Tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of external stimuli, can be a challenging condition to navigate. The incessant ringing, buzzing, or humming in the ears can significantly impact one's quality of life.
I want to explore a few ideas of how a natural approach has potential to help manage the problem. Read through all of them and then choose just a couple that you feel might help. You don't have to do everything!
Tinnitus can be caused by various factors, including exposure to loud noises, age-related hearing loss, earwax blockage, or underlying health conditions. Identifying the root cause is essential for effective management.
I personally have fast building ear-wax and use the traditional Hopi candles to control the was, my 'warning sign' is not the volume on the TV but an 'itchy' ear .... it's as if my body is asking for the Hopi. There are mixed views on candling the ears, but it has always worked for me. If you've never had it done, find a good therapist to do it for you and do not attempt if you have complex ear issues.
Natural Healthcare Strategies:
Dietary Changes:
Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce inflammation in the auditory system.
Limiting caffeine, salt, and alcohol intake can also contribute to alleviating tinnitus symptoms.
Supplements:
Some studies suggest that certain supplements, such as ginkgo biloba, zinc, and vitamin B12, may have a positive impact on tinnitus. If you can energy test, this is a perfect time to test supplements, against the ears and setting the intention firmly ... let your body guide you. If you cannot energy test, why not learn how. If you join my website newsletter mailing list (it's free) you automatically receive some free gifts, one of which is a leaflet on how to energy test.
Stress Management:
Stress and anxiety can exacerbate tinnitus symptoms. Incorporating stress-reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises may help manage these psychological factors.
An ENERGY approach
First consider if this is a 'message' from that Wise One Within .... is there anything you simply don't want to hear. Some ancient texts hint that if the Heart doesn't want to hear something it can 'close the ears'. In my personal opinion this ancient belief ties in with what we are observing about the Vagus Nerve, the 10th cranial nerve that comes down behind the ear area.
So let's start with that:
One very simple way to improve your Vagal Tone is to hum or chant. Try it while holding your open palm over each ear, very gently, it intensifies the vibration of the sound through that part of the head. It 'moves' the energy.
Follow by stroking down either side the neck with the opposite hand, alternately and smiling while saying: "It is now safe for my Vagal tone to be strong and resilient, my hearing is returning to a healthy default function."
The following exercise is a classic and can be done when you are in bed:
KIDNEY meridian rules the ears and hearing, so anything you can do to bring harmony to this meridian is going to benefit your ears. Although saying that, not every ear problem is related to the Kidneys. Trace the pathway starting at Kidney 1 on the sole of each foot working up the body to the classic K27 points that Donna Eden includes in her 4 Thumps.
Here is a short video of Dondi (Donna's daughter) tracing Kidney meridian. You may like to 'flush' it once a week by tracing BACKWARDS on the pathway once - i.e. from those K27 points down to the soles of the feet. and FORWARDS 3 times.
Perhaps my favourite Kidney techniques (well 2 really) ....
Rub your hands together and shake them off - rub together again for a few seconds to generate heat and place the palms over the lower back area (you'll be covering the kidneys) and feel the heat penetrating into the area.
KIDNEY (3) SOURCE point is located on the medial (inside) of the ankle bone (on both legs). I love source points because they are self regulating and are super safe and highly effective, massage or hold for however long feels good, it might only be a minute. Kidney 3 is often used specifically for tinnitus.
Kidney responds well to the stretch below that stretches part of the actual meridian and also the psoas muscle associated with it. Not everyone will have the flexibility to do this; so be gentle with yourself, do not force those hips, knees or lower back - if you can only move 1 inch and feel a stretch, that's just as effective as moving 12 inches! It's the stretch, not the distance, that is important.
Creating space for improved flow of energy along the pathway.
o Sit with legs bent in front of you, soles of feet touching.
o EXHALE and bend forwards a few inches until you feel the stretch in the inner thigh.
o Hold for a while
o Gently turn the feet out and feel the stretch increase.
o Hold the feet with thumbs on the K1 points of each foot (the ball) – massage these Kidney points and then along the inside of the foot, which represents the entire spine. Then come up and massage Kidney 3 and 4 area.
When you have finished, stay in position and
o place your hands over your kidneys and backward stretch over them – think of a heavily pregnant lady and how they do this].
o Inhale and lengthen up the spine
o Squeezing the shoulders back to open up the chest area.
o Hold, taking some deep breaths
o Inhale, release and extend the legs in front of you, shaking them to release the muscles.
Liver and Gallbladder also impact ears/hearing - rub gently and then Figure 8 the front of both ears (Tragus area) You will be covering the 2nd point on the Gallbladder meridian (if you open the mouth your finger will fall into this point) + Triple Warmer 21 and Small Intestine 19. These three points are not only good for Tinnitus but also any ear or jaw pain.
Massage up along and just behind the hair line and you will be connecting to 3 more GB points that all impact tinnitus.
Don't get too caught up in the exact location of these points, relax into the massage.
Harness the power of 8. Simply figure 8 over the ear area - I did another blog on this:
LIVER 3 is the SOURCE POINT of Liver meridian and is worth massaging/holding. On both feet.
I know this point is a LONG way from the ears but very often in Oriental Medicine, a problem will be treated from a distant point, the connection is energetic, well within the body.