Tinnitus: This helps against “continuous whistling” in the ear

Spread the love

Read Time:2 Minute, 17 Second

Ear noises torment up to one million people in Austria. But there are successful ways out of this suffering, which is unimaginable for healthy people. An expert shows them and gives practical tips.

“Self-help for tinnitus” – for about one million people affected by ear noises in this country, this new book by Prim. e.m. Dr. Herwig Edlinger means hope. The ENT specialist from Feldbach (Styria) was one of the leading tinnitus specialists in Austria until the end of his medical career and also an expert for the readers of the Krone. Now he has summarized what patients can or should do to alleviate the agonizing discomfort. This is more topical than ever: the number of tinnitus sufferers is constantly growing. The noises are perceived very differently as buzzing, humming, whistling, ringing, knocking, hissing, clanging, bell ringing, etc.

The acute stage lasts about three months, and from a year, tinnitus is called chronic. This often brings sufferers to complete despair—the possibilities of self-help cover the areas of lifestyle, diet, exercise, and external causes. In about 90% of all cases, the inner ear is damaged. The rest concerns diseases of the rest of the auditory system or even lies outside of it, such as mental illness, hormonal disorders (menopause, thyroid), and temporomandibular joint problems. Below are a few practical tips from the brand-new book by Dr. Herwig Edlinger:

In connection with lifestyle, pay attention to sufficient sleep! For example, refrain from taking a “midday nap” so as not to wake up more often at night. Stress is also a widespread trigger of tinnitus. Relaxation exercises, walking in nature, and cultivating hobbies (not necessarily shooting) help here.
Eat healthily! The wrong diet, i.e., one rich in fat and sugar, constricts the blood vessels and thus promotes ringing in the ears. Furthermore, it has been found that glutamate-containing additives are unfavorable. On the other hand, antioxidants such as vitamins (A, B, C, E), magnesium, selenium or zinc, amino acids, secondary plant compounds (such as bioflavonoids and carotenoids), and essential fatty acids (such as omega-3 fatty acids) are very beneficial.
Avoid at least the most harmful external influences: Nicotine and carbon monoxide (smoking!) and excessive noise.
Exercise works! Among other things, this also leads to the targeted mental distraction (“mental masking”) of noises in the ear.
Do gymnastics, especially for the cervical spine: gentle (!) half circles with a straight and then bent head, sliding the chin back and forth with a straight head.
Other popular and successful self-help methods include autogenic training and music therapy methods, masking disturbing noises with pleasant sounds or using hearing aids, a noise generator (masker), or a music therapy pillow.