AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH TO HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATED WITH TINNITUS: A CASE REPORT

Tinnitus, known as Karnanada in Ayurvedic classics, is characterized by the perception of sound in the absence of an external auditory stimulus. It is a distressing symptom with a significant impact on the quality of life, often leading to anxiety, sleep disturbances and reduced concentration. Hearing loss is a partial or complete inability to perceive sound, which may be congenital or acquired at any stage of life and is frequently associated with tinnitus. A 29-year-old female patient, working as a parking cashier, presented to the Shalakya Tantra OPD of Sri Kalabyraveshwara Swamy Ayurvedic Medical College, Hospital, Vijayanagar, Karnataka, with complaints of unilateral right-sided hearing loss persisting for one year, associated with intermittent ringing sounds. She was treated with Matra Basti using Masha taila and Karnapurana with Apamarga Kshara Taila. The patient experienced approximately 50 % improvement in tinnitus symptoms, with audiometric evaluation indicating a shift in hearing status from profound to severe hearing loss. This case study highlights the effective application of Matra Basti and Karnapurana in managing hearing impairment associated with tinnitus.