Is Gingko Biloba a Tinnitus cure or a Placebo?
Is Gingko Biloba a Tinnitus Cure?
Is gingko biloba a tinnitus cure or simply a placebo? This is a question we receive quite often.
Gingko biloba has long been touted as a miracle cure for an exhaustive list of ailments and conditions.
Resulting in gingko biloba being one of the most studied herbal medicines on the planet. Gingko is supposed to enhances blood flow to the periphery vessels of the body, especially to the head and brain.
It is said that “IF” your tinnitus is due to circulatory problems, Gingko is likely to help you; otherwise it will merely end up improving your memory (another touted benefit)
However, is it a fact the gingko biloba is a cure for tinnitus? Or is it wishful thinking resulting in a placebo effect? Or is it just simply shrewd marketing? Let’s take a deeper look.
According to a study published by the British journal of medicine, Ginkgo biloba extract had no greater therapeutic effect than a placebo in treating tinnitus. In addition, other symptoms of cerebral insufficiency (lack of blood flow) were not significantly affected by the Gingko treatment either.
This study differs from other trials in many ways, the main strength of this study was its large size and controlled design. Previous trials involved fewer than 300 subjects and often lacked adequate controls and therefore gave perhaps less than accurate results.
Ironically enough the results from this latest trial are in contrast with many of the smaller trials.
In conclusion according to the British Medical Journal trial there was no evidence found that ginkgo biloba cures or even improves tinnitus. However as a footnote to the study it did state that if you do suffer from tinnitus as a result of restriction of the blood flow to the head (cerebral vascular insufficiency) there could be a slight improvement.
Who are we supposed to believe?
With so many herbs, concoctions, remedies being sold out there proclaiming to cure tinnitus, what are we really supposed to believe? And should we believe gingko biloba is a cure for tinnitus?
It’s my humble opinion and experience regarding tinnitus that gingko biloba is not a cure for tinnitus and neither are herbal concoctions or tinctures, they are all placebos. But if this placebo effect works on you, then all the power to you, “keep on carrying on”.
Why do I believe that Gingko biloba does not cure tinnitus?
Gingko more a placebo then cure
Well, first before we go further I want you to ask yourself a really important question. It’s estimated that over 50 million people have tinnitus worldwide, but why is it that only a small percentage actually suffer from tinnitus?
Now before you say, well mine is louder, research now tells us that this isn’t the case, the way you react to the noise in your head has nothing to do with the tone, volume, pitch or type of your tinnitus. However, it might surprise you to learn that it has everything to do with the way in which your nervous system reacts to the stimuli.
The reason why I do not believe gingko biloba is a cure for tinnitus and neither do other herbs and concoctions work is because tinnitus suffering (for the vast majority of us) is not an isolated physical phenomenon, it’s a holistic one, which encompasses both the physical and emotional realm.
Looking for a quick fix pill for tinnitus is like taking a decongestant for a cold. Tinnitus isn’t like a cold so why do we insist on looking for a single medication to cure us? In doing so we fail to take into consideration the psychological aspect of tinnitus, primarily why am I suffering? Why am I reacting in this way to this foreign stimulus whilst the majority afflicted with tinnitus are blissfully unaware or unaffected by tinnitus. And are you going to take a herb, concoction or medication for the rest of your life? And do you honestly think it’s going to keep that ringing and buzzing at bay for the rest of your life too? No it won’t because the reasons for your suffering are not physical as such, they are emotionally based. If you can grasp this concept you can get to the bottom of your suffering, the next logical step will be overcoming your tinnitus.
In my experience tinnitus sufferers tend to share some commonalities and always lean towards the hypersensitive personality type, no amount of pills or herbs is going to change that. In fact like a constant diversion technique, it will just reinforce it.
Hypersensitive people tend to have a harder time with tinnitus
Rather than constantly searching for a herb like Gingko biloba to perform some kind of isolated miracle we can begin to look inwards at why we react in the way we do. The true answer to your tinnitus woes lays in acceptance and letting go of that old “find me a pill” mind set. You can override and overcome the worse of your tinnitus simply by changing your emotional response.
Gingko won’t cure you, you will cure you
As a side note, think about this, why are tinnitus sufferers prescribed antidepressants as a solution to their tinnitus woes? Do antidepressants actually change their tinnitus? Again the answer is no, tinnitus is still there, the only thing that has changed is your perception of it. Almost like a placebo this is certainly not a cure for tinnitus.
In an ideal world popping a harmless herbal pill would be a dream come true, however this is not a reality.
However the next best thing is 100% harmless, safe and effective. It does takes a little longer and unlike popping a miracle pill it does involve a committed effort on your behalf. First you must understand the concepts of why and how tinnitus affects you in the way it does and then you must apply the methods of habituation.
The truth of the matter is, you cure yourself of your tinnitus suffering. I prefer to use the words, habituate, override, or the phrase listen beyond tinnitus rather than cure. I feel cure conjures up an image of disconnection as if magic or miracles have taken place. Successful tinnitus eradication isn’t a miracle, it’s creating long lasting change firstly through understanding, then through a series of practical unique, holistic methods, exercises and techniques. And over time we learn to reduce the bodies overwhelming nervous response to the stimuli.
So is Gingko biloba a Tinnitus cure or a placebo?
So before believing people who say that you’re doomed to a life of tinnitus unless you take this herb or mixture. Remind them that the vast majority afflicted with tinnitus do not actually suffer and for a good reason. You too can replicate this reason and get on a path to peace and quiet in a relatively short amount of time.
For more information about self-habituation please click on the link below.
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