Tinnitus and Hypothyroidism

[LouisThyroux]

Hi everyone. Wonder if any of you suffer from tinnitus as I do and is it linked to hypothyroidism? It never goes away and the ringing is driving me mad. I have trouble hearing conversation and TV. I get quite panicky about it. I've been to an ear specialist at Guys and had tests and also been to the Balance Clinic. Was just told I have some hearing loss and thats that. In the meantime I live with this ringing constantly. Getting me down and I just want to escape the constant noise and ear pressure. I've Googled it and it does seem linked to my thyroid but I'm unable to get any help. Thank you 😊

[Wired123]

I have this too. Could you be over medicated? That can often cause it.

Keen to hear others’ thoughts/experiences as this is a common problem in my family of hypothyroid patients.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Extremely common

Often linked to low B12

Low vitamin levels are common when hypothyroid especially if under treated

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Do you have Hashimoto’s

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)

medichecks.com/products/thy...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

Please add any results and ranges if you have any

[Hidden]

Have you been to a tinnitus clinic. They gave me hearing aids which help. I also have pulsatile tinnitus too but as I have AF it’s quite reassuring to hear my heart beating strongly even if it is in my ears!

[LouisThyroux]

Thanks for your message. I haven't been to a specific tinnitus clinic but have had plenty of hearing tests. So frustrating. Bad tinnitus day today. Specsavers offer tests I may try there as my GP has already tried sending me to Guys for tests.

[LouisThyroux]

Thanks very much. I shall look into those things you mention

[posthinking01]

You poor thing must be awful.

express.co.uk/life-style/he...

Low Iron tinnitusformula.com/library...

Anemia causes low blood viscosity, which increases blood flow. Anything that increases blood flow can cause pulsatile tinnitus. In those with tinnitus and iron deficiency or anemia, iron supplements can reduce the loudness and aggravation of tinnitus and provide tinnitus relief.

I agree could also be over medicated - is your blood pressure OK?

I wouldn't advocate taking iron unless you have been diagnosed as deficient - as taking iron can be detrimental if not needed.

Hope this helps.

[LouisThyroux in reply to posthinking01]

Hi thanks for your message. I take Candesartan for blood pressure. I don't have low iron as I actually have haemochromatosis which means I store too much iron and have high ferritin which I control with venesection every few weeks. I shall look at your link. Thanks 😍

[Elisabeth41]

The only time I have suffered from tinnitus was when i started taking T3 along with my levo. My FT4 dropped and the tinnitus disappeared when i began taking just a small extra amount of levo per day (12.5mcg)

[LouisThyroux in reply to Elisabeth41]

Thank you. What does it mean to take T3 and what reason do you take T3

[Elisabeth41 in reply to LouisThyroux]

The majority who suffer from hypothyroidism manage well on levothyroxine, however for some of us that don't even when our vitamins and minerals are in a good range then the addition of liothyronine (T3) may help. The fact that my FT4 result then became lower was the cause of my tinnitus. Although you don't appear to be on liothyronine maybe a lowish FT4 could be a possible cause for you? Sorry if my original reply caused confusion.

[FancyPants54]

It is also a common symptom of menopause (low oestrogen) so the fact that you have 5 females with it in your family might mean it's connected to hormones after all.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to FancyPants54]

FancyPants54, Tinnitus is connected to low Oestrogen? Interesting. Can you point us to a reputable source for this info by any chance?

[FancyPants54 in reply to RedApple]

It's part of the standard list of perimenopause and menopause symptoms. There's so much stuff out there about it. If you just type "Menopause tinnitus" into Google you will find all sorts of mentions and references. Some medical and some more journalistic. And it's not always menopause, peri can start in the mid 30's and tinnitus can become an issue at other points in a woman's hormonal life, pregnancy and puberty too.

[humanbean]

I would definitely recommend trying to get an appointment at a tinnitus clinic if you can. Several years ago I developed a new, really intrusive drone that was actually making me suicidal. I was seen by my local NHS tinnitus advisor at an Audiology Clinic and her advice allowed me to learn to live with my problem. I rarely notice it now unless the sound actually changes (which I must admit it sometimes does).

In the early days of treating my tinnitus I used a Sound Masking machine which I could use even when I was in bed. Luckily my husband didn't mind the sound. It was made by a company called "Sound Oasis". I bought pillow speakers too.

You can try a "proof of concept" with just an ipod or a smart phone, and try listening to nature sounds from youtube e.g.

running stream, rain, waves, wind, thunder also trains, white noise, pink noise, brown noise

A couple of links I picked at random :

youtube.com/watch?v=Bhu6Atr...(Not working as expected?)

youtube.com/watch?v=q76bMs-...(Not working as expected?)

But don't forget that Youtube has adverts which can ruin the whole experience so choose your track carefully.

Note that using sounds to mask tinnitus does not require the sound you are listening to to drown out your tinnitus. You should set the volume of the sound to be a little bit below the sound of your tinnitus. It trains your brain to ignore the sound of your tinnitus.

You can make your own nature sounds too :

naturesoundsfor.me/

That link is fun to play with, even if it doesn't end up being useful.

[LouisThyroux in reply to humanbean]

Thanks so much. I appreciate your words and links

[FancyPants54]

I'm not saying that it is the cause. But being 36 doesn't remove your daughter from perimenopause issues that can start in mid 30's for some women and there is evidence that tinnitus can be associated with other hormonal upsetting times such as pregnancy and puberty. Just Google "Menopause Tinnitus" and you will find a lot of things to sift through. You might find something helpful there. It's interesting that you all have it. Women of the same family often have the same kind of hormonal patterns through their lives. Not always, but it isn't uncommon.

[blacklabs]

Hi, sorry for the late reply . Just been diagnosed with low thyroid I too have tinnitus . I had a scan nothing was found. Several years later be it two months ago had my thyroid diagnosis . Probably like you I was astonished when I saw so many with the link. The noise gets worse when I am tired or stressed. I feel for all of us. What I tend to do is just think its part of me and once I stop focusing on it I don't notice it so much.