How To Diagnose Tinnitus (Continue Here)
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In this blog, tinnitus is segmented into 4 categories:
- Normal Tinnitus
- Curable Tinnitus 1: Physical Illness Or Inbalance
- Curable Tinnitus 2: Contracted Arteries
- Treatable Tinnitus: Loud Noise Exposure
Normal Tinntitus
All people have this at some point in their lives. A slight hum here, some sound there. There was no loud noise to cause it and it goes away within a few seconds or minutes. This is normal.
If this is the kind of tinnitus you have then there is no need to worry or take any action. However, I recommend that you read: S1 - To Those Without Tinnitus.
How Can I Self-Diagnose My Tinnitus?
From all that I've now read and heard, I can say with reasonable conviction that there exists an assumption, on the part of many western medicine generalists and also some specialists, that the cause of tinnitus is always either exposure to loud noise or an ear/sinus infection. While this is very often true, sadly the cases which have another cause (including mine), are often misdiagnosed as loud noise exposure once the doctor has checked for an ear infection. I am simply pointing this out, because unless the cause of your tinnitus is evident or you have seen an expert on tinnitus who has ruled out all other possibilities and pinpointed the cause without a doubt, there is a chance that you may have been misdiagnosed. However, more on this will follow in a later section.
But it is for this reason that I present you with self-diagnosis tests and additional information about this misdiagnosis, which may or may not have happened to you.
Self-Diagnosis Test 1: Curable Tinnitus 1: Physical Illness Or Inbalance
I always recommend for you to see a qualified tinnitus specialist to pinpoint the cause of your tinnitus and you should not take any of my information as medical advice, etc. However, this test can still give you an idea of what could be causing the noise in your ear(s).
Initially, many people assume tinnitus is caused by loud noise and therefore do not look further than this cause. If the cause is not loud noise, even if it may seem like it is (like in my case), then this can be a painful mistake to make. For this reason, we'll assume that we don't know if loud noise is causing your tinnitus and consider all other possibilities first.
So let's begin the test. The following are causes of tinnitus which may or may not affect you. Consider your situation, your health, your family health history, your environment and your activities. Check to see if any of these causes are likely to be affecting you or not.
- Ear/sinus infection
- Inflammation in your ear(s)
- Certain allergies
- Deficiency in zinc or other (see your doctor)
- Sensitivity or strong exposure to electricity
- Toxins which you may inhale or otherwise be exposed to
- Too much ear wax in your ears
- High cholesterol
- Severe blows to the head
- Tumors (only certain kinds, see your doctor)
- A reaction to fluoride, amalgam
Granted, some of these causes are less common and some very unlikely, but this is why it is important to consider then, in order to avoid misdiagnosis.
If you have or may be exposed to any of these, then I recommend to talk to your doctor or a tinnitus specialist. All these are beyond the scope of this blog as I believe only a qualified doctor can properly diagnose and treat these conditions. Most of these conditions are cureable or at the very least treatable, which is a good thing.
While I do recommend seeing a western doctor, I also recommend seeing a TCM doctor (traditional chinese medicine) for a second opinion. TCM is slowly starting to gain the acceptance, respect and government regulation it deserves in the west, with many countries, provinces and states now regulating and accepting it as a viable option. At the time of writing this, insufficient regulation in many countries still allow a "grey area" where there are many treatment facilities that seem to offer TCM services, yet they are not actual and properly educated TCM doctors. It is therefore important to research the TCM facility and doctor you go to and make sure he or she has proper credentials, good recommendations, a good reputation and preferably many years of experience. In addition, if the facility engages in anything else than TCM, I recommend you avoid it (the same way you would avoid a heart surgeon that sells toothbrushes and doorbells to his patients). But in spite of this, I highly recommend seeing a proper TCM doctor. Just like western medicine, TCM is not "alternative medicine" and should never be put into this category. Western medicine and TCM are simply has two different approaches to healing the body and compliment each other in many ways. I recommend you try both if your tinnitus does not improve.
However, even if you are affected by something in the list above, that doesn't mean that it is causing your tinnitus. So I also recommend you still read on to learn more about tinnitus.
I will now assume that everything in the above list is NOT causing your tinnitus.
Considering the categories this blog segments tinnitus into, only 2 categories remain. At this point there exists a very easy self-diagnosis procedure you can do, which can give an good indication of which one of these two tinnitus forms you may have.
Self-Diagnosis Test 2: Tinnitus Type Determinator (Curable 2 VS Treatable Tinnitus)
- You can do this procedure as many time as you like
- Sit in a chair
- It should be resonably quiet around you
- Listen to the sound in your ear
- Hold one hand up infront of you, palm facing you
- Place the palm portion of your hand (not fingers) onto your forehead
- The lower part of your palm should cover your eyebrows
- Make sure at least 50% of your palm is in contact with you forehead
- Now, while listening to the noise in your ear, push your palm against your forehead several times (push then release the preassure but don't loose contact between forehead and palm.). The speed should be around one push per second. Do this push and release 5-10 times.
- While doing this, notice if the sound in your ear is pulsating in tune with your pushing, or if it is always constant.
What To Read Next
If the sound changes (becomes louder then lower) as you do this procedure, then (while remembering there could still be other causes to this happening) there is a good chance you have 'Cureable Tinnitus 2: Contracted Arteries'. From here, you should continue reading the section: S2 - Curable Tinnitus 2: Contracted Arteries found here or in the menu to the left.
If the sound in your ear(s) remains constant no matter what you do, even after trying the procedure in different ways, then (while remembering there could still be other causes to this happening) there is a good chance that you have 'Treatable Tinnitus: Loud Noise Exposure'. You should continue reading the section: S3 - Treatable Tinnitus: Loud Noise Exposure, found here or in the menu to the left.
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Disclaimer: This blog is not meant as medical advice. Always see your doctor before beginning any treatment. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are not based on scientific research or medical information and should not be referred to as an authority on Tinnitus. Improper diagnosis can delay proper treatment and/or do further damage. Therefore, the information in this blog, including self-diagnosis information, should be read with critical eyes and not accepted as truth. Only a qualified doctor can properly diagnose your condition. By reading this blog you awknowledge these conditions and assume all responsibility, without exception, for following, using and/or taking any advice, treatement, knowledge and other information from this blog and for the results your actions may produce. Again, always see your doctor before beginning any treatment or for any issue you believe is warranted.
