Determining the Role of Unani Medicine in Management of Tinnitus (Taneen)

The term tinnitus is derivative of Latin word “tinnire”, meaning “to ring” or “jingle”. In which patients experience drumming of noise or sound in the ear without any exterior stimulus. Patients described these sounds as roaring, hissing, swishing or clicking. In unani system tinnitus is named as Taneen wa Dawi which means ringing sounds in the ear, or a state in which person perceive non-existing voices. As said by Allama Nafees “Taneen” means “tasht ki khankhnahat” in which patients hear non-existing sound constantly or time to time. The main cause of tinnitus is diversion of ghaleez akhlat wa riyah (waste material) from brain to ear which causes symptoms like malnutrition, dryness, starvation and general weakness. Moreover, many unani scholars also associated the symptoms of heaviness in ear and head with in tinnitus, in empty stomach or starvation sounds in the ear can be enhanced along with general weakness. In unani system of medicine the management of tinnitus is done by the use of Ilaj-bil-Dawa (pharmacotherapy), Ilaj-bil-Ghiza (dietotherapy), Ilaj-bil-Tadabeer (regimental therapy) and Ilaj-bil-Yad (manual therapy/surgery). The treatments of tinnitus condition are very complicated by using conventional method. Herein, in this book chapter we report or discuss the matter which is very helpful in the managements of tinnitus by utilizing unani system of medicine.