Osteopathy is generally associated with the treatment of back and neck pain, but did you know that tinnitus sufferers can also benefit from another branch of the therapy called cranial osteopathy?  Read on to find out more.

What is tinnitus?

The term tinnitus refers to the phenomenon of a sufferer hearing sounds that come from inside their body, rather than from external sources.  Tinnitus manifests itself in several ways including:

• hearing a subtle ringing sound inside the ears
• hearing a continual buzzing or humming noise inside the ears
• constantly hearing whistling, hissing, or grinding sounds
• hearing singing or musical sounds
• hearing sounds that beat in tandem with the pulse

Tinnitus has a number of causes.  Damage to the inner ear structures sometimes occurs following trauma, infection, a common cold, or prolonged exposure to loud noise without ear protection.  The result is a stream of abnormal impulses, which are interpreted by the sufferer's brain as continual sound.  In severe cases, tinnitus can prevent the sufferer from hearing conversations and other low-level sounds clearly, leaving them feeling excluded and frustrated.

There is no cure for tinnitus, although treatments such as acupuncture, counselling and noise therapy can all be effective in managing the condition.  Now cranial osteopathy can also be added to the list of potentially helpful therapies that can be used to benefit tinnitus sufferers.

Cranial osteopathy and tinnitus

Cranial osteopathy can be very effective in the treatment and management of tinnitus.  The treatment is designed to reduce restrictions in the patient's body, including in their head.  It's a very gentle, hands-on therapy that seeks to relieve the tension and stress that can interfere with the body's natural rhythms.

A cranial osteopath will take a full medical history from the patient in order to establish the cause of their tinnitus.  They will then formulate an ongoing treatment programme based on their findings.  The idea of this programme is to help to control the tinnitus and reduce its impact on the patient.

Treatment may involve the gentle manipulation of the patient's spinal column, their sacral area (lower back), and their skull in order to restore the correct balance.  At the conclusion of each therapy session, the patient may find a noticeable improvement in their tinnitus.

In conclusion

Tinnitus can be a very frustrating and debilitating condition, which can adversely affect a sufferer's quality of life.  For more information about how osteopathy can potentially help, contact Keilor Health Centre or a similar location.