Help with Hearing Challenges-Using Helichrysum EO

My son has hearing damage from playing the drums, is there an Essential oil that can help that?

Linda, CA.

Helichrysum italicum is a sub-specie of the more commonly known plant Everlast or Immortal. The essential oil distilled from it has a distinct fragrance and a unique chemical composition. Its traditional uses include nervine, anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antiphlogistic, antispasmodic, antitussive, cicatrizant, febrifuge, antiseptic, antihematoma, anticoagulant, cholagogue, fungicidal, hepatic, diuretic, emollient, mucolytic, splenic, cytophylactic, and expectorant.

Helichysum italicum will be the oil of choice to help with Hearing Challenges, because of its ability to regenerate damaged nerves.

About the Ear
With in the ear canal or the cochlea, there are Hair Cells that Amplify sound waves and transduce auditory information to the Brain Stem. When these hair cells are underdeveloped, broken, or damaged by loud noises, ear wax, or infection, decreased hearing sensitivity can result.
Loud noises can break the hair cells. Ear wax keeps the hair cells together and from vibrating. Age causes a degeneration of these hair cells. Also, some people are born with underdeveloped hair cells. Helichrysum italicum can help all of these problems, and may restore hearing. (It can not help if there is a bone deformatey with in the ear. )

Helping Hearing Challenges
Before beginning the application, review the steps.
Check the condition of the recipient’s hearing (#14)

  1. Put 2-3 drops of Helichrysum onto the palm of the hand.
  2. Hand the oil bottle to the recipient to sniff and hold. See #10.
  3. Using finger, apply to ear canal, rubbing it lightly around the canal.
  4. AVOID dropping oils directly onto the eardrum at anytime! See caution below.
  5. Then, follow along the mastoid bone outside the ear and on down and around towards the center of the neck.
  6. Repeat in the other ear.
    "Rock" the ear in all directions.
  7. Put fingers in both ear canals, push in, and “rock” fingers pulling up, down, and back in the canal several times. See Image>>
  8. Tug on ear lobes.
  9. Repeat steps 1-8 using the Geranium essential oil. (Only if there is an emotional attachment to the hearing loss.)
  10. The recipient should hold the bottle just below the nostril and inhale deeply. (at least 3 times on each side). Holding the bottle is another connection to the oil.
  11. It is important to balance the applications of any oils you use, so do both ears even if only one is affected.
  12. After the ears have been treated, have the person “rest”. The person should sit quietly for a moment and then walk around the room.
  13. You may have to apply Geranium to ease the emotions that can swell up from the experience of sudden sound. An emotional reaction (emotional or irritable) is okay and should be handled with Geranium.
  14. After a minimum of 5 minutes, test the hearing.
  • Speak softly behind the damaged ear. Avoid speaking towards the good ear.
  • Rub your fingers together behind the damaged ear.
  • Determine how far away you should be by how severe the hearing loss is.
  • If there is no noticeable improvement in the hearing, repeat steps #1-9.
Restored hearing may be minimal; it’s a process that takes time.
Let the recipient know that his/her hearing can improve more if they will repeat the process twice a week for as long as they feel it is necessary to gain optimum hearing.

CAUTION: If you accidentally drop helichrysm in the ear drum, IMMEDIATELY add carrier oil to dilute the helichrysum. There is potential for the ear drum to blister, but if you're cautious in application, no problem should arise.

For Ringing in the Ear (Tinnitus)
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head. In many cases it is not a serious problem, but rather a nuisance that eventually resolves. It is not a single disease, but a symptom of an underlying condition. Nearly 36 million Americans suffer from this disorder. In almost all cases, only the patient can hear the noise.

What causes Tinnitus?
Tinnitus can arise in any of the four sections of the ear: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear, and the brain. Some tinnitus or head noise is normal. If one goes into a sound proof booth and normal outside noise is diminished, one becomes aware of these normal sounds. We are usually not aware of these normal body sounds, because outside noise masks them.
Anything, such as wax or a foreign body in the external ear, that blocks these background sounds will cause us to be more aware of our own head sounds. Fluid, infection, or disease of the middle ear bones or ear drum (tympanic membrane) can also cause tinnitus.

Today, loud noise exposure is a very common cause of tinnitus, and it often damages hearing as well. Unfortunately, many people are unconcerned about the harmful effects of excessively loud noise, firearms, and high intensity music. Some medications (for example, aspirin) and other diseases of the inner ear (Meniere's syndrome) can cause tinnitus. Tinnitus can in very rare situations be a symptom of such serious problems as an aneurysm or a brain tumor (acoustic tumor).

To help with Tinnitus or Ringing of the ear, follow the same procedure as above for hearing.

  • For a mild case, just apply with your finger, 1-2 drops Helichrysum inside the bowl of the ear and around the ear. (Do not drop straight oils inside the canal)