Ringing in Ear

[Dottie44]

Hi,

I read this forum every day, and always have a takeaway from it about something I didn't know, so I'm hoping the group can help me with this new, delightful (ha!) ringing in my left ear that started about six weeks ago. I saw an ENT on Tuesday, and was diagnosed with Tinnitus. I had an audiogram that showed minimal hearing loss, no other issues with my ears ever.

I know someone mentioned low B12. I do supplement every day with a slew of vitamins.

My question is: does anyone have any trick to get this to quiet down? I am using a sound machine at night that has helped with my sleeping, but I cannot have this buzzing in my ear for the rest of my life.

Any help/suggestions/recommendations are always greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

[arTistapple]

Check out YouTube. There are pressure points etc which can help.

I have pulsatile tinnitus which can’t be relieved by pressure points - at least none that work!

People have reported on the Forum that when they get their ‘sweet spot’ it goes.

[Dottie44 in reply to arTistapple]

Thank you!! I would have never have thought of this! I'm sorry you're suffering. This is a beast. I appreciate your response!

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Dottie44]

There is a tinnitus website on Healthunlocked it might be worth looking at.

Tinnitus really is very annoying, I haven’t found anything that really helps it. I’ve got a tiny little sound machine which has about eight different noises that I use at night or sometimes I just put the radio on quietly with my headphones and I fall asleep with that on - I’m not sure it is the best thing to do but it seems to work.

I’d say I’ve got used to it and sometimes I don’t notice it for ages but I still get times when I think someone has parked a car on the street outside with the engine running the bedroom or I hear people talking and when I sit up or go to look outside there is nothing- it’s just me.

I think ENT can give you something similar to a hearing aid that is supposed to help stop the noise.

[Dottie44 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Hi Fruitandnutcase, Thank you for your response. The ENT did mention a hearing aid, but said my hearing level is not bad enough to warrant one. He gave me some pamphlets on Tinnitus and sent me on my way.

[Hidden in reply to Dottie44]

This is typical of the lack of help you get, considering the number of people who have Tinnitus and how very debilitating it can be for some they need to refer people to people who can actually help them.

[Karen-Eleanor in reply to arTistapple]

Hi When you mean sweet spot do you mean optimal thyroid meds?

[arTistapple in reply to Karen-Eleanor]

Yes.

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

Low oestrogen can cause tinnitus

[Dottie44 in reply to TiggerMe]

Hi TiggerMe, I do use bioidentical hormone creams for both progesterone and estrogen. I've been using these for some years now and never experienced a side effect from them. Thank you for your response!

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Dottie44]

Perhaps worth checking your levels to tick it off the list 🤗

Oestrogen receptors in the ears are sensitive when lacking

[crimple]

Dottie44 what are your thyroid levels like.? I used to have very bad pulsatile tinnitus ( hearing my heartbeat) Once I started taking some T3 alongside my Levo, the tinnitus went away. I have Hash,s and I am a poor converter.

[Dottie44 in reply to crimple]

Hi crimple, I take only T3, now 85 mcg just upped from 75. I have Hashi's too. I'll have to check my levels in a few weeks after I've been on this higher dose. Thank you for responding!

[Hidden]

Hi - we all understand, please check out on You Tube, he has a website, and an app 'Quieten' with a free months trial, he explains everything about T and how we can address it, lessen it and in time it can go,,,he had it for a very long time and then found ways to help it soften and now he doesnt have it, please have a look, i am speaking from experience with this and he is one of a few who offers true hope, avoid negative forums.

[jmrs11 in reply to Hidden]

I have sciatica and when I take too much Advil or Alleve I get tinnitus. I looked it up and there is a correlation / effect. Sometimes sleep position. Mine only in right ear.

[Dottie44 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Seabob! I will look for this. I appreciate your response!

[helvella in reply to Hidden]

If you wish to help the person, send them a Private Message (also called Chat) with your information. (The poster might already have asked for Private Messages.)

This also applies if you want to name doctors or practices even when not specifically asked.

And it applies across all health professionals - including alternative practitioners, and all other forms of therapist.

Simply put, do NOT name doctors or other practitioners on the forum.

Guideline 30 applies:

30. Do not post information about specific endocrinologists or doctors on the main board without their permission as this may result in unwanted attention from certain areas of the medical profession. If you wish to discuss a particular endocrinologist or doctor, you may mention his/her name and location, providing that you ask for comments by private message only.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Thats a shame as others reading these suggestions have told me they find it helpful, consider me told and i wont respond privately or otherwise anymore.

[radd]

Dottie44,

This is an interesting one as we all seem to have different triggers.

I used to think my tinnitus was due to thyroid hormone imbalance or Hashi inflammation, but now associate it more to the sympathetic nervous system as any stress (eating something that doesn’t quite agree, feeling irate or over exercising, etc) seems to start it.

Therefore I would suggest supporting adrenals, either through supplements and/or changing life style choices and allowing some gentle ‘me-time’. I love reading, yoga, watching the sea, etc.

[Dottie44 in reply to radd]

Hi radd, I'm glad you have mentioned this. After the exam and hearing test with the ENT, he point blank asked me if I'm under a lot of stress. I could feel my eyes fill up with tears and said I always am. I've been like this since I was little. Chronic anxiety and stress, Chicken Little Syndrome. You are so right. This was another hard lesson learned in prioritizing myself. Thank you for your kindness.

[Hidden in reply to Dottie44]

Tinnitus is a stress response from the body - so whatever causes it we have to address the underlying problem, I have been under a lot of physical stress from work as I had my thyroid removed some years ago, I have ended up with a very tight right side, add to this stress and you have muscular tension - please hold on to the fact you are not alone and things can and will improve, we do have to work at it, but you are making a good start 🤗

[Dottie44 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Seabob! This is another hard lesson learned. I was 22 years old, in nursing school, and broke out in Shingles. 22. You'd think I'd learn how to not stress myself out now at 58. 😌

[Hidden in reply to Dottie44]

me too I have just reached 59!! I had shingles at least five times, probably thyroid related?? The lady that is my therapist, she does Cranial Sacral Therapy also suggested that I am not breathing properly, in that I am a mouth breather, and it puts stress on your body, I feel like I need to start from scratch, I have downloaded a free app which helps you breath the correct way and a book to read on this!! Not easy with Tinnitus!!

[KE12]

I had it and when my iron levels were optimal, I found it went. Perhaps worth checking iron levels.

[Dottie44 in reply to KE12]

Thank you KE12. I'm due for blood work in a few weeks and will check my iron. I appreciate your response!

[KE12 in reply to Dottie44]

Good luck and hope you feel better soon 🙂

[blondpalomino]

Hi Dottie, have you recently had any vaccinations? My tinnitus started the day after I had the first Covid vaccine. Nobody would believe me at first, my Doctor, ENT my local Hospital, but eventually they had so many people come forward with this that they had to accept it. I also got minor hearing loss at the same time.Apparently you can also get it after the Flu vaccine and Shingles vaccine. I have had it for 3 years now and have to some degree got used to it, trying to sleep is the worse thing, during the day I can usually ignore it. Like you I was so upset when I first got it, and thought I can't put up with this for the rest of my life, I will be suicidal. I have just had my ears cleared of wax with microsuction,which I think was making it worse, you could try that. Of course you have to pay for it now they don't do much on the NHS these days. I am waiting for another appointment for hearing aids as I can't hear the TV very well though I have no problem with people talking face to face. But it won't help with the Tinnitus as you can't wear them in bed. Sometimes at night I put music on low under my pillow on my phone, but my Husband can't sleep if I do that! I did try B12 supplements but it was quite a high dose and my leg went numb, so I didn't use them again! Maybe I will get some lower dose ones. I hope you find something which helps anyway. Good luck.

[Dottie44 in reply to blondpalomino]

Thank you blondpalomino! My last vaccine was a Covid booster done last December. This is the craziest thing. The humming in my ear started early June. I really didn't notice it for a few weeks, then I really started focusing on it. It is the most annoying thing. I'd take thyroid fatigue and brain fog to this nonsense any day.

[helvella]

I've found that none of the sounds, music, etc., help - they all annoy and aggravate my tinnitus.

What can help is a moderately interesting speech radio program, or podcast. But it is a fine balance between helping and not. It's not unusual that I think I might have found something good - and have to change to something else after just a few minutes.

However, I am convinced we are all different, each of us has our own precise form of tinnitus. Most claimed solutions or ways to help might well work for some but I'm quite sure there is not one that works for everyone.

[Mixteca]

It's a total nightmare! I had it years ago when very stressed and not sleeping but it went away. It came back with a vengeance when I found I was B12 deficient. Had it since late 2022. It gets much worse when I'm stressed, which is permanently atm 😰 Do share any info if you find something that works for you. B12 injections initially helped me.

[abcom]

Hi Dottie, I took Ginkgo Biloba for the Tinnitus and this worked for me.