get moist – taking a shower, wearing a hearing aid, or even having too much earwax can make it easy for the organisms to flourish.
Causes of Swimmer’s Ear
Swimmer’s ear is an inflammation of the external ear canal. The result may be itching, pain or temporary hearing loss. After swimming or showering you may notice your hearing is fuzzy, which indicates water in the ear. There may also be an infection in the outer ear, too, that appears later. Swimming is not the only cause, however — the condition can be caused by scratching the ear or an object stuck in it. Trying to clean wax from the ear canal, especially with cotton swabs or small objects, can irritate or damage the skin.Swimmer’s ear is occasionally associated with middle ear infection (otitis media) or upper respiratory infections such as colds. Moisture in the ear predisposes the ear to infection from fungus or water-loving bacteria such as Pseudomonas.Symptoms of Swimmer’s Ear infectionThe most common symptoms of swimmer’s ear are mild to moderate pain that is aggravated by tugging on the auricle and an itchy ear. Other symptoms may include any of the following :-
Drainage from the ear — yellow, yellow-green, pus-like, or foul smelling.
Home Remedies for the treatment of Swimmer Ear Infection
Some of the common home remedies to cure Swimmer Ear Infection
Start with a kitchen cure. Research has shown that garlic can kill a variety of germs, including those that can cause swimmer’s ear. When your ears start aching, squeeze a clove of garlic into a little bit of olive oil and apply a few drops to your ears. There’s a good chance this will kill the germs before they have time to cause a full-blown infection. This the best remedy to cure Swimmer’s Ear.
Hair dryer. Use the warm (never hot!) setting of your hair dryer and place it about an arm’s length from the ear and slowly move it back and forth. Test it on your wrist after it has been running a while before using it on the ear. The warm air will evaporate any trapped water.
Add some vinegar. Another way to help kill germs in the ear is with a few drops of white vinegar mixed half-and-half with rubbing alcohol. Put the drops in your ears, then tilt your head to let the fluid run out. This ran be very helpful, but the rubbing alcohol may be painful if your ears are irritated. An alternative is to mix the vinegar with a few drops of water.
Alcohol, rubbing. Rubbing alcohol not only kills germs but causes water trapped in the ear to evaporate. See the remedies below under vinegar.
Prevention
Dry the ear thoroughly after exposure to moisture.
Before using any drops in the ear, it is important to verify that you do not have a perforated eardrum.
Use earplugs when swimming.
The safest way to dry your ears is with a hair dryer. If you do not have a perforated eardrum, rubbing alcohol or a 50:50 mixture of alcohol and vinegar used as eardrops will evaporate excess water and keep your ears dry.
Middle-ear infection, known as Otitis Media in medical parlance, is a serious ear disease. It is a common childhood disorder. This condition generally follows the infection of upper respiratory tract. Ear infections usually start with a cold, which can cause fluid to build up behind the eardrum. The fluid itself isn’t necessarily a problem. But it’s an ideal breeding ground for bacteria or viruses that can cause infection.
The ear is the organ of hearing and one of the most important part of the body. It is divided into three parts known as the external part, middle part or drum and the internal part. It is a very sensitive organ and its inner structure is inaccessible. It is therefore necessary to deal with the disorders of this organ promptly.
Symptoms of middle ear infection
In Otitis Media, inflammation occurs on that portion of the ear which is directly behind the ear drum. There is discharge of pus into the outer ear. As the condition progresses, the inner ear becomes seriously affected, and hearing considerably impaired. There is suppression of middle ear through a pert “oration of drum. In case of children, suppression may start slowly without any reason. If the suppression is left unattended it may result in deafness. Some of the common symptoms are :
During childhood, ear infections often follow measles, chicken pox, mumps or the common cold. Chronic tonsillitis and other infections may spread to the Eustachian tube which connects the ears with the throat and nose. This causes pus to collect in the middle ear cavity.
The real cause of middle ear infection is, however, the outcome of previous medical treatment of childhood fevers or due to operations for the removal of tonsils or adenoids. The disease denotes that toxins which nature has been trying to throw off through the usual channels of elimination have been diverted back into the system and have been lodged in the inner ear structure. This causes the continual suppression and discharge associated with the disease.
Middle Ear Infection Home Remedies
1. Garlic Cloves
A few garlic cloves should be warmed and mashed with salt. This mixture should be warped in apiece of woolen cloth and placed on the painful ear. Simultaneously one or two cloves of garlic should be chewed daily for few days. It will give relief. Garlic oil is also a popular remedy for earache.
2. Onion Juice
Using the warmed juice from the fresh onion as ear drops ( 2 drops in each ear for the night time)is also very good. Cover the ear with a cotton and wool cloth for keep it warm.
3. Neem Oil
The use of neem oil has been found effective in infection and inflammation of ear. One or two drops of this oil can be instilled into the ear with beneficial results.
Loss of hearing occurs when the passage of sound waves to the brain is impaired. Hearing loss may be partial or complete, temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. Hearing loss is not technically the same thing as deafness, or hearing deficit. While hearing loss can lead to hearing deficit, deafness is an inability to hear that most often occurs at, or before, birth or as a result of a major illness or infection.
Hearing loss is divided into three categories: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and central hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when the passage of sound waves is impeded in the external or middle ear. It may result from factors such as earwax buildup, middle ear infection and inflammation, Paget’s disease, arthritis, or trauma to the eardrum. Sensorineural hearing loss is a consequence of damage to the structures or pathways of the inner ear. It may result from damage to the acoustic nerve (the eighth cranial nerve, also known as the auditory nerve), which carries information from the inner ear to the brain, or from damage to tiny cells called hair cells in the inner ear. The hair cells are responsible for translating sound waves into nerve impulses for transmission to the brain. If the hair cells die, they are unable to repair themselves and the resulting hearing loss is permanent.
Sensorineural hearing loss can be present from birth, or it can be caused by certain prescription medications including certain antibiotics, nonsterodial anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin taken over along period of time in high doses, quinine, viral infection of the inner ear, and Meniere’s disease. This type of hearing loss affects both the acuity and clarity of hearing. Initially, it is noticed at higher pitches, and then, as it progresses, it is noticed at lower pitches, where speech is heard. It is also possible to have mixed hearing loss, in which both conductive and sensorineural loss are present. Neural hearing loss usually occurs as a result of a brain tumor or stroke. Central hearing loss is very rare and is usually due to severe brain damage.
Hearing loss can be sudden or gradual, occurring over a period of days, weeks, or years. Infection, trauma, changes in atmospheric pressure, and earwax buildup or impaction can cause a sudden loss of hearing. Infection and inflammation often follow an upper respiratory infection or trauma to the ear, such as from the overuse or improper use of cotton swabs. Bathing or swimming in water that is overly chlorinated or contains high levels of bacteria or fungi can also lead to ear infections. Persistent and recurrent ear infections are often linked to fungal infection (candidiasis) and are frequently seen in people with allergies, cancer, diabetes, or other chronic diseases.
If hearing loss develops gradually, the individual experiencing it may be unaware of it until it reaches a fairly advanced stage. In fact, it is not uncommon for friends and family members to notice signs of hearing loss before the person experiencing it does. Some signs that may point to a hearing problem include seeming inattentiveness, unusually loud speech, irrelevant comments, inappropriate responses to questions or environmental sounds, requests for statements to be repeated, a tendency to turn one ear toward sound, and unusual voice quality.
One-third of people over the age of sixty-five have problems with their hearing. Aging is the major factor in loss of the ability to hear the full range of frequencies in everyday communication. Loss of the ability to hear high-frequency noises usually comes first. This type of age-related hearing impairment is called presbycusis. Presbycusis can be caused by a change in the blood supply to the ear due to heart disease, some diabetic conditions, or circulatory problems.
Suspected hearing deficits in infants deserve close and immediate attention, as an undiagnosed hearing impairment can lead to delayed or diminished acquisition of language skills and, possibly, learning disabilities. Risk factors for hearing loss in infancy include a family history of hearing loss; known hereditary disorders; congenital abnormalities of the ears, nose, or throat; maternal exposure to rubella or syphilis, or to ototoxic drugs such as tobramycin (Nebcin), streptomycin, gentamicin (Arraying), quinine (Quinamm), furosemide (Lasix), or ethacrynic acid (Edecrin); and birth-related problems such as prematurity, trauma and/or lack of oxygen during delivery, low birth weight, Usher syndrome, or jaundice. Otitis media (middle ear infection) is the most common cause of hearing loss in children. For the most part, this is temporary, but chronic or recurrent ear infections can cause permanent hearing loss due to inflammation and infection of the middle ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss in children can also be caused by childhood diseases such as meningitis, mumps, and rubella. Signs of hearing problems in infancy include failure to blink or startle at loud noises; failure to turn the head toward familiar sounds; a consistent ability to sleep through loud noises; greater responsiveness to loud noises than to voices; a failure to babble, coo, or squeal; and monotonal babbling. In toddlers, warning signs include failure to speak clearly by age two, showing no interest in being read to or in playing word games, habitual yelling or shrieking when communicating or playing, greater responsiveness to facial expressions than to speech, shyness or withdrawal (often misinterpreted as inattentiveness, dreaminess, or stubbornness), and frequent confusion and puzzlement. In older children, signs of hearing loss are similar to those in adulthooda failure to respond to verbal requests, inappropriate responses to questions or other sound stimuli, and a seeming inattentiveness.
Causes of hearing loss
Hearing loss caused by exposure to loud noises (noise pollution) is an increasing problem in our society today. When the delicate mechanisms of the inner ear are assaulted by loud noises, a phenomenon called temporary threshold shift (TIS) occurs. If you have ever walked away from a concert or a construction site with a buzzing or hissing in your ears, or with everything sounding as if you are underwater, you have experienced temporary threshold shift. When this condition occurs, you hear only noises above a certain level. While overnight rest usually restores normal hearing, this is a sign that damage has occurred to the hair cells in your inner ear. If this type of damage is lengthy and/or repeated, permanent threshold shift (PTS), with permanent damage and hearing loss, is the result. There are a number of terms-some clinical, some informal-used to distinguish among the sources of noiserelated hearing loss. Boilermaker’s ear is a condition caused by heavy exposure to broad-band noise. The affected individual loses the ability to hear high-frequency sounds and has difficulty in understanding spoken words. Diplacusis is a form of hearing loss experienced as sound distortionthe pitch of a given tone is heard differently by each ear. Hyperacusis is an extreme sensitivity to loud noises that can be caused by damage to the eardrum. Sociocusis is a term used to denote hearing loss from non-work-related exposure to noise. Most people who develop noise-related hearing loss say they were unaware that anything was wrong until they developed tinnitus or speech became inaudible, but in fact, the damage begins long before that and temporary threshold shift is a clear sign of it.
Noise-related hearing loss is common in train engineers, military personnel, and workers subjected to constant industrial noise, as well as in hunters and musicians, especially rock musicians.
Tinnitus is a condition that occurs in about 85 percent of people with hearing loss. It is experienced as constant or recurring ringing, buzzing, or hissing noises not caused by anything in the external environment. It is now thought that the noise originates in the brain and not in the ear, as was preViously believed. If the ear is damaged by exposure to loud noises or certain medications (including aspirin), the brain may try to compensate and end up producing electrical signals that a person hears as a ringing noise in the ears.
Natural home remedies for the treatment of hearing loss
Echinacea aids poor equilibrium and reduces dizziness. It also fights infection and helps reduce congestion. It can be taken in tea or capsule form.
To soothe inflammation and fight infection, mullein oil can be used as ear drops. If mullein is not available, garlic oil or liquid extract (Kyolic) may be substituted.
Eat fresh pineapple frequently to reduce inflammation. Also include plenty of garlic, kelp, and sea vegetables in your diet.
For an ear infection, put 2 to 4 drops of warm (not hot) liquid garlic extract in the affected ear. (If both ears are infected, do not use the same dropper for both ears, as it may spread infection.) This treatment is very helpful for children.
Pound fenugreek seeds and put them in hot oil. Filter and cool it to a bearable temperature. This oil should be used as eardrops.
Wash the ear with water in which neem leaves or neem bark has been boiled. This is very effective for a earache.
For earwax buildup, clean or irrigate your ears using either a solution of 1 part vinegar to 1 part warm water, or a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Using an eyedropper, place a few drops in your ear, allow them to settle for a minute, then drain. Repeat the process with the other ear. Do this two or three times a day. Do not use cotton swabs to clean inside the ear canal, as this can push wax further into the ear canal and exacerbate the problem. If the wax is hard and dry, apply garlic oil for a day or two to soften it. Then wash out the ear with a steady stream of warm water. Be patient, continue to irrigate the ear canal, and flush with warm water. Most cases of ear wax buildup can be treated by this method. Another method of removing excess ear wax, called ear candling, uses special candles available at health food stores. Instructions for the procedure are included with the candles. The candling procedure requires assistance, so do not attempt this by yourself.
Prevention for hearing loss
Always wear ear protection (disposable plugs or earphone-style headset) when using loud appliances such as power tools or lawn mowers; and when you know you will be exposed to sudden loud noises, such as when shooting a gun.
Protect your hearing when listening to music. A general guideline is to keep the volume low enough that you can easily hear the telephone and other sounds over the music. If you are using a personal stereo unit with headphones, you should be the only one able to hear your music. If someone standing next to you can hear it, it’s too loud.
Limit your consumption of alcohol and sugars, which encourage the growth of yeast. This is particularly important if you have recurrent ear infections and have been treated with antibiotics. Also eliminate or keep to a minimum your intake of caffeine, chocolate, and sodium.
Nature has its way of looking after our ears. There are small glands in the ear canal that produce wax. This wax entraps dust and foreign bodies, so as to leave a clear passage for the sound waves. The movements of the jaw while eating extrude the wax without our even being aware of it. Normally, cleaning the ears while bathing suffices to maintain a normal amount of wax.
Causes and symptoms of ear wax
However, sometimes there is an excessive secretion, and the wax blocks the opening of the external ear canal, causing either pain or a ringing sensation in the ear, or even the sensation of not being able to hear well. Ear wax can cause hearing loss, pain, and cough.
Fullness in the ear or a sensation the ear is plugged.
Home Remedies to Remove Earwax
To remove impacted wax, put warm olive (or any other edible oil) into the ear, which will not solidify on cooling. Do this for 2-3 nights. The wax will soften and be easily removed with a ear bud.
A vinegar-water-peroxide solution (1:1:2) can be warmed to body temperature and applied to the ear canal to soften wax.
A drop of baby oil can be placed in each ear canal on a regular basis (typically, once or twice per week) to soften hard, painful wax.
Discharge from the ear is the result of an infection and can be most troublesome. It must never be neglected
Causes and symptoms of ear discharge
Any infection of the middle ear will first cause pain in the ear, and if untreated, lead to discharge from the ear. This is called otitis media. The discharge is usually pus-like but may even be bloodstained and foul-smelling. Once the discharge occurs, the pain decreases.
Natural home remedies to cure the discharge from the ear
As a rule, once an ear starts discharging pus nothing should be put i.nto it. Medicine should be given orally to heal from within, e.g., antibiotics. However, in the absence of medical facilities, in case the discharge persists and becomes chronic, folk-medicine practitioners use the following remedies:
1. Breast milk
A few drops of the breast milk of a healthy lactating woman can be put in an infant’s infected ear. Breast milk has natural immunity-enhancing and healing properties.
2. Onion Juice
Two or three drops of warm onion juice, put in the ear 2-3 times a day, is efficacious.
3. Fenugreek Seeds
Heat a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in a tablespoon of hot oil. Cool to a bearable temperature. Strain. A drop of this oil with a drop of fresh milk should be put in the ear to relieve a earache.
4. Neem Leaves
Wash the ear with water in which neem leaves or neem bark has been boiled. This is very effective for a earache.
An earache can be excrutiatingly painful. As the ear, nose and throat are all interconnected, the pain can also spread to these areas and cause much distress . An earache can be sharp, dull, or burning pain.
Causes and symptoms of earache
Earache is usually caused by a cold getting out of hand. The ear, nose and throat are intimately connected. Any infection in one area tends to affect the other two to a lesser or greater degree. This is especially so in children. Pain can also occur if one has used a pin or matchstick to clean the ears. An erupting wisdom tooth or a toothache can also cause pain in the ear.
Increased irritability or pulling at the ears is often a sign of ear pain in infants. Earache in a child or infant is not always from infection. Other causes include water from bathing, soap or shampoo retention, or ear canal irritation from cotton-tipped swabs.
Earache symptoms may include
Fever.
Ear pain.
Increased crying.
Fussiness.
Pulling at the ears.
Irritability.
Natural home remedies to get relief from earache
Steam inhalations often clear all the respiratory passages (ear, nose and throat). An infusion of eucalyptus leaves is particularly beneficial.
A tablespoonful of mustard or sesame-seed oil, heated with a clove of garlic or a pinch of omum, then filtered and cooled to a bearable temperature, can be instilled (1-2 drops) in the ear. Tilt the head so that the oil goes into the ear, and hold the head in that position for a minute or so. Do this twice a day for 2-3 days.
One or two drops of holy basil-leaf juice in the ear in beneficial for an earache.
One or two drops of garlic oil, put twice a day in the ear, is also efficacious. However, this may cause irritation in some people, so add a drop of milk to it.
Use as a ear drop a decoction of neem leaves-1-2 drops-just warm, not hot.
A few drops of fresh lime juice, diluted with an equal quantity of watertwo drops twice a day-is also very effective.
Ear drops can be made with the warmed fresh juice of either tender mango leaves, fresh ginger, neem leaves or onion. Put in the ear one or two drops at a time. Do not mix these. Each remedy is individually used.
Pound fenugreek seeds and put them in hot oil. Filter and cool it to a bearable temperature. This oil should be used as eardrops.
Tip :Do not use hairpins or tweezers to remove foreign bodies in the ear, and do not put water into the ear, as some foreign bodies may swell up with the moisture.
