Medical Treatment For Tinnitus And A New Hope
Khemal Dole asked:
Many people think that there is no cure or medical treatment for Tinnitus but a recent breakthrough might prove otherwise. If you are suffering from Tinnitus then this new remedy might be just the one you were looking for.
* What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a condition where a person “hears” a ringing sound in one’s ear despite any actual sound being present in the environment. People with tinnitus often complain of a ringing noise in their ears which drowns out all other noises, often making it very uncomfortable. This type of ringing is often compared to transient ear ringing but tinnitus is a more chronic and persistent ringing which can also take the form of roaring, chirping or hissing in some cases.
* How common is tinnitus?
It is estimated by the American Tinnitus Association that over 52 million people in the United States have tinnitus and for about 15 million of them, the symptoms are severe enough to warrant getting medical treatment. And an estimated 3 million people have a very severe case of tinnitus that inhibits them from day to day activities such as attending school or their employment.
* How can you get tinnitus?
Older people are more at risk at getting tinnitus than others but there have been reported cases of children as young as 14 getting it. Mostly, tinnitus can happen due to age related hearing loss or nerve damage in the ear, which is why it’s most common among older people. Younger people can get tinnitus by exposing their ears to sudden and loud noises which can damage the ear. Tinnitus can also occur due to excessive ear wax buildup, use of certain medications, sinus infections, trauma to the lower head or neck area or medical conditions such as high blood pressure, thyroid and diabetes.
* Traditional medical treatment for tinnitus
Tinnitus used to be thought of as a purely psychological condition but not anymore. Once tinnitus was acknowledged to be a medical condition, modern day medicine has come through with prescription medication, stress and anxiety treatment and in some extreme conditions even surgery.
Typical medications use to cure and treat tinnitus have been anti depressant drugs such as Xanax, antihistamines that reduce allergies and some heart medication. There have also been some breakthroughs in homeopathic remedies that some claim to help. For those people that do not like to take traditional medication, homeopathic remedies is an alternate option.
* New breakthrough treatment for tinnitus: Neuromonics
A new treatment option for tinnitus has just been introduced by the medical community which might give new hope to people who have tried other medications and remedies and are still suffering. This new treatment is called Neuromonics or Sound Masking as it’s also called. The concept of Neuromonics is simple. Low levels of sounds are transmitted into the ear by way of an earphone or earpiece, which is similar to static noise, with the intension of distracting the patient. It is hoped that this new sound will be less annoying and more comforting to the person and with time will drown out the more annoying sounds of tinnitus. Although this is not for everyone, with continued use and a little bit of getting used to, scientists believe that the brain will eventually “mask out” the annoying sounds of tinnitus and simply dial it out of perception.
Neuromonics treatment is done through a portable electronic device call the Oasis ™. Once patients have gone through a set of hearing tests, masking sounds are customized to that patient and are loaded onto the Oasis. Patients who have participated in studies have reported that they can sleep better and also perform day to day chores better than they have been able to do.
Once a patient has been administered Neuromonics treatment for a while, the masking sound is cut back for short periods of time to let the tinnitus sound be heard. This is done so that the brain can get exposed to the two sounds alternately and gradually get used to and in tuned with the more relaxing masking sound. The goal is to train the brain to completely ignore the annoying ringing sounds and get used to a more relaxing masking sound.
Although retraining might be done successfully, the results might be short term as the brain might get accustomed to the tinnitus sounds once masking sounds are turned off. Thus doctors recommend used Neuromonics once or twice a week for 2 to 3 hours at a time to maintain the effectiveness of the treatment.
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Many people think that there is no cure or medical treatment for Tinnitus but a recent breakthrough might prove otherwise. If you are suffering from Tinnitus then this new remedy might be just the one you were looking for.
* What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a condition where a person “hears” a ringing sound in one’s ear despite any actual sound being present in the environment. People with tinnitus often complain of a ringing noise in their ears which drowns out all other noises, often making it very uncomfortable. This type of ringing is often compared to transient ear ringing but tinnitus is a more chronic and persistent ringing which can also take the form of roaring, chirping or hissing in some cases.
* How common is tinnitus?
It is estimated by the American Tinnitus Association that over 52 million people in the United States have tinnitus and for about 15 million of them, the symptoms are severe enough to warrant getting medical treatment. And an estimated 3 million people have a very severe case of tinnitus that inhibits them from day to day activities such as attending school or their employment.
* How can you get tinnitus?
Older people are more at risk at getting tinnitus than others but there have been reported cases of children as young as 14 getting it. Mostly, tinnitus can happen due to age related hearing loss or nerve damage in the ear, which is why it’s most common among older people. Younger people can get tinnitus by exposing their ears to sudden and loud noises which can damage the ear. Tinnitus can also occur due to excessive ear wax buildup, use of certain medications, sinus infections, trauma to the lower head or neck area or medical conditions such as high blood pressure, thyroid and diabetes.
* Traditional medical treatment for tinnitus
Tinnitus used to be thought of as a purely psychological condition but not anymore. Once tinnitus was acknowledged to be a medical condition, modern day medicine has come through with prescription medication, stress and anxiety treatment and in some extreme conditions even surgery.
Typical medications use to cure and treat tinnitus have been anti depressant drugs such as Xanax, antihistamines that reduce allergies and some heart medication. There have also been some breakthroughs in homeopathic remedies that some claim to help. For those people that do not like to take traditional medication, homeopathic remedies is an alternate option.
* New breakthrough treatment for tinnitus: Neuromonics
A new treatment option for tinnitus has just been introduced by the medical community which might give new hope to people who have tried other medications and remedies and are still suffering. This new treatment is called Neuromonics or Sound Masking as it’s also called. The concept of Neuromonics is simple. Low levels of sounds are transmitted into the ear by way of an earphone or earpiece, which is similar to static noise, with the intension of distracting the patient. It is hoped that this new sound will be less annoying and more comforting to the person and with time will drown out the more annoying sounds of tinnitus. Although this is not for everyone, with continued use and a little bit of getting used to, scientists believe that the brain will eventually “mask out” the annoying sounds of tinnitus and simply dial it out of perception.
Neuromonics treatment is done through a portable electronic device call the Oasis ™. Once patients have gone through a set of hearing tests, masking sounds are customized to that patient and are loaded onto the Oasis. Patients who have participated in studies have reported that they can sleep better and also perform day to day chores better than they have been able to do.
Once a patient has been administered Neuromonics treatment for a while, the masking sound is cut back for short periods of time to let the tinnitus sound be heard. This is done so that the brain can get exposed to the two sounds alternately and gradually get used to and in tuned with the more relaxing masking sound. The goal is to train the brain to completely ignore the annoying ringing sounds and get used to a more relaxing masking sound.
Although retraining might be done successfully, the results might be short term as the brain might get accustomed to the tinnitus sounds once masking sounds are turned off. Thus doctors recommend used Neuromonics once or twice a week for 2 to 3 hours at a time to maintain the effectiveness of the treatment.
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Medical Treatment is a Personal Decision
October 19, 2009 by admin
Filed under Diseases And Conditions
Elaine Williams asked:
©2008
When my husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, we were shocked, never even having suspected this illness. He had always been relatively healthy, and then one day he couldn’t eat anymore.
It all began a few months before the diagnosis. He felt an uneasy heaviness in his chest, but he couldn’t quite explain what it was to the doctor. Since my husband was in his late fifties, the doctor sent him for a stress test to check his heart. The tests came back well within the normal range, so the doctor wasn’t concerned.
Fast forward three months later, my husband vomited a few times in a week and he lost some weight. Then, suddenly, he couldn’t keep food or liquid down. From the first time he vomited until we had our doctor appointment, ten days passed and he lost twelve pounds.
We discovered with esophagus cancer there can be few or hardly any symptoms, and the ones that show up, typically heartburn, are sometimes ignored. He had had some incidences of heartburn throughout the years, but nothing that seemed significant enough to go see a doctor about.
By the time the symptoms created the weight loss, the doctor immediately ordered tests and we found out within two days there was a good possibility it may be cancer. This diagnosis was confirmed upon further testing and we were told they suspected the cancer had spread to the lymph system. There were two tumors on his esophagus and a larger tumor at the junction of the stomach and esophagus.
We were both incredibly shocked and stressed by the diagnosis, especially in lieu of the fact that we had three children, the youngest being eleven. We carefully weighed the options the doctors presented, and there were not many. There were traditional treatments, which both doctors recommended, and then there were alternative modalities which a friend of ours suggested. After meeting with the traditional doctors, we then met with a holistic doctor who outlined non-invasive treatments. My husband felt alternative medicine gave him a chance of having a better quality of life as opposed to doing the chemo and radiation treatments.
When friends and acquaintances found out we were not following the traditional medical route, some of their reactions took me by surprise. Even though medical treatment of any kind is a personal issue, we were openly questioned about our decision to pursue holistic methods. After being repeatedly questioned, I began to get defensive about my husband’s treatment any time it was brought up. We had decided what was best for him and I supported his choice 100 percent.
When people voiced their concern over our decision, I felt as if they were saying how dare we not do the best we could for him. I know in hindsight I was being overly sensitive, but I got into a few arguments—feeling as if I had to be on the defense. Due to my high stress level with the illness and being a full time caretaker, I was running on adrenalin all the time.
On one occasion, I even got in a yelling match with a friend of my husband’s in our house. The man had had too much to drink and questioned why we had decided not to do the chemo. He tried to convince us to reconsider. I told him it was our choice and we felt we were doing the best we would, but he would not drop the conversation. I told him that it wasn’t his business, and then he broke down and began to cry.
Sensing his real concern, all the fight left me as I put my arm around him while he cried. I had not wanted to fight with anyone, my whole concern was for my husband, but then I realized there were others who cared about us also, and who only wanted the best for him. They cared, but it didn’t make it any easier dealing with emotions pushed to the limits.
Perhaps it may have been better to simply tell people we were doing the best we could, using traditional and holistic means. Sometimes people just don’t understand the strain a family is placed under, while in the throes of a terminal illness.
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©2008
When my husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, we were shocked, never even having suspected this illness. He had always been relatively healthy, and then one day he couldn’t eat anymore.
It all began a few months before the diagnosis. He felt an uneasy heaviness in his chest, but he couldn’t quite explain what it was to the doctor. Since my husband was in his late fifties, the doctor sent him for a stress test to check his heart. The tests came back well within the normal range, so the doctor wasn’t concerned.
Fast forward three months later, my husband vomited a few times in a week and he lost some weight. Then, suddenly, he couldn’t keep food or liquid down. From the first time he vomited until we had our doctor appointment, ten days passed and he lost twelve pounds.
We discovered with esophagus cancer there can be few or hardly any symptoms, and the ones that show up, typically heartburn, are sometimes ignored. He had had some incidences of heartburn throughout the years, but nothing that seemed significant enough to go see a doctor about.
By the time the symptoms created the weight loss, the doctor immediately ordered tests and we found out within two days there was a good possibility it may be cancer. This diagnosis was confirmed upon further testing and we were told they suspected the cancer had spread to the lymph system. There were two tumors on his esophagus and a larger tumor at the junction of the stomach and esophagus.
We were both incredibly shocked and stressed by the diagnosis, especially in lieu of the fact that we had three children, the youngest being eleven. We carefully weighed the options the doctors presented, and there were not many. There were traditional treatments, which both doctors recommended, and then there were alternative modalities which a friend of ours suggested. After meeting with the traditional doctors, we then met with a holistic doctor who outlined non-invasive treatments. My husband felt alternative medicine gave him a chance of having a better quality of life as opposed to doing the chemo and radiation treatments.
When friends and acquaintances found out we were not following the traditional medical route, some of their reactions took me by surprise. Even though medical treatment of any kind is a personal issue, we were openly questioned about our decision to pursue holistic methods. After being repeatedly questioned, I began to get defensive about my husband’s treatment any time it was brought up. We had decided what was best for him and I supported his choice 100 percent.
When people voiced their concern over our decision, I felt as if they were saying how dare we not do the best we could for him. I know in hindsight I was being overly sensitive, but I got into a few arguments—feeling as if I had to be on the defense. Due to my high stress level with the illness and being a full time caretaker, I was running on adrenalin all the time.
On one occasion, I even got in a yelling match with a friend of my husband’s in our house. The man had had too much to drink and questioned why we had decided not to do the chemo. He tried to convince us to reconsider. I told him it was our choice and we felt we were doing the best we would, but he would not drop the conversation. I told him that it wasn’t his business, and then he broke down and began to cry.
Sensing his real concern, all the fight left me as I put my arm around him while he cried. I had not wanted to fight with anyone, my whole concern was for my husband, but then I realized there were others who cared about us also, and who only wanted the best for him. They cared, but it didn’t make it any easier dealing with emotions pushed to the limits.
Perhaps it may have been better to simply tell people we were doing the best we could, using traditional and holistic means. Sometimes people just don’t understand the strain a family is placed under, while in the throes of a terminal illness.
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