A persistent wheezing, buzzing, whistling or ringing noise perceived in the head, or experienced in one or both ears is referred to as Tinnitus. This noise is permanent. It cannot be heard by others, and does not originate from an external source. It is not a psychiatric, but a physical condition. It is frequently traced to some malfunction of the hearing system. This can be as simple as earwax logged near the eardrum, can originate from an underlying condition such as Meniere’s disease, can be caused by more serious conditions such as tumor growth, or can be triggered by prolonged exposure to noise. Research has to date not been able to source the precise underlying mechanism.
There are other potential causes that may favor the emergence of tinnitus. Injuries or trauma to the head, a malposition of the jaw at the joint to the skull, large doses of aspirin, and even stress have been linked to the appearance of tinnitus.
The exposure to loud noise is the most common cause of tinnitus. The use of noisy machinery without hearing protection, concert noise without ear plugs, or even the extended listening to music at high volume can promote the ‘outbreak’ of tinnitus.
Sufferers may experience concomitant adverse effects as a consequence to tinnitus. Stress, depression, fatigue, exhaustion, and emotional impairment are common.
Most sufferers develop some sort of coping strategy to be able to manage their life with the complaint. Conventional medicine offers diverse therapeutic approaches such as ‘cognitive behavior therapy’, or ‘tinnitus retraining therapy’ aimed at reducing the perception of tinnitus. There is to date no medication that can treat tinnitus. Avoiding is key with this condition.
The following homeopathic remedies may be useful in the treatment of tinnitus: Antipyrine, Cannabis indica, Carbonicum sulphuricum, Chininum sulphuricum, Kalium iodatum, Lachesis, Natrium Salicylicum, Phosphorus, Salicylicum Acidum, Theridion, Thiosinaminum.
References:
Australian Tinnitus Association (2014) Tinnitus – what is it?, Available at: http://www.tinnitus.asn.au/tinnitus.htm (Accessed: December 2017).
Boericke, W. (2004) Pocket manual of homeopathic materia medica and repertory New Delhi: B.Jain publishers Ltd.
Clarke, J. (1994) A Dictionary of practical materia medica New Delhi: B.Jain publishers Ltd.
DHU (2011) Homöopathisches Repetitorium Karlsruhe: Deutsche Homöopathie Union
hear-it.org (n.d.) Tinnitus, Available at: https://www.hear-it.org/Tinnitus-1 (Accessed: December 2017 ).
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