Friday, December 17, 2010

Useful Information About Objective Tinnitus

Tinnitus is classified into two types: subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus. The former is a common type of tinnitus which is characterized by hearing ringing and hissing sounds unheard by other people. Objective tinnitus, on the other hand, is a rare type of tinnitus wherein the sounds produced can also be heard by others. For instance, the sounds can be heard by a doctor just by using a stethoscope. This is also more disturbing than the other type as it is accompanied by serious medical conditions like cardiovascular problems. This type of tinnitus occurs in 3% of all cases of tinnitus.

People with objective tinnitus frequently hear rhythmic clicking, low humming, or thumping sounds which are heard along with the breathing or heartbeat; hence its other name pulsatile tinnitus. This type of tinnitus may therefore be treated not only by treating the sounds or noise produced by tinnitus but also by treating the medical condition it indicates.

Objective tinnitus may be caused by two things. First, the sudden alteration in the blood circulation in the arteries or veins surrounding the ears can cause the production of ear thumping tinnitus sounds. Second, the heightened or increased sensitivity to the noise caused by the blood circulation in the ears can make a person hear tinnitus sounds. There are few cases however when this condition is accompanied by aneurysm or other fatal or life-threatening conditions making it imperative for the patient to receive proper diagnosis as there are root causes that must be pinned down.

The clinical investigation of this condition involves analyzing the patient’s medical history to check for prior cardiovascular conditions. The doctor may suggest that the patient undergoes CT scan, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), magnetic resonance scanning (MRI), angiography, and ultrasound. These tests and examinations show the images of blood flow and blood vessels thereby helping the doctor identify the main problem. The doctor may also do some blood tests to check if the patient has anemia.

Relief against objective tinnitus depends mainly on the primary condition, which upon identification must receive immediate treatment. For example, if the cause of the condition is hypertension, it must be treated by taking medication that can lower the blood pressure, diet change, and lifestyle modification.

Patients with this type of tinnitus should avoid indulging in the following:

• High sodium diet
• Diet rich in fat
• Alcohol
• Beverages with caffeine
• Stress
• smoking

Atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of tinnitus and this is unfortunately caused by diet rich in cholesterol and fats. Therefore, it is important for tinnitus patients to get rid of them. High blood pressure, one of the common causes of tinnitus, is caused by an increased intake of salt since it can alter the fluid retention in the body. Caffeine can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure. The fluid balance in the body and in the ears can be caused by too much alcohol consumption. Stress can trigger the symptoms of tinnitus to strike. Fatigue and anxiety management is important to keeping the tinnitus symptoms at bay. You should not forget that cognitive-behavioral therapy, alternative remedies, and relaxation can also help a person acquire relief against objective tinnitus.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Helpful Info About Hyperacusis Treatment

Hyperacusis treatment is generally acquired through taking medications, undergoing therapy, using ear devices, and surgery. Read on as this article discusses about these methods.

Hyperacusis Treatment through Medications:

Drugs and medications are often helpful in reducing the annoying symptoms of hyperacusis; however, many people prefer not to take this route because its results are often unimpressive not to mention that their side effects are often adverse. Nevertheless, some patients attest that antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines greatly help in dealing with effects of this condition, particularly the psychological ones. Below are some of the medications used to treat hyperacusis:

• Klonazepam or lorazepam in low doses
• SSRI family of antidepressants
• Anti-migraine drugs, including topiramate, verapamil, beta-blockers and tricyclics
• Anti-seizure drugs like oxcarbazapine
• Baclofen

Hyperacusis often causes obsessive thinking, depression, and anxiety, and all these can be dealt with an intake of anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants. Another effect of hyperacusis is migraine which can be dealt with anti-migraine medications. Irritable neural pathways and brainstem hyperacusis responses can be treated with anti-seizure medications and Baclofen respectively.

Ear Devices as Hyperacusis Treatment:

Another way to acquire hyperacusis treatment is through the use of ear devices like ear plugs and sound generators or maskers. Ear plugs are useful in such a way that the noise the patient is exposed to is decreased. However, there are theories saying that long-term use of these ear devices is not good since they can only make hyperacusis aggravated. Being exposed to noise has a habituating effect and this effect may be lessened by reducing the sounds or noise. On the other hand, some people still believe that it helps to use ear devices just like how the use of sunglasses helps in protecting the eyes from the glare of the sun. Electronic noise suppression devices are also said to be helpful although their effect is not as great as those other passive methods. Sound generators or maskers are used for brain and nervous system conditioning to make these systems tolerant to the sounds and noise. They function like hearing aids but require monthly readjustment for gradual desensitization.

Therapy as Hyperacusis Treatment:

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) is another form of hyperacusis treatment. This treatment is the combination of using sound generators and the psychotherapy approach. Because of its efficacy, it is one of the most popular approaches for treating hyperacusis these days. One important thing to keep in mind to make this work is to give this method commitment and time.

Hyperacusis treatment is also possible through psychological therapy given by a psychiatrist, psychologist, or any expert in this field. This approach teaches a patient how to ignore and tolerate the symptoms of hyperacusis rather than make a fuss of it. You may also take medications formulated to treat obsessive compulsive disorder.

Surgery as Hyperacusis Treatment:

Surgery is not a common form of hyperacusis treatment. Nevertheless, it is often advised to people with really useless hearing.

As of now, only the methods mentioned above are used for hyperacusis treatment. They may not be a lot but they are enough to keep people with hyperacusis hopeful that it’s possible to get their life back to normal.

Your Guidelines On How To Cure Tinnitus

Are you wondering how to cure tinnitus? For sure you are! With the pain and discomfort caused by this condition, one would never want to last a day without any cure or treatment. Now, your search for ways on how to cure tinnitus is over because this article will show you how to get rid of tinnitus.

1) Be Stress-Free!

One of the best and surest ways on how to cure tinnitus is through de-stressing yourself. There are a lot of ways to do it. One is to get a regular exercise. 15-30 minutes of exercise each day is enough to free your body from stress. You can also reduce your workload, get enough rest, and do something interesting for you. By doing so, you are not only freeing your body from the free radicals that cause stress, you are also reducing and improving the symptoms of tinnitus.

2) Avoid Drinking Beverages with Caffeine!

Drinking too much caffeine can aggravate your tinnitus condition. Thus, it is easy to understand that in order to get rid of tinnitus; you first have to rid your diet of beverages with high caffeine content.

3) Avoid Exposure to Loud Noise!

Frequent and prolonged exposure to loud noise is one of the main causes of tinnitus. Obviously, if you want to get rid of tinnitus, you have to avoid exposing yourself to loud noise. If you really have to expose yourself to these, it is important to protect your ears by wearing ear plugs or other ear protections. This is such an important way on how to cure tinnitus.

4) Be Careful with Your Medications!

Taking meds and drugs improperly can cause a person to experience tinnitus signs and symptoms. Therefore, you should practice caution when taking medications. You should only take the meds in dosage recommended by your doctor or physician. If your meds cause some side effects, talk to your doctor about it right at the onset of the side effects.

5) Certain Conditions Can Trigger the Symptoms of Tinnitus

Conditions like head/neck injury or trauma, earwax buildup, ear infection, and others may also cause the symptoms and signs of tinnitus to manifest. In such case, it is very important to visit your doctor and have him/her diagnose your condition accurately. Once your doctor finds out that an underlying condition is behind your sufferings, he/she will surely prescribe you with some medications or drugs that will help address your condition and thus your tinnitus as well. This is a very important way on how to cure tinnitus.

6) General Approach Works Well in Treating Tinnitus

Tinnitus can be caused by many different factors and this is the reason why it is necessary to address the problem using general approach. By doing so, it is easy to eradicate the tinnitus-related factors, allowing you to concentrate on addressing the factor that is causing your condition. This can be achieved successfully by learning how to cure tinnitus naturally. There are a lot of methods that can help you deal with the cause, giving you immediate relief with long-lasting results.

7) Have Some Healthy Changes in Your Lifestyle

In a nutshell, the most important step to learn how to cure tinnitus is to check your lifestyle and be ready to make some necessary changes to make yourself stress-free, get enough rest and sleep, get regular exercise, and have a healthy and balanced diet. Only with a healthy lifestyle will you be able be tinnitus-free!