When there is a prolonged discomfort due to a persistent ringing, buzzing, hissing or clicking sensation in one or both your ears, you might be suffering from tinnitus. Although tinnitus is not a disease it can be an indication of an underlying symptom of many medical conditions. The buzzing noise sometimes might just be in your head or in either of your ears giving a feeling of hallucinating the noise. Though this isn’t a true psychotic disease, the continuous buzzing can lead to a discomfort causing psychological and emotional stress disrupting your daily life and social surroundings. Also Read: Tinnitus Is Annoying, Learn How To Manage It

Tinnitus, also known as Karnanada in Ayurveda is generally caused due to disruption of the Prana Vayu, a type of Vata dosha that exists in the head and upper torso and administers all higher cerebral functions as well as the inhalation phase of respiration and the action of swallowing. Vata being a composite of air and space elements governs the various physiological aspects of a healthy body like circulation, respiration, peristalsis, and sensory impulse movement. An imbalance in the Vatic dosha causes abnormalities in the normal body functioning causing dryness of the mucous membranes, disturbance within the sensory nerve fibres, lack of sleep and tinnitus. Also Read: Introduction To Ayurveda: Learn About Vata, Pitta And Kapha Doshas

Ayurvedic remedies for tinnitus

In the case of tinnitus, neither is the condition psychological nor is it due to external stimuli. The vata imbalance generates sound within the ear cavities which is only audible to the sufferer. Since there is no proper medical treatment for this condition, one can use some these following ayurvedic remedies to subdue the symptoms and discomfort arising from tinnitus.

Home Remedies For Treating Tinnitus:

  • Vata Specific Diet:

Since this condition is caused due to an imbalance of the vata dosha, it is highly recommended to follow a specific diet to balance these doshas. The diet mostly consists of food which is warm, moderately textured, and sweet, salty or sour in taste. One can also add raw nuts, nut butter, and spices like cumin, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, in moderation to enhance the flavour of the food.

  • Karnapooran or Ear Drops:

Direct application of herbal oil or herbal liquid on the affected ear or ears is extremely helpful in case you need to eradicate the excessive accumulation of wax. These ear drops can be extracted from a herb or made from a combination of 2 or more. The herbal ear drops are used not only to clean the ears but also to provide a calming effect to the eardrums.

Instil 5 to 10 drops of warm oil of either sesame, olive, bael, apamarga, or dashamoola in both or either affected ear. Allow it to stay for some time and then clean the ear with an earbud. These oils in their warm state soften the ear wax and help in easy removal. When used regularly for a week, it clears Vayu disturbance and helps in alleviating the symptoms of tinnitus.

  • Nasya or Nasal Administration:

Nasya is one of the oldest ayurvedic remedies that help to nourish the senses and eliminate excess vatic dosha presence from the body. Often tinnitus can be treated by performing nasya with the warm oil obtained from Vacha tree. The powerful calming and soothing properties of this oil balances the prana vayu and reduces the vata doshas.

Instil 5 drops of a concoction of sesame oil infused with Vacha root, warmed to body heat at night and in the morning to get rid of the ringing sensation.

  • Kawala & Gandush:

Another helpful ayurvedic remedy is kawala which is gargling of medicated oils or liquids and Gandush that implies withholding the medicated oil or liquid within the mouth without gargling for a certain amount of time. Performing either of this holds high significance in calming the vata doshas and minimizing the tinnitus discomfort. The liquids generally used for kawala or Gandush is a type of kwath or decoction obtained by boiling ayurvedic herbs in water.

  • Abhyanga or Massage:

Performing abhyanga or massaging the head (i.e. Shiroabhyanga) or foot (i.e. Padabhyanga) is crucial in alleviating this condition from the ears. Massaging with warm sesame oil, mint oil or castor oil brings an instant cooling and calming sensation to the mind and body which helps in comforting the prana vayu thus treating tinnitus.

Apart from time-tested ayurvedic solutions to resolve tinnitus, following some simple health tips on a daily basis helps in dispelling the ringing sensation in the ears and relieves pain and discomfort in the hearing organs.

Exercise Regularly

Engaging in just 20 – 30 minutes of physical activity every day not only boosts metabolism, immunity and digestive health, but also uplifts mood and decreases stress levels in the mind and body. Since undue tension, depression, anxiety invariably leads to poor blood circulation to the various organs and tissues in the system including the ears, doing a basic daily workout such as a brisk morning walk, aerobics or yoga asanas work wonders in alleviating symptoms of tinnitus.

Reduce Caffeine Intake

While having 1 – 2 cups of coffee in a day activates the brain and promotes productivity, memory and concentration, too much consumption of caffeine hampers the blood flow in the body and induces high blood pressure. Since the ears are pivotal in maintaining balance in the system, abnormal blood circulation invariably leads to hypertension, which further intensifies ear pain, persistent noises. Hence, it is advised to limit caffeine intake to effectively treat signs of tinnitus.

Wear Protective Gear

Although in most situations at work and home, sound levels are kept down to a moderate level, in certain instances like listening to the news on TV, using mixers/blenders in the kitchen or cleaning spaces using a high-power vacuum, a considerable amount of noise is generated. Donning on a pair of ear plugs or ear muffs helps in lessening direct exposure to loud vibrations in such scenarios, for blaring noises not only worsen tinnitus symptoms, but also trigger a decline in hearing.