What is tinitus?
Tinitus is a common problem, affecting about 17% of the general population around the world and causes significant suffering in about 4% of the general population.
For some, it is a mild and temporary ringing in the ears. For others a constant noise can almost drive you to insanity. You just feel like crying or dying especially when your doctor tells you there is no cure.
The detection of tinitus makes physicians search for underlying conditions but in almost fifty percent of the cases, tinnitus seems to exist alone. Tinnitus is not a disease. Some doctors suggest tennitus to be a symptom resulting from a range of underlying causes. Those causes may include ear infections, foreign objects or wax in the ear and even nose allergies that prevent or induce fluid drain or injury from loud noises.
Until the 1980’s, all the accounts of tinitus in textbooks said it was all due to ear damage which could not be fixed. Unfortunately, that is what many people and professionals still believe. It just happens not to be true. Much diagnosis and treatment, or non-treatment of tinitus is based on outdated ideas.
Tinnitus is correctible
Pawel Jastreboff, a renowned neuroscientist discovered the real mechanism of tinitus. In 1990, he published the 'neuro-physiological model'. This important work has never been challenged or criticized.
After twenty years of research, The Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Centre in London were getting results – that lasted.
They use a specific technique of sound enrichment. In modern times, particularly in the west, we create increased unnatural silence from double-glazing and other means to shut out noise. Living in solitude or with no background noise can increase the chances of this problem.
Sound enrichment is not a new technique and is found in many old civilizations especially Japan. In Japan, the use of waterfalls, water fountains and wind chimes is very important. In fact, in Japan the waterfall tuner is a very important and specialized job.
Without background noise, our auditory systems are not stimulated.
Since research began, there are many courses for Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) and more centers are opening where this type of treatment is becoming available but it is not widespread yet.
Many of us cannot go to a Tinnitus Retraining Therapy center because they are not available in our area and the cost may be too high to travel to a center.
The answer is to create a sound enriched environment in our own homes. Water fountains and wind chimes make excellent background noise and sound therapy machines are now available commercially.
If you were one of us who suffer chronic tinitus, it would be advantageous to your health and wellness to invest in one of these little marvels.
