Tinnitus and anxiety

[jrrees81]

Hi all, I don't post much but I have suffered from a noise/twitching nerve sensation in my right ear since childhood. It is there 24/7. It has been really troubling me for the last year or so so waiting to see ENT about it. My question is for the last 3 weeks I have had a few anxiety attacks which I have never had before. My T is much worse at these times but I can't tell which is the cause. Is my T making me anxious or is my anxiety making the T worse. Anyone else have this problem?

Thanks, Julie

[NJAmerican]

Anxiety and Tinnitus go hand in hand as far as I am concerned. It's a chicken or the egg problem, which comes first, I honestly don't know but as tinnitus increases so does my anxiety and as anxiety increases so does my tinnitus.

The trick is to break the cycle and for me it takes time and a determination to press on, put one foot in front of the other and then one day you notice improvement.

[Hidden]

Hi Julie,

It's a vicious circle as they both loop round both ways.

Getting help for anxiety and talking therapy helps give you building blocks to put in place through out your life and helps put you at ease.

I hope you go on well at ENT and for now playing relaxing music that you enjoy will help keep you calm.

Semus Bryne has a lovely CD called The Healer that is lovely and relaxing and we play it at relaxation sessions to our Stoke on Trent Tinnitus Support Group.

Love glynis

[GDJTAM]

Hi Julie,

I totally agree with NJAmerican and Glynis. My T started 2 months ago, never had such an intrusion in my head. At the time, I was hearing different tone pitches, loud or very loud hissing. I couldn't sleep or concentrate. I posted on this site like you and never looked back since. Anxiety played a huge part in my T, I was stressed, grumpy and frightened.

I soon learned from the forum members to accept the T but not let it rule me. I thought this was impossible but 2 months on and it's still there but I'm more relaxed about it and as a consequence I have now put the sounds lower down the pecking order and I am now able to tolerate it.

It's only natural to have anxiety but battle with your brain to accept it and you will conquer it.

Graham