Managing Tinnitus

 An attempt to store information around tinnitus (the ringing sound in the ear) and what can be done to keep it to manageable level, though it cannot be cured. 

Disclaimer: This is a combination of what I have heard from doctors, other people who have tinnitus, what I read on the Internet, and the results of what I am trying out - primarily storing it for myself, to find ways to manage my tinnitus that has got louder since Nov end. It has significantly come down since I started specific pranayama and yoga, tailored for tinnitus reduction. 

I have not verified any of the info I got from the Net. If something has worked for me, I will mention it here - maybe other techniques will work for others. 

Remember that the causes of tinnitus could vary from person to person - therefore different solutions will work for different people. It is very important to get a proper checkup done if you develop tinnitus - sometimes it is a sign of hearing loss. Though sometimes it may not be real hearing loss - the frequency of the tinnitus could be masking other frequencies. 

Which nerve is affected by tinnitus?

• The vestibulo-cochlear nerve, or eighth cranial nerve, carries signals from the inner ear to the brain.

What is known to aggravate it? 

• Allergies (the nasal canals and sinuses are blocked, which in turn irritate the ear)
• Fatigue and stress
• Vitamin deficiencies
• Vaatha increase and imbalance (according to Ayurveda). Covid is known to increase Vaatha. This causes a lot of symptoms across the body. I believe this could be the cause of tinnitus in some people. 

What could help reduce it? 

What has worked for me

• Yoga and pranayama specifically for tinnitus. I am learning this from my Yoga teacher and it seems to be reducing the sound! 😀 The sound has significantly come down/become less frequent since I have been doing these specific breathing exercises that include humming, and a couple of yoga poses. The breathing is a combination of Ujjai breath and brahmari in various variations. There are entire days I barely hear it now. 
• This works on the Ayurvedic principle that excess Vaatha causes tinnitus and these poses/breathing practices are an attempt to bring down Vaatha. An imbalance in Vaatha can affect your nervous system. 
• If you notice that the sound is going up after meals, it is possibly increased Vaatha that is the trigger. Try reducing/avoiding food that increases Vaatha in the body. You can read up on the Net about this or talk to an Ayurveda doctor/nutritionist who can prescribe the right food for you. Vaatha also goes up with multi-tasking, too much activity, stress. All of this has to be regulated. Check if the sound is coming down after you bring down Vaatha. 
• A good night's sleep (this works for me sometimes - though I can't really control the quality of my sleep beyond doing all the right things. I even got a weighted blanket - this does deepen sleep. Get the right one for your body weight.) 
• Some doctors prescribe medicines that regulate your sleep and circadian rhythms. Like Meloset. This deepens your sleep - and so the sound is usually lesser the next day. 
• Rest - this is very important, since fatigue increases tinnitus.
• Track your sound daily in a table - Have columns for Morning/Afternoon/Evening/Night/Comments. I have found this extremely useful! 😀
• Add comments in the last column about what you ate or did differently following which the sound increased or decreased.
• Also the quality of your sleep the previous night. 
• You will start seeing a trend - you or your doctor will be able to identify what aggravates your tinnitus based on this.

What hasn't worked for me/what I have not tried - but could work for others

• Some doctors prescribe allergy medicines - if your tinnitus is caused by an allergy, this will work.
• Massages around head and ear and shoulders and neck
• If you start getting an itchy throat, the start of an allergy, take an anti-allergen and stop it immediately. May help prevent the tinnitus sound from going up. 
• Some easy techniques using your hands and fingers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FztARB3rbw0&feature=youtu.be (has not worked for me so far - or maybe I did not do it regularly)
• Vit B 12 and D intake
• Vagus Nerve Stimulation. "Vagus Nerve Stimulation Resets the Patterns of Brain Activity That Have Gone Awry in Tinnitus. In many cases, tinnitus is caused by hyperactivity (or too much activity) in the brain's auditory cortex. Vagus nerve stimulation is a promising new tool for the treatment of chronic tinnitus. Current protocols produce a clinically significant but moderate improvement in tinnitus distress and a modest benefit in tinnitus loudness perception." (Read about it, not tried)

Please let me know if anything has worked for you.