The medical condition tinnitus is when people hear a consistent ringing sound that isn’t actually present. The ringing may be a constant drone, more like bells, high or low pitch, or even a background buzz. Some people who live with tinnitus learn to ignore it, while others say it’s obnoxious and hampers their life.
Tinnitus is most commonly caused when the hairs of the inner ear that are responsible for converting sounds to neural impulses are damaged. Usually after you’ve been exposed to loud noise you can notice a ringing in your ears for a short period – this means you’ve suffered some damage. When this doesn’t go away, the damage is more or less permanent. Sometimes you can also get tinnitus from the side effects of medications, or when the muscles and tissue around the ear are too compressed to allow the ear to function well.
So can acupuncture help with any of this? Yes and no. If you have tinnitus because tight muscles of the face are compressing around the ear canal, acupuncture can definitely help. Also if you have ringing in your ears from medication, acupuncture can help with this too while you transition to a new medication. And if you have tinnitus from stress, acupuncture can also help.
Ringing in the ears from nerve damage, though, that’s much harder to treat. Your brain should be able to filter this noise out on its own. If it doesn’t, that usually means that subconsciously you’re focusing on the noise. Acupuncture is less helpful with this. Hypnosis might be a better choice in these cases.
If you’re struggling with ringing in your ears and are trying to get rid of the noise, we can help! Call or schedule your consultation online today and experience some peace and quiet!
