What is Tinnitus?
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ONLINE ARTICLE
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Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment.
(Reproduced here with kind permission of Celene McNeill, author and Editor of 'The Balancer' - the magazine of the Menieres Support Group of NSW Inc)
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Tinnitus is the name given to noises in the head and ears that are unrelated to any outside sound. The word can be pronounced tin-it-tus or tin-eye-tus; both are correct.
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DID YOU KNOW? The name Tinnitus comes from the Latin word tinnere, which means to ‘jingle’
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Some common causes of Tinnitus
Tinnitus is not a disease, it cannot be inherited and is not a sign of madness.
It is not a psychiatric complaint and is very real. Tinnitus means that there is a problem in the auditory (hearing) pathway in the brain or in the central nervous system of the brain. It is rarely life threatening.
Most of us hear Tinnitus at some stage in our lives but it is seldom a problem; but for others, it is a relentless, debilitating experience. The number of people who experience Tinnitus can vary from one country to another. Western researchers suggest that 15 to 20 percent of the population experience Tinnitus and one percent experience it to a most significant degree. Tinnitus can restrict the ability to enjoy life, it affects family and other relationships; it can also cause severe depression and suicidal thoughts. Tinnitus can also cause physical and psychological problems that are not easily solved.
Tinnitus is not a modern phenomenon – it has been with us for thousands of years. There were many remedies including fumigation of the ears, in which the skins of non-poisonous snakes were burned. Concoctions such as balanite oil and frankincense, sap of black reed, and a measure of herbs, oleo-resin and sap of lotus were also used. There are many such remedies in ancient medical histories but, fortunately, we have advanced considerably and are better able to treat Tinnitus today. They were not the ‘good old days’ as far as Tinnitus was concerned.
Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease. For example, you may have cut your finger – that is a physical injury. You experience pain, which is a symptom of that injury and cannot be measured. Thus it is with Tinnitus: it is a symptom of some underlying condition and the only treatment was the doctor telling the patient to ‘Go home and learn to live with it’.
Tinnitus was only ever associated with deafness. We now know this to be false. Some adults and children with good hearing experience Tinnitus. Not all deaf people hear Tinnitus. Some people hear Tinnitus all of the time and others hear it just occasionally. There is no specific age group for the onset of Tinnitus, which can occur from early childhood to old age.
DRUGS AND TINNITUS
Important information about starting, changing or coming off a drug
You should not change your drug, alter your dose or come of a drug as a result of reading this. Instead you should discuss any concerns you have with your GP, as the drug treatment for different people needs to be adjusted to meet their specific needs and circumstances.
Drugs to help treat Tinnitus
Is there a drug that can cure Tinnitus?
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a ‘tinnitus drug’, or a simple wonder drug that will get rid of Tinnitus. Tinnitus is caused by many different things and none of them are fully understood. People also experience and react to their Tinnitus very differently. Therefore no single drug is effective in treating Tinnitus.
In recent years, research has been trying to identify why people get Tinnitus and to identify drugs that may help particular groups of people with Tinnitus. Although small-scale research trials have helped us know something about drug treatment for Tinnitus, so far, research has not come up with a drug specifically for all forms of Tinnitus. Some drugs prescribed for other conditions may occasionally help Tinnitus. Unfortunately, they often have unpleasant side effects and so are not prescribed to treat Tinnitus.
Sometimes Tinnitus is a symptom of another condition that you may be able to treat with drugs. For example, if you have an ear infection, antibiotics may help clear the infection, which may in turn also improve the Tinnitus.
Drugs to help you manage the effects of Tinnitus
Many people find that they are able to ‘habituate’ to Tinnitus over time and that it gradually plays a less important role in their lives. For example someone who has just moved to live near a busy road may find that they are very aware of the traffic noise to start with. Over a period of time however they notice the traffic noise less as the sound becomes less important and the brain learns to ignore it. This is known as ‘habituation’.
Tinnitus affects people in different ways. Some people, but not all, find that it makes them feel stressed, tense, anxious and depressed, and have difficulties in getting to sleep and staying asleep. These feelings are not always caused by Tinnitus, but can certainly be made worse by it.
Research has shown that there is a strong link between stress and Tinnitus. All sorts of stress such as illness, bereavement, redundancy, divorce or exams can sometimes be a trigger for Tinnitus or make Tinnitus worse.
Many people find that it is possible to learn to manage stress without the use of conventional drugs, by using relaxation techniques, counselling or complementary therapies. If you have trouble sleeping, you might find the section Tinnitus and sleep helpful.
However, some people with Tinnitus may need a little extra help and are prescribed sedatives, tranquillisers, and antidepressants to help lessen the effect that the Tinnitus has on their lives. These may be prescribed for a short time to help someone through a difficult period or for a longer period depending on their needs. All of these types of drugs act on the Central Nervous System. They tend to reduce anxiety, have a sedative effect and can improve your mood.
• Tranquillisers are particularly helpful in reducing anxiety.
• Sedatives have a particularly strong sedative effect and so can help sleep. They may also help people feel less anxious and more relaxed.
• Antidepressants are mainly prescribed for improving mood and treating depression. They an also reduce anxiety and help sleep.
Tranquillisers and sedatives can be extremely dangerous when mixed with other drugs, including alcohol. Tranquillisers can be very addictive. It is important that you talk to our GP about any side effects these drugs might have before you take them.
A number of antidepressants list Tinnitus as a side effect and some people have reported that antidepressants make their Tinnitus worse. At present, there is not enough research to back this up either way and it seems some people are more sensitive to them than others.
Occasionally some people find that when they come off a drug that they have been on for a long time too quickly, their Tinnitus may become worse. It may help to withdraw from the drug more slowly and it is important to discuss this with your GP. Research has shown this to be particularly true for some people taking the benzodiazepine group of drugs, which are used as tranquillisers or sedatives. These groups of drugs should always be reduced gradually.
Drugs which may cause or make your Tinnitus worse
Drugs that may be damaging to the ear or hearing are known as ototoxic. There are very few ototoxic drugs. They are rarely prescribed and then only to patients seriously ill in hospital. Your GP will be able to talk to you about any possible side effects of drugs you have been prescribed. In many cases these drugs will be prescribed to save your life and this is likely to outweigh the risk of any side effects. You should also be strictly monitored when you are prescribed ototoxic drugs.
The main ototoxic drugs:
• Aminoglycoside antibiotics. These are powerful drugs used to treat very serious infections.
• Cytotoxic drugs. These drugs are used to treat cancer.
• Loop diuretic-s. These drugs increase the production of urine and are used to treat heart failure, high blood pressure and some kidney disorders. They are only likely to cause permanent damage to the hearing when used with other ototoxic drugs.
Some people with Tinnitus think that it was caused by, or has been made worse by, a medicine they have been prescribed. Although a large number of drugs list Tinnitus as a possible side effect, not everyone will develop Tinnitus as a result of taking that drug. This is partly due to the way that the side effects of drugs are reported but also because we all react differently to drugs. Even though a drug may make someone else’s Tinnitus worse, it may not have the same effect on your Tinnitus. Even if Tinnitus is listed as a side effect of a drug, that does not necessarily mean it is ototoxic.
It is also worth remembering that your Tinnitus may not have been caused or made worse by the drug you are taking. It could just be a coincidence that this appears to have happened at the same time that you started taking the drug. The condition that you have been prescribed medicine for may also be making your Tinnitus worse, rather than the drug you are taking for it, particularly if your condition is making you anxious or stressed.
If you are concerned that a drug you have been prescribed is making your Tinnitus worse, you can discuss this with your GP. You can ask about an alternative drug, which does not list Tinnitus as a side effect. If you start taking a new drug and it makes your Tinnitus worse, ask your GP if there is a different drug you could take. Sometimes you will need to continue- taking the drug, even if it is making your Tinnitus worse as there may not be any alternative available.
Below we have listed the most common drugs reported to cause or make Tinnitus worse:
• Antimalarial drugs – such as quinine and choloroquinine. These are prescribed to prevent you getting malaria or to treat malaria. Although these can cause permanent damage to the hearing when taken in high doses, there is no evidence of permanent damage when taken in the low doses that are prescribed for malaria. They can give some people temporary Tinnitus. If you are planning to travel to a malaria-infected area, you must talk to your GP or practice nurse about taking antimalarial drugs.
• Anti-inflammatories – taken to reduce swelling.
• Some antidepressants – used to treat depression.
• Some antihistamines – taken to prevent or reduce allergic reactions.
• Some antihypertensives – taken to reduce high blood pressure.
• Aspirin. Aspirin is taken to relieve pain, reduce fever and is used in many medicines for colds, period pain, headaches and joint or muscular pains. It also helps blood clots from forming. It contains salicylate, which is an ototoxic drug.
If you have already got Tinnitus, you may find that even a small dose of aspirin may make it worse. This does not happen to everyone and you may find taking a single tablet has very little effect but some people are more sensitive to aspirin than others. If you do think aspirin is making your Tinnitus worse, speak to your GP to see whether an alternative medicine would be more suitable, particularly if you are taking aspirin as a painkiller. The effect of aspirin on Tinnitus is usually reversible, which should mean that when you stop taking aspirin, your Tinnitus should return to its previous level. However, aspirin may cause Tinnitus to last for longer if you take it over a long period of time or in higher doses.
TINNITUS AND RELAXATION
Tinnitus can cause a great deal of stress. One stress starts, it can cause a vicious circle, where the muscle tension and anxiety that results from your stress can make your Tinnitus worse. This then makes your stress worse, and so it goes on. Learning to relax will help you break that circle and become steadily calmer, more relaxed, and more able to live with your Tinnitus.
What can I do to help reduce my stress?
Although Tinnitus can sometimes be distressing, it is not life-threatening, and the quality of your life can be improved. You may not be able to get rid of your Tinnitus completely and you may still be able to hear it if you are listening for it. However, you can gradually reduce to stop Tinnitus affecting you so that eventually, you will hardly notice it. Most people who are upset by their Tinnitus learn to manage it through self-help – doing things for themselves to improve their Tinnitus. Remember, it may take time – this is quite normal, so you should not feel disheartened if you do not notice instant results.
Some of the things you could try to reduce your stress are:
• Alternative or complementary therapies.
• Sound enrichment.
• Improving your general health.
• Learning to relax, including following relaxation exercises and listening to audio tapes designed to help you relax.
Alternative or complementary therapies
Some people find that alternative or complementary therapies have helped their Tinnitus. These probably have no direct effect on Tinnitus, but may help you to relax and sleep, which in turn will help your Tinnitus
Sound enrichment
Try to avoid silence or quiet. Many people find the idea of silence attractive but a silent environment is not natural. In a quiet situation, Tinnitus sounds are much more likely to emerge and become a problem. Make sure that there is a low level of background noise, for example from an open window, a fan, a radio tuned offstation, or music.
Do not try to use the sounds to mask out your Tinnitus unless it is very soft, because this can make your Tinnitus get temporarily louder. Listening to something pleasant can distract you from your Tinnitus. Many people with Tinnitus say that it ‘isn’t there’ when they do not listen to it. Tinnitus is a very real sensation, but if you do not tune in to it, it can be less of a problem.
Improve your general health
Talk to your GP about ways you can improve your general health. Your GP can give you advice about taking exercise and improving your diet. For example, some people find that they can help their Tinnitus if they reduce their caffeine intake by drinking less coffee, tea and cola.
Relaxation exercises
To help relieve the tension in your body you can use simple relaxation exercises.
Relaxation tapes
You may find it helpful to listen to relaxation tapes and tapes of soothing sounds such as the sea, or other sounds of nature. Talking books can also be a relaxing and enjoyable way of taking your mind off your Tinnitus. All tapes are readily available in bookshops, record shops and occasionally health or ‘new age’ shops. In addition, several organisations have also produced tapes specifically for people with Tinnitus.
TINNITUS AND SLEEP
Tinnitus and its effect on sleep
Although a large number of people experience Tinnitus, most of them are not troubled by it. How loud the Tinnitus is, or what it sounds like, does not seem to make a difference to whether it troubles people. For instance, even very quiet Tinnitus can be annoying. About half of people who are troubled by their Tinnitus sleep poorly; the other half sleep very well.
Sleep disturbance and Tinnitus
Sleep disturbance affects almost everyone at some stage of their lives and mild sleep disturbances are very common. The term ‘insomnia’ is used if you are having a lot of trouble going to sleep or going back to sleep several times a week, for six months or more.
A normal night’s sleep includes several stages from light to deep sleep. The normal pattern also includes several ‘awakenings’, the first after a few hours’ sleep. Natural awakenings are usually forgotten by the morning, but if a person worries about his or her Tinnitus during them, they will last longer. It seems most likely that Tinnitus does not actually wake people but it can be the first thing that a person is aware of when a natural awakening occurs.
Sleep patterns
The pattern of sleep changes with age. As people grow older, they have less very deep sleep and more awakenings. Sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented, and there is a tendency to nap during the day. Most people get about seven or eight hours’ sleep, but there is an enormous range of sleep times.
Tips to help you sleep
DO:
• Try relaxation exercises. Classes and tapes are widely available. Practice during the day and find a short exercise to try when you are in bed.
• ‘Wind down’ for at least an hour before bedtime – have a warm bath, a milky drink, or listen to some relaxing music.
• Go to bed when you feel sleepy, not just because it is a certain time. Sleep will come when it is ready. If you are not asleep in 20 or 30 minutes, get up, go to another room and do something quiet and relaxing, like reading. Go back to bed when you feel sleepy again. Repeat the process if you are still not asleep in another 30 minutes.
• Try to limit the amount of caffeine (e.g. in tea, coffee, cola) and nicotine you take. Both are stimulants that will help to keep you awake.
• Get up at the same time each day – even at weekends. This is one of the most important things you can do to improve sleep. Try not to sleep in the day or to catch up on lost sleep as this does not improve sleeping patterns.
DON’T:
• Drink alcohol to make you sleep. It disrupts the normal pattern of sleep and you will probably wake sooner and have more trouble going back to sleep.
• Rely on over-the-counter medicines which help you sleep. They have the same effect as alcohol. Herbal remedies and natural health care products may help some people.
• Try too hard to go to sleep. Just resting in bed can be almost as helpful.
• Eat if you wake in the night – your body may come to expect food then.
THERAPIES TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR TINNITUS
Counselling
What is counselling?
Counselling is a talking treatment. If you have Tinnitus, being able to talk to somebody who takes an interest and is prepared to listen can help you understand the condition and learn to deal with it more effectively.
How can counselling help me if I have Tinnitus?
There are several different kinds of counselling available and all can help you if you have Tinnitus and want to talk about it with someone:
• Private counselling.
• Lay counselling.
Private counselling
Private counselling involves talking to a counsellor who either practices independently, or through an agency such as a counselling centre. You will usually have to pay for it and there is no guarantee that the counsellor has a specialist knowledge about Tinnitus.
Lay counselling
Lay counselling, where the counsellors are not qualified professionals but have personal experience of Tinnitus, can also be very helpful. They could be members of a local Tinnitus self-help group, which you could contact for either a face-to-face or telephone conversation. The group members can help you work through your feelings about your Tinnitus and offer practical and emotional support in an informal environment.
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
What is cognitive behaviour therapy?
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) tries to find your patterns of thinking or ways of doing things that make it difficult for you to solve your problems or control your strong emotional reactions. Therapy may also be provided on a on-to-one basis or in a group session. The professionals most likely to offer and use cognitive therapy are clinical psychologists or psychotherapists.
How can CBT help me if I have Tinnitus?
What you think about your Tinnitus affects how you feel about it. The more attention you pay to your Tinnitus, the worse you feel. CBT can help you in a number of ways:
• It can teach you coping techniques to deal with negative feelings and distress.
• By changing how you think about Tinnitus and what you do about it, your distress is reduced, you start to tolerate the noises and they eventually become less noticeable.
What happens in a course of CBT?
If you undergo a course of CBT, you are usually asked to keep a diary of the times that your Tinnitus noises are most annoying or distressing, making a note of the nature of the distress and any thoughts that go with it. For example, you might write down the following: “I am feeling anxious about the cause of the noises”; “I feel that it is unfair that the noises have spoiled my enjoyment of life”, and so on. The therapist will help you look at the reasons behind your strong reactions to your Tinnitus.
Your therapist will discuss these thoughts with you and suggest different ways of doing things. Throughout therapy you are encouraged and given help to challenge your ways of thinking. The therapist does not try to force a set of beliefs onto you, but helps you find the most helpful way of approaching your Tinnitus.
Sometimes your therapist might try to help you change your thought patterns in group sessions. A group of you meets the therapist for a number of sessions. During these sessions, you are taught how to discover your hidden beliefs, and how to challenge unhelpful thoughts. The people in the group all have two things in common – they have Tinnitus and they are upset by it.
Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT)
What is Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT)?
TRT is based on the neurophysiological model of Tinnitus developed in the late 1980’s by Pawel Jastrebboff and Jonathan Hazell. The neurophysiological model of Tinnitus suggests that it is the limbic system that gives importance and meaning to the Tinnitus signal. The limbic system is the subconscious part of the brain responsible for our emotions.
As we perceive the Tinnitus signal to be a threat or a danger to us, this provokes an emotional response. Our awareness of the Tinnitus is heightened, and so we perceive it to be louder or more persistent.
TRT is the term given to the treatment that follows specific guidelines in the treatment of Tinnitus. It combines counselling and low level sound therapy. It does not work directly on your Tinnitus, but on your awareness and understanding of if. In time, as your awareness of the sounds are reduced, you become less aware of your Tinnitus and eventually you only notice it when you focus on it. This is known as habituation and is the ultimate goal of TRT. However, results do vary from one person to another.
How does TRT work?
TRT works through a combination of two main elements – counselling and sound therapy.
Counselling
Counselling is a key part of TRT. You are given in-depth explanations of how your hearing works to help you understand why you have Tinnitus. If you talk about how your hearing works, it can help you understand your ears and help you overcome your fears so that the Tinnitus does not seem so threatening. This can then help the habituation process.
Sound therapy
People often notice their Tinnitus more in quiet environments. Sound therapy helps to make Tinnitus less noticeable by reducing the contrast between Tinnitus sounds and background sounds. It also helps the hearing system to become less sensitive to the Tinnitus. This is achieved by wearing white noise generators (these produce a soothing ‘shhh’ sound), and by using environmental sounds, for example from CD’s, tapes, or table-top sound generators. If you have a hearing loss then it may be better to have a hearing aid fitted. The hearing aid will compensate for your hearing loss and provide sound therapy by making environmental sounds louder.
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AND TINNITUS
Which therapies are best for Tinnitus?
There is no clear-cut answer. You may even find that some people question whether complementary medicine has any role in Tinnitus management. However, there is very little conclusive evidence to prove or disprove the usefulness of any particular therapy. Although there is no evidence to prove it, it is thought they work by helping you to relax and sleep. Different therapies suit different people so it is a case of try it and see. If it works for you, use it, but be wary of leaping from one type to another in the hope of finding the ‘miracle cure’. Complementary medicine can also take time to work and may not have an instant effect on your Tinnitus.
Below is a summary of some complementary medicines that are more widely available. It is not a complete list nor does it recommend these treatments above any others. These therapies have been chosen as it will probably be easier to find someone practicing them in your area. The list also gives an idea of the range of complementary medicines that can be used in Tinnitus management:
• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy
• Chiropractic
• Herbal medicine
• Homeopathy
• Hypnosis and hypnotherapy
• Osteopathy
• Reflexology
• Shiatsu
Why choose complementary therapy?
Complementary therapies – also known as alternative therapies – are now widely accepted and used by many people. Complementary therapies aim to treat you holistically. This means that the practitioner works with you as a whole person. As well as treating the symptoms of your condition, they will also ask you about your emotional, physical and mental well-being to find out how these are affecting your health.
Complementary therapies may help you relax and get to sleep more easily. This is turn can help reduce stress. There is a strong link between Tinnitus and stress. Muscle tension, anxiety and irritability that result from stress can make your Tinnitus worse, which can in turn lead to an increase in stress – a vicious cycle.
Many practitioners of complementary therapies spend time talking to you about your symptoms and your Tinnitus and aim to build a good relationship with you. This can have a positive affect in itself, as talking about your Tinnitus to a sympathetic listener is often therapeutic. Overall, you may gain a sense of control over your Tinnitus.
What should I do before starting complementary therapy?
Before you start on a course of complementary therapy:
• Tell your GP (family doctor) about the complementary therapy you are thinking of starting, especially if you are taking conventional medicine to help manage your Tinnitus.
• Make sure you use a qualified practitioner who is registered with the relevant professional body. A good practitioner should be happy to work with treatment recommended by your GP to help you manage your Tinnitus.
Some GPs and physiotherapists do offer complementary therapy, such as acupuncture, homeopathy and massage.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy. It uses very fine needles, which are inserted into precise points around your body. The most you will feel is a sensation as the needle goes into your skin.
Acupuncturists believe that the body has a life or energy force – ‘qi’ – which flows around your body in channels, called meridians. Each meridian is associated with a particular organ. The chronic over – or under-activity of any of these meridians is thought to cause a particular organ to work less effectively, resulting in illness. Acupuncture works by stimulating your body’s own healing responses and re-establishing any imbalance of qi.
Aromatherapy
An aromatherapist uses a range of essential plant oils to help relax you, restore your emotional well-being, increase energy levels, and reduce your stress. The oils are diluted (in their natural form, they can irritate your skin) and massaged into your skin. They an also be inhaled.
You should get advice before using any essential oils yourself, especially if you are pregnant or have an illness.
Chiropractic
A chiropractor diagnoses and treats conditions linked to problems of the spine, which can lead to irritation of the nerves that control your posture and movement. Chiropractors use their hands to gently adjust and manipulate stiff joints and tight muscles, especially those of the spine. This helps realign the spine and other joints, and helps to restore nerve function, reduce pain, improve mobility, and promote health and feelings of wellbeing.
Chiropractic is used to treat arthritic and rheumatic conditions, whiplash or sports injuries, and their effects on the nervous system.
Herbal medicine
Herbal medicine or herbalism involves using plants to prevent and treat illness. The herbalist aims to treat both the symptoms you are getting and the underlying cause of your condition. They prescribe herbs in different forms including tablets, powders and ointments. You can choose between Chinese or Western herbalism.
Ginko Biloba
You may have read about the herb Ginko Biloba, and its effects on Tinnitus. Clinical trials have not shown conclusively that Ginko Biloba helps people with Tinnitus.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy aims to help the body to heal itself. It is based on the principle that symptoms are the body’s defences and need to be encouraged to develop rather than suppressed. When deciding on a treatment for you, the homeopath aims to find a remedy, which in high doses produces symptoms similar to those of your condition. You then take this remedy in a very diluted form.
Hypnosis and hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is a state of intense relaxation and concentration. When you are hypnotised, you are not asleep or unconscious. It is thought that your mind becomes remote and detached from daily care and concerns when you are in this state, and the subconscious part of your mind responds creatively to any suggestions.
Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis as a treatment. It can help you focus on things you wish to change, and on the best ways to do it. There are two main types – suggestion therapy and analytical therapy.
• Suggestion therapy is generally used to treat simple problems, such as smoking and nail biting. You will probably need one or two sessions of treatment.
• Analytical therapy is based on the principle that every effect or symptom must have a cause. It is usually a long-term treatment, where the hypnotherapist builds a relationship with you and helps you look at and get rid of the ‘subconscious’ cause of your condition. By doing this, they hope to reduce the severity of your symptoms.
Osteopathy
An osteopath manipulates, stretches and massages the affected parts of your body with their hands to correct any imbalances. Osteopathy is used to treat back and joint pain, rheumatic conditions and sports injuries.
Cranial osteopathy
Cranial osteopathy is a type of osteopathic treatment that aims to release stress and tensions throughout your body. Stress and tension disrupts the body’s cranial rhythm. This is a very subtle rhythm that is present in all body tissues. Practitioners compare your rhythm to what they think is ideal. This helps them find the stresses and strains in your body. The cranial osteopath gently manipulates your skull, spinal column and sacral area (the area in your lower back) to help restore the correct balance.
Craniosacral therapy
Craniosacral therapy is similar to cranial osteopathy. It aims to treat gently any imbalances in your brain, spinal cord, and the fluids that surround them, using gentle touch. Craniosacral therapy helps your fluids and related soft tissue move naturally and so helps your body heal itself.
Reflexology
Reflexology works on the principle that points on your feet represent energy pathways to different parts of your body. Blockages in these energy pathways are thought to lead to illness or imbalance. By working on particular points on your feet, the reflexologist aims to clear these blockages.
Shiatsu
Shiatsu is a traditional Japanese treatment. Shiatsu practitioners believe that a vital energy – ‘ki’ – flows throughout your body, in a series of channels called meridians. For many different reasons, the ki can stop flowing freely and this results in illness or symptoms of an illness.
The shiatsu practitioner gently holds and presses on your meridians with their palms, thumbs, fingers, elbows, knees and feet. When necessary, they use more vigorous stimulation. It is thought that shiatsu works by stimulating your circulation and helping to release toxins and deep-seated tensions in your body.
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