What is tinnitus and how to treat it?

Tinnitus auris, also known as constant whistling, humming, buzzing or ringing in the ears, is a condition that affects a large number of people in the world. These sounds have no external source. What is tinnitus, how does it affect those who live with it, what are its causes and is there any way to combat tinnitus? Read more about this unpleasant phenomenon in our article.

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus, also known as tinnitus auris, is basically a term used to describe a condition where a person perceives sounds in one or both ears, or even in the head, without the presence and cause of an external sound source.

Of course, almost every person has experienced such tinnitus at least once in his life, but if it lasts only a few seconds, it is not tinnitus. Tinnitus, however, can occur occasionally, or it can be present for an extended period of time, or people can have it for the rest of their lives.

The sounds in tinnitus can sound different. For example, as whistling, buzzing, ringing, humming or rumbling. For many people who suffer from this condition, tinnitus has a bad effect on their daily life. Of course, tinnitus, or whistling in the ears, can also take different forms. Some people do have tinnitus, but it is not so pronounced that it affects them in their daily lives. Many people, however, have tinnitus so pronounced that it interferes with normal activities and even causes them problems sleeping. Although the causes are many, most of the time this unpleasant phenomenon is not caused by any serious illness.

Tinnitus auris is divided as follows:

• If it lasts up to three months, it is acute tinnitus.
• The subacute form of tinnitus is when the problem lasts up to 6 months.
• The persistence of tinnitus for more than 6 months is referred to as a chronic phenomenon.

The most common causes of whistling in the ears

We’ve already covered what tinnitus is, but what are its most common causes? There are several causes that can make such whistling and ringing in the ears appear. As we have already written, most of the time tinnitus is not related to any serious illness and its causes are varied:

Hearing damage – if a person is overexposed to noise, for example when working in a noisy environment, sometimes whistling in the ears can occur after noisy concerts, explosions and so on. These factors can cause damage to the delicate structures in the ear and these can lead to tinnitus.

Stress and anxiety – even a person who is frequently exposed to psychological stress and anxiety may experience tinnitus over time. Stress and anxiety affect the nervous system and can exacerbate the perception of tinnitus auris or be its trigger.

Vascular disorders – circulatory problems, such as high blood pressure or atherosclerosis, can result in insufficient blood supply to the ear and lead to tinnitus auris.

Head injuries – traumatic head injuries, such as head injuries from an accident, etc., can be another cause of tinnitus.

Age – age is also a factor in the occurrence of this unpleasant phenomenon. With age, there is a natural decline in ear function, so older people are more susceptible to tinnitus.

Medications – some medications can cause tinnitus (constant whistling in the ears) as a side effect. This is especially true when these medicines are taken for a long time or in high doses.

Other problems and causes of tinnitus can include brain tumors, cervical spine problems, Meniere’s disease, high or low blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and others.

Treatment of whistling in the ears

Is there a cure for tinnitus? Is laser treatment possible or do grandmotherly advice and recipes work for tinnitus? What are the treatment options for tinnitus?

If the cause is stress and anxiety, for example, then the treatment for tinnitus may be just to reduce stress and anxiety. Also stress in general can worsen the symptoms of tinnitus auris. So in this case, focusing on relaxation exercises, meditation and stress management therapies, for example, can help patients to alleviate the perception of tinnitus auris and improve their overall condition. Various nutritional supplements or CBD oils, for example, can also be used to reduce stress.

Of course, the absolutely most important thing is to find out the real cause due to which tinnitus manifested itself. Most often, people with whistling, humming and tinnitus visit an ENT doctor. This doctor will perform a hearing test using a variety of procedures. In addition, it does not hurt to perform laboratory blood tests and other imaging tests such as CT scans, MRI, angiography, as well as ultrasound scans. Of course, the condition of the cervical spine and the function of the temporomandibular joint are also evaluated.

In addition to pharmacological treatment, which involves taking medications to improve blood flow or natural nutritional supplements, there are other treatments. These range from the removal of excessive earwax, treatment of blood vessel disorders, changes in treatment for other diseases, and the use of various hearing aids to suppress noise perception.

Masking devices are also used for tinnitus, which make different sounds to reduce the perception of whistling and ringing in the ears and help people with this problem manage their symptoms. Other treatment options may include acoustic therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy, which aim to improve tinnitus management and quality of life.

CBD for tinnitus

People often ask what to do about tinnitus and whether there is any miracle for it. In recent years, interest has begun to emerge in the potential effect of CBD (cannabidiol) on tinnitus auris. CBD is one of more than 100 plant constituents known as cannabinoids that are found in the cannabis plant. This interest stems from the observation that CBD has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties that could be beneficial to patients suffering from incessant tinnitus. If you’re interested in the effects of CBD, you can read more about them in our article CBD drops and their effects. CBD is indeed one of such natural wonders that can help with many health problems.

One possible mechanism where CBD can help fight tinnitus is its anti-inflammatory effect. Some forms of tinnitus are associated with inflammation in the ear or nervous system, and CBD can help to reduce this inflammatory response, thereby alleviating symptoms. It also helps to reduce stress and anxiety. In addition, CBD drops are used by some people who suffer from insomnia problems, so CBD oils could also be effective in such cases where the whistling in the ears is so strong that it makes it impossible for people to fall asleep.

CBD dosage

In case you want to use CBD oils for tinnitus, it is important to start with low doses first. In this case, it is recommended to take approximately 2.5 mg per day, preferably after meals. You can take CBD, for example, through drops, tinctures, capsules or also as hemp tea. After some time, when your body gets used to this dose, you can then increase your daily intake of CBD oil to 5 mg per day. A combination of CBD and CBG drops is also very good . Some studies claim that the synergistic effect between CBD and CBG can increase the effectiveness of both cannabinoids. This means that a joint combination may have a stronger therapeutic effect than taking just one of them alone.

Sources

• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tinnitus/
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/tinnitus-ringing-in-the-ears-and-what-to-do-about-it
• https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/tinnitus
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cbd-for-tinnitus
• https://www.forbes.com/health/cbd/cbd-for-tinnitus/
• https://zdravoteka.sk/magazin/vsetky-priciny-hucania-v-usiach-najdete-tu-na-jednom-mieste/

Products in the article