spikes

[hannah303]

what can cause T to spike?

[Hidden]

Hi, hannah303.

For me, stressful, life situations and lack of restful sleep are my biggest triggers when it comes to spikes. My spikes usually subside within a few days, rarely longer, then the tinnitus will go back to baseline.

Are you experiencing a spike right now? If so, can you pinpoint something different that has occurred, something outside of your normal routine?

Many times a spike can just happen, for no apparent reason. This is the nature of the beast, I'm afraid.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

Hi Hannah

As Emilee says, stress is a big factor in tinnitus increasing - that can be the sort of stress we all encounter in our lives or big life events which throw a lot of pressure and difficulty our way in a short period of time.

Stress is frequently your body's way of telling you to try and relax, take time for yourself and to get some rest. It seems counter-intuitive to suggest, as tinnitus is frequently cited as the thing which doesn't allow us to rest. If you are able to feel calm, less anxious about the noise (if it causing that reaction for you) and not battling against tinnitus consciously, the odds are decent that you'll notice a different reaction to your T.

[Joeb17]

I agree stress and anxiety can cause spikes but I find mine spikes with different sounds have to use earplugs when washing up up because of crockery clanging together.i have to adjust the volume of my tv or music so as not to spike my T

[TinnitusUKPat Partner in reply to Joeb17]

Hi Joeb17 - is the reaction which you have to different sounds perhaps an indicator of slightly altered sound tolerances? I'm a layperson, so please feel free to consider this with a large pinch of salt, but isn't it going to be far tougher to adjust or acclimate to the crockery sounds you describe if you are actively plugging your ears?

[Wringing1212]

Yup! I agree with Joeb,

Stress for sure will spike my T, but loud bangs, or prolonged exposure to slightly loud noise triggers it. In my case, it's related to my C-5 C-6 stenosis, so painting a cieling will get my head ringing. Some power tools can be pretty harsh on you, even with ear protection.

I'm always suspicious of caffeine or alcohol. They could help or hurt the situation?

Oh! How about flying in a jet for 6 hours?

[TinnitusUKPat Partner in reply to Wringing1212]

Hi Wringing1212 - handily enough, the BTA information section may be able to offer an answer to just those questions:

On caffeine: "People with tinnitus are frequently told to avoid caffeine containing drinks such as coffee and tea. There is no scientific rationale for this advice." (my emphasis).

On alcohol: "It is often recommended that people with tinnitus should abstain from alcohol, with red wine frequently coming in for special criticism. Once again, there seems little hard evidence to justify these statements. "

For full context, the 'Food, drink & tinnitus' leaflet is available here: tinnitus.org.uk/food-drink-...

I think it's fair to say that people have different experiences of air travel based around their level of comfort with this form of transportation and other factors which might increase anxiety and make something like tinnitus much more noticeable.

Our 'Tinnitus and Flying' guide is here: tinnitus.org.uk/flying-and-...

Best wishes

[Wringing1212 in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Yes, I'm afraid little is known about tinnitus. I tried quitting coffee and alcohol for a year. It did not affect my T. Still, I suspect if I over use either, it will cause pulsatile affects and spikes.

The cause of the problem is not the root of the problem. That's what makes it so elusive.

As for advice on wine, cheep wine has more sulphates added. Really good wine is at least, good for the soul, and "may" have some medicinal benefit.

To date, still, the sphere of medical professionals I've worked with, fail to employ the very findings they and I've spent years and lots of money testing my own body, to find the cause. There is a big disconnect within academia and institutional medicine that is yet to be fixed.

So, we are pretty much on our own, and must listen to our own body for answers. We are the scientists, the laboratory and the patient.

Best,

Ringing1212

P.S. Look into hyperacusis and 5G health risks. If you are truly curious, there is a mountain of science on this, relating to neurology, that's critically reviewed and has been quelled by the WHO. Who do you trust, or WHO do you work for?