Article 6235 of misc.health.alternative:
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From: markb@spock.dis.cccd.edu (Mark Bixby)
Newsgroups: alt.config,alt.rock-n-roll,bit.listserv.deaf-l,misc.health.alternative,rec.audio,rec.music.makers,sci.med,sci.med.occupational,news.groups
Subject: RFD: alt.support.tinnitus
Date: 22 Jan 1994 16:21:25 -0800
Organization: Coast Community College District, Costa Mesa, CA
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I hereby propose the creation of alt.support.tinnitus.  Tinnitus is an ear
disorder, characterized by ringing in the ears or other "head noises".  As
many as 50 million Americans experience tinnitus, with 12 million of those at
a frustrating/incapacitating level.  For more details, see the long attachment
below.

My interest in proposing this group is personal -- my mother is being treated
for (unsuccessfully) a rather nasty case.  I would like to see this newsgroup
as a forum where tinnitus sufferers could offer mutual support, exchange home
remedies, report on new research, offer referrals to doctors, etc.

The only hearing problem newsgroup I'm aware of is bit.listserv.deaf-l.  I've
been lurking there for the past month, and discussion topics are generally for
issues affecting the truly deaf, i.e. cochlear implants, etc.  This RFD is
being cross-posted to the obvious health-related newsgroups, as well as other
newsgroups where readers either by job or hobby may suffer from noise-
induced hearing problems.

Thank you for your consideration of this RFD.  Continue to read below for the
detailed explanation of what tinnitus is all about.

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Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1993 14:51:56 LCL
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Subject: What is tinnitus?
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 Forwarded msg from:
 Msg#:20775 *SILENTTALK*
 12/11/93 08:52:00
 From: STEVE LEUNG
   To: ALL
 Subj: TINNITUS...

  Hey all!

  I promised Eric Walker that I would mail him information on tinnitus, but
  it seems that it's lost in the void of the postal system, so I thought I
  would post to inform everyone about tinnitus.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  What is tinnitus?

  Webster's dictionary defines tinnitus as a ringing, hissing or other
  sensation of noise in the ears.  It may not be associated with hearing
  impairment.  Tinnitus is not an audiological phenomenon, it is a medical
  condition that produces auditory sensation of tones and noises.  This is
  why tinnitus can occur in a so-called dead ear.  There is no known cure
  for tinnitus, except for a very few cases of disease symptoms or
  pathological conditions that can be medically corrected.

  What causes tinnitus?

  1) Tinnitus often accompanies the high frequency hearing loss of
  presbycusis (hearing loss of advancing age).
  2) Noise pollution found in the work place and in recreational activites
  ie. concerts, walkmans, guns.
  3) Pathological conditions:
        - abnormalities behind the ear drum such as ear infection
        - tumors (acoustic neuroma)
        - Meniere's Syndrome
        - high blood pressure
        - dental problems ie. TMJ
  4) Drug and food allergies
        - ASA
        - caffeine
        - monosodium glutamate (MSG)
        - nicotine
  5) Head injuries
        - blow to the head
        - whiplash
  6) Diseases
        - Otosclerosis
        - Diabetes
        - Arthritis
        - Meniere's

[The above has been taken from Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (Calgry
Region) lealet on the Tinnitus Support Group.]

  Is it possible to cure tinnitus?

  - If we can identify the cause...

    If tinnitus is related to a disease of the ear, or to a specific health
    problem, it is possible to eliminate or alleviate tinnius once the
    disease has been treated.  This is the notion of CURING an illness that
    we are used to with modern medicine.

    When a diagnosis is not followed through, when treatment cannot reverse
    damage already done, or when the treatment has not yet been discovered,
    doctors day: "There's nothing we can do..."

  - If we can not identify the cause...

    After a detailed analysis of the problem and after exploring several
    possible solutions, in certain cases, it is possible to eliminate
    tinnitus or else to lessen its unpleasant effects.

  - Medication and other medical treatment can provide relief from tinnitus
    for varying periods of time.  Vasodilators, anti-convulsants and
    barbiturates can alleviate tinnitus for a limited time.  However,
    operations to cut nerve fibers have been found to have little effect and
    entail numerous side-effects which should be discussed with your doctor.

  - Certain treatments intended to eliminate tinnitus (such as medication,
    operations, electrical stimulation, etc.) have in some cases increased
    the intensity and frequency of tinnitus.

  - The effectiveness of so-called alternative medicine (such as
    chiropractic, osteopathy, homeopathy, acupuncture, etc.) has only been
    studied in a few cases.  The results show these methods improve a
    person's general well-being.

  - Using different techniques (such as soft music, radio or television
    interference, or special masking devices) TO MASK tinnitus has been
    successful in some cases.  THe masking noise, because it comes from
    outside and because the individual can control it, is often easier to
    tolerate than the noise in the ears.  In some cases (and due to
    psychological factors not yet fully understood), masking techniques may
    even inhibit tinnitus, leading to its partial or total disappearance.
    However, masking devices are not suitable for everyone, and you should
    consult a qualified audiologist before using one.  When there is hearing
    loss, tinnitus is sometimes masked when the person is wearing a hearing
    aid (which amplifies external sounds).

  - Treatments of tinnitus which involve changes in behaviour entail
    becoming aware of how one reacts to tinnitus, or of how one's lifestyle
    encourages it.  Certain methods of relaxtion allow a person to better
    control both the stress caused by tinnitus and the stress which causes
    tinnitus.

  [The above has been taken from The Tinnitus Association of Ottawa's
  pamphlet on tinnitus.]

..... stuff deleted .....
-- 
Mark Bixby                         Internet: markb@cccd.edu
Coast Community College District   1370 Adams Avenue
District Information Services      Costa Mesa, CA, USA  92626
Technical Support                  (714) 432-5064
"You can tune a file system, but you can't tune a fish." - tunefs(1M)


