My mother has developed a very serious problem of reduced hearing in her left ear. And perhaps due to the absence of external noises, she has started hearing internal ones. The source of the noise is in the left ear and left side of the brain and it is so loud, that she finds it unbearable. It has been 3 years since her menopause. She has no other health conditions other than mild high blood pressure. This problem is a recent development and all the allopathy doctors including an ENT specialist we consulted say that there is no treatment.
It appears your mother is suffering from “Tinnitus” or “head noise” as it is called. The causes of this are many, and to identify them several tests may be needed. These include
(1) Hemoglobin, CBC, Fasting Blood sugar, BUN, Serum Creatinine and thyoid function
(2) Pure tone audiogram with speech audiometry.
(3) Impedance audiometry
(4) Brainstem evoked response audiometry
(5) MR I of the head and brain,
The results of these should be evaluated by a competent ENT surgeon who will also give your mother a thorough physical examination. Her blood pressure should be evaluated properly, as high BP is implicated in this condition. She may need to lose weight, exercise, and go on a special diet to control the hypertension. Should no obvious cause be found then she may be given medications like
(1) Tablet Bilovas(German Remedies) three times a day for a minimum of three months.
(2) Capsule Vitamin B complex with Zinc in it to be taken twice a day for three months,
(3) Capsule Vitamin E(200mg) twice a day for three months.
(4) An antidepressant may be prescribed by your family doctor if it’s affecting her moods severely.
She should also avoid painkillers, certain antibiotics belonging to the aminoglycoside family, and steer clear of loud sounds. Quite often people do respond favorably to treatment and the noise(tinnitus) subsides. The good news is that since the problem is a recent one she should experience relief.

The impact of loud music dulls hearing for a few seconds, repeated or prolonged exposure to blaring music can reduce hearing power permanently. Surveys reveal less sensitivity to high-frequency sounds in practicing rock musicians, disco-veterans, rock concert fans and those who regularly listened to their Walk-mans at full volume. Any sound is safe for the ears upto a limit of 85 decibels. Typically, loud music clocks in at 100-120 decibels. In the average Walkman-type player, a volume setting 4 or 5 ranges between 93 and 108 decibels. Turn it up to setting 8, and the sound level hits 115 decibels or more. Whether it is a discotheque or an aerobics class, if the music drowns normal conversation, it is not safe for your ears. Researchers recommend a top limit of 100 decibels.
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