My tinnitus, which has been pretty front and center for 5 or 6 months, is really wearing me down today. I feel like I may be in the middle of an EF, not sure what may have precipitated it. EFs would surely exacerbate tinnitus or any other somatic symptoms. But I have bee to an audiologist and apparently have only slight hearing loss all of which is considered normal for my age. Ugh. The constant ringing really is wearing me out.
Thanks for letting me vent here.
Hope you get some relief soon, Jdog. :hug:
Thank you, that means a lot!
The meds do it to me, but my shrink assures me the benefit outweighs the harm, then I say What, what's that you say? :Idunno:
Haha- the rare tinnitus humor!
Ok, after having read and thought a lot about tinnitus, it really does seem that habituation is the only way to find peace with this situation. I subscription several online sites which have the aim of providing psychological and/or spiritual inspiration, and read on one that about a way to reframe difficult physical maladies. It said to allow oneself to think of something positive outside one's own boundaries when the physical problem becomes an issue. So, for example, when tinnitus is really bothersome I could think of a way to generate compassion for others who suffer. Or, during meditation, I can allow become a way to focus my attention away from distracting thoughts.
If anyone has experience working with physical conditions in this way, please chime in.
I don't have direct experience with the psychological approach you mention, other than a simple mantra ('peace' on the in-breath; 'love' on the out-breath). I don't have tinnitus, but this plus a positive visualization has helped during ef's (if I recognize them) and subsequent asthma flareups, although it's hard sometimes to do even this the symptoms can be so bad.
I was reading an alternative health site the other day, though, and they mentioned using taurine supplementation as having had some positive results regarding tinnitus. I'm thinking you may have run across this, but if not, doing an online search may lead you to some approaches that incorporate it.
Wishing you the best. :hug:
Thank you, Woodsgnome. I think that for now, anyway, I will continue working with the tinnitus without supplements of any kind and see where it leads me. It turns out that some of the experienced Buddhist meditators consider tinnitus a gift of having attained a fairly high "Jana" (sp?) or spiritual state. Very flattering to think that I could have arrived at such a high level so quickly, however ego involvement is frowned upon within meditation circles so I think I will stick with simple acceptance of what is.
Thanks again for your reply.
jdog - if you figure out something to ease it off, please let us know! I've had tinnitus for, thinking...... 5+ years? Some times are better that others. It's just such a part of me now, I don't know how I would cope with silence.
Will do! Nothing yet, and it is really ringing today. I am wondering whether the increase in volume which occurs at times (like now) is a symptom of being triggered. Maybe the body knows before the brain?
Thoughts, anyone?
Jdog - I had tinnitus for a few years, severe pinching inner ear pain and what I felt was moderate hearing loss (the doctors also said that my hearing loss was very small) which included some weird echoing. I also had some vertigo and dizziness too.
I went to an ENT, who did a lot of tests on me and at first suggested that it could be acid reflux ( ??? ???). I took Prilosec which did nothing. She tested me for autoimmune diseases like Meniere's, etc. which came back negative. Then she suggested it was allergies. So I went to an allergist who did tests and what do you know? I am severely allergic to various types of grass! The allergist said it was allergy-induced eustachian tube dysfunction. I started taking Zyrtec every day and pain has gone away, my hearing has come back, my tinnitus is gone and I don't have dizziness anymore. During the severe allergy season, I also have to take fluticasone nasal spray and try to get it up into my eustachian tubes (no easy task :pissed:) to keep the symptoms at bay.
Have you ever had any allergy tests done?
Quote from: Jdog on June 10, 2016, 11:55:55 PM
Will do! Nothing yet, and it is really ringing today. I am wondering whether the increase in volume which occurs at times (like now) is a symptom of being triggered. Maybe the body knows before the brain?
Thoughts, anyone?
Yes, I do have allergies and take Monoleuclast every day ( I think it is the generic version of Clariton). I have used the nasal spray you mentioned in the past and could maybe try again. The interesting thing is that I had no awareness of tinnitus until I began doing meditation and someone else mentioned that they had it. Within days, I could hear mine as well. I do not have any pain and the audiologist says my slight hearing loss is age-related and totally within normal limits.
So, I am not sure. I think that in my case it may just be hypersensitive reactions to normal stimuli.
Thanks for weighing in.
I purchased melatonin at the drug store and will begin taking it tonight. I will let everyone know how it goes. Some studies have shown positive results after taking 3 mg per night over 4 weeks' time.
I've been taking melatonin for years for my sleep disorder :zzz:. I hadn't heard of it being recommended for tinnitus. Perhaps my tinnitus would be worse if I stopped taking it. As a matter of fact, when my former shrink ordered me to reduce the amount of melatonin I was taking to 3 mg QD, I do believe my tinnitus got worse. Of course that proves nothing. If I choose to go back to taking 15 mg QD, I'll let you know if my tinnitus abates in the least.
Ok, thank you!
I increased my Melatonin intake back up to 15 MG for the past few nights. I am sleeping extremely well but my confusional arousal is through the roof and my Tinnitus is so far unabated. Unless your doc prescribes a higher dose, you should probably not exceed 3 MG QD. :zzz:
Thanks so much information, and I hope you feel better soon. I am sleeping better with the melatonin but no difference overall in the tinnitus so far.
Last night I stayed up later than usual, had difficulty getting up this morning, still feel tired and my tinnitus is noticeably worse. Perhaps it's not so much the melatonin but the sleep itself that decreases the severity of tinnitus. I'll do my best to get to bed on time tonight and see if I hear any difference.
Very interesting point, Danaus. I am not noticing much of a difference in the tinnitus despite a reduction in my overall stress levels (just started summer break away from teaching), but on the other hand, I do notice that it is not quite as bothersome. Maybe the meditation, self acceptance, and other tools I am using are helping me to habituate.
Place the palms of your hands firmly over your ears and gently tap the back of you neck and base of your skull with the tips of your fingers. What does it sound like?
i don't know if this is any use, but when i had problems (tinnitus runs in the family but i dont think it was that) with my ears, and with dizziness and so on the ENT doc suggested that my neck being out would possibly exacerate the problems i was experiencing. my neck is nearly always out becos of tension, so it sort of made sense. just thought i'd mention that in case.
Danaus-
It sort of sounds like a hollow drum when I do as you suggested. Does this mean something in particular?
Arpy1-
Yes, I concur that neck problems are likely exacerbating this situation. I see a bodywork person once a month and she is always working in the neck, as I have a perpetually tight area mostly on the left side. I attribute it to the many years of playing violin with too much tension.
It's part of a preparation for a mindfulness meditation. I hadn't practiced it lately. All this discussion of tinnitus reminded me of it. Just felt like sharing it with who ever cared to give it a try.
Ok, thanks for clarifying.
Thanks for this thread - I have tinnitus as well, so it's interesting to for me. I am not on any prescription medication but I can certainly relate with the varied intensity.
Glad it's helpful. According to one study (sorry, don't have reference available right now), 34 percent of PTSD sufferers also have tinnitus. Points to ponder....
My doc increased my Sertraline to 150MG a day and my tinnitus is suddenly deafening! Well that's the last straw. I suspected the Sertraline was to blame. It's had other horrible side effects too and it's not doing what it's supposed to do. I've been on it for about a year and I'm getting worse instead of better. I'm titrating myself of it now. I hope I recover from all these side effects.
Danaus-
I send healing thoughts your way.
I'm down to 25 MG QD Sertraline now and still have a noticeable amount of ringing in my ears. Although at 25 MG it is no longer deafening, more just annoying. I hope it continues to fade away as the last little half life of Sertraline molecules metabolize out of me. Likewise my vision is less blurry as the Sertraline is reduced.
Thank you for the update, Danaus plexippus. I hope it subsides, also. I have had no change in my tinnitus, just a slightly different attitude toward it. I no longer feel threatened by it and seem to function ok most days in most settings.
Tinnitus is often linked to endotoxins and poor gut health, which is linked to hypothyroidism. Ive had both as long as i can remember.
I've had hypothyroid dx for 15 years. Tinnitus for longer. I don't know WHAT I'd do if it suddenly went quiet on me. It'd probably freak me out after this long.