Chronic nonpulsatile tinnitus can be remedied with acupuncture

12/04/2018 / By RJ Jhonson

Everyone experiences tinnitus every once in a while, but it becomes a cause for worry when it persists longer than it usually does. According to a study published in the Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine, sufferers of chronic non-pulsatile tinnitus can find relief in acupuncture, concluding that the ancient healing art can reduce the severity of this issue.

If you have ever experienced hearing a ringing sound within your ears, you have most likely experienced tinnitus. It’s not a condition per se – rather, it is a symptom of what is possibly an underlying condition. These could include hearing loss, an ear injury, or even a disorder affecting your circulatory system. However, tinnitus may also be nothing serious, occurring as simply the after-effect of certain stimuli, such as very loud noises.

There are two types of tinnitus:

Pulsatile tinnitus is so-called because it sounds like either your pulse or the movement of your muscles. This is usually caused by problems in the blood flow in your face and neck, possible changes in your ear canal, or simply the movements of the muscles close to your ear.

Non-pulsatile tinnitus is described as hearing a sound from inside your head. It occurs because of problems in the nerves involved in hearing.

Tinnitus is usually temporary, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Chronic tinnitus occurs when the sound persists for too long. Although not dangerous, chronic tinnitus can be very annoying. It can also be an indication of a significant problem.

The study conducted was a randomized double-blind clinical trial that involved patients with chronic non-pulsatile tinnitus. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture treatment or a placebo. The treatment group went through 15 acupuncture sessions. At the end of the session and three weeks after the treatment, the participants completed two questionnaires: a visual analog scale (VAS) that measured the loudness of their tinnitus and a tinnitus severity index (TSI) that gauged the severity of their symptoms.

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Compared to the control group, those in the treatment group scored lower in both questionnaires, indicating improvements in their symptoms. Because of this finding, the researchers concluded that acupuncture can be a viable treatment for tinnitus as it effectively reduces both the loudness and severity of the patients’ symptoms. (Related: Six little-known natural remedies for tinnitus.)

The possible causes of tinnitus

As previously mentioned, tinnitus can be the result of a number of factors. Some of these are light while others may be severe and may require treatment from a healthcare professional.

Age and gender – Older people have a higher risk of developing tinnitus than younger individuals. The symptom is also more common in men than in women.
Habits – Your lifestyle affects your tendency for tinnitus. For instance, smoking increases your risk of experiencing the symptom.
Environment – Working in places with constant loud noises, such as factories and construction sites, will put you at a higher risk of having tinnitus.
Earwax blockage – The accumulation of earwax in your ear canal can impair your ability to hear properly and cause tinnitus.
Diseases – Tinnitus can be caused by common disorders affecting the cardiovascular system, such as hypertension, but it can also come about as a result of tumors and injuries to the head and neck.
Medication – Medicines that cause or worsen tinnitus include antibiotics, diuretics, cancer medications, antidepressants, and aspirin. Tinnitus could be a sign that you need to stop taking these drugs, so do talk to your healthcare provider about the issue.