I have been living with big ringing (the T-word) for close to six years now.
I have almost complete deafness in my right ear and also hypothyroidism.
I really do not wish to take pharmaceutical tablets (I was prescribed betahistine) as I have experienced awful side effects from taking various pharmaceutical drugs in my youth.
I am wary of this approach in relation to healing and helping the body.
I am at the stage now where all I can do is accept the constant ringing.
It sure is a practice in acceptance and surrender!
I started yoga at the ripe old age of 50. It helps with balance. This will be my fourth year of going to classes (yeah, I took a big chunk of time off during the lockdown period). I can sink into a depression rather easily. Exercise helps to shift the melancholia. I also live in a place of beauty.
This is my first post. Thank you for reading it.
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camino9
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Camino, betahistine is no longer recommended for tinnitus - so you’re on the right track! Other than dragon’s tears, there is no pill for tinnitus. As you’ve probably come some distance down the path now, towards acceptance, can I recommend you go to the British Tinnitus Association website and search for Take on Tinnitus (put that phrase into their search box). It’s a sort of training module. You can see from this how you’ve done so far and if there’s anything else around that lights a lamp in your eyes.
Thanks for that key information, Rosie.My GP prescribed betahistine. She is clearly out of touch. Fortunately, we have many educated folks on these forums. They are wonderful places to learn and to share. I accepted the prescription as I wanted a medical certificate that she was also writing. I am so thankful not to take these meds with possible side effects...my nervous system could not cope with any wild cards.
Hi sorry for what you're going through. Well done with yoga and appreciating nature! Sorry I don't have cast-iron solutions. I try to avoid being tired, sleep as much as I can, walk and swim. I get a build up of tinnitus and it is a vicious circle...I take betahistine for inner ear disorder as TinnitusUKPat and Happyrosie say. Like you I have hearing loss and wear hearing aids.
I try not to use betahistine too much, had a lot of stomach/gastric problems recently which may be due to the medication! I got the lowest dose 8mg as 16mg flattened me, but even so I've been cutting them in half and only taking when ear pressure builds up. I'm not sure they're right for me, either.
Soothing sounds are worth a try on YouTube. Take care and let us know how you get on.
Thanks, Fuzzy, some days are really hard when the ringing is at the loudest volume ever. It is hard. I retreat. I have had times when it has been worse (with both ears going), so I focus on all being ok and manageable. Just an experience...Yes, I love to walk. This instantly balances me out...calms me...and out in Nature is the greatest medicinal healer! I usually get some water residue when I swim (even with plugs) which can be problematic. The ringing and more clogging deafness in the "good" ear. But I love to swim too. Thank goodness our bodies are mobile and can appreciate movement and the beauty in the world...(we have healthy functioning eyes too)..I prefer silence rather than having relaxing music on. I also love the sound of the ocean. I bought into that sound therapy at one time. Rip off. Oh well...
Seems you are most likely correct in that the Betahistine has some side effects you are experiencing: gastric etc. this can build up in our systems over time. But yes, it is a personal choice. Thanks for your message, take good care
You mention some hearing loss - is this being supported by your doctor or an audiologist?
Betahistine isn't seen as having any relevance to tinnitus latterly - it's a medication which has had some success in treating people with balance disorders, and that has prompted GPs to use it to treat tinnitus. As HappyRosie suggests, there are no medications which can be directly prescribed for tinnitus.
I do think that relaxation, self-care and being around places of natural beauty are good strategies to help people manage their tinnitus in a low-impact and beneficial way, so I'm glad to read that you see the upsides in some of the things that you're trying.
Yes Pat I had a hearing test with an audiologist. If I cover up my left ear, I cannot hear anything! I don't like to use a hearing aid, however. The amplified sound is too strange and makes me nervous.
Same here camino9 I can't hear speech in my right ear - even with a hearing aid - but I use one to get some natural sounds in and so distract from myself from T . It helps a little physically and a great deal mentally. I'm slowly getting used to the new sounds.
Like yourself I've had awful experiences with drugs. You're doing all the right things; go with your gut instinct.
However, don't be too dismissive, if it's really effecting your quality of life. A few month ago, after sleepless nights and nearly losing it on a daily basis, I decided to go to my doctor and asked if there was anything else I could try. I was still very dubious. She prescribed me Sertraline which have done wonders.
It’s not easy living with tinnitus is it and although relentless it was good to read that you appear to be upbeat about it which i think is part of the battle. I think we are all the same in that we never know what each new day will bring. I did try Yoga but, like you, i have almost totally lost the hearing in my right ear and despite wearing hearing aids i struggle and couldn’t hear the Yoga teacher most of the time. I have musical tinnitus so have undefined repetitive music 24/7. I do take the odd Diazepam if i am really bad but not on a regular basis. My saviour is my garden and living by the sea and the South Downs so lots of lovely places to walk. Yes, it gets me down at times but when i see other people with dreadful disabilities it puts it all into perspective. Have a good day everyone x
Hey Bees, oh I get it, some yoga teachers just whisper! It is really hard to practice without any instruction. If this is the case, I position myself behind someone who is more skilled than me.
Alternatively, I only attend classes where the teachers speak clearly and loudly.
Our teacher used to dim the lights at the end and walk around whispering - everyone was nice snd relaxed apart from me! That’s funny that you called me Bees as that is my husbands nickname for me! Enjoy your day x
If you are near to London & can afford private medicine then I reccomend seeing Dr Laurence McKenna. He taught me MCBT specifically geared towards tinnitus over 8 sessions and it changed everything for me.
Greetings, I have to cycle 15km every day on a static bike. I also have Acupuncture when I can afford it. It breaks the Cycle of Woosh/zing/ring in my left ear. So for me it’s a Well-being factor…..Have you tried Acupuncture.? I love it, it’s not a Magic Bullet, but it’s some respite…
I haven't tried acupuncture for tinnitus (I did for a while back in my youth for hair loss--due to pharma medication). It is expensive where I live.Also, I have not come across an acupuncturist who has successfully treated tinnitus or has some skill in terms of knowing a lot about it. I do think these ancient practices are effective methods to heal our imbalances as humans...great you have found a therapist who is supporting you. That is a golden treasure.
Hi Camino9After a long time trying to find a cure I agree with you to accept tinnitus, I like to think I control my tinnitus, in reality I don’t, I have to accept and listen to the racket going on in my head like yourself…..
You can block it out with distracting your thoughts and mind elsewhere which helps me through my day.
It’s good we can talk and share ideas on HealthUnlocked together, I think you have to have tinnitus to understand how debilitating it can be.
You are absolutely right, Jean. When I speak to therapists/doctors about tinnitus and they have not directly experienced it...well...enough said..It is utterly debilitating. All consuming.
I made a decision to befriend the ringing (and sometimes other tones and static going on); for the mind to become my Allie.
I had the experience recently where the other ear was ringing. It was blocked with water, I think (swimming and also hair washing). I now religiously wear earplugs when in/around water. I was utterly despairing. I went to bed and slept as the ringing made me so weary. The left ear soon cleared ...this has happened a few times...it is a testing time to be sure
So yeah, acceptance and seeing the glass half full. Thanks for your message. Take care too.
I know you are against taking medication but sometimes it is necessary to enhance your life. Here in the US, ENT doctors (especially neurotologists who specialize in inner ear diseases) often prescribe Ativan 0.5mg to take as needed for unusually loud tinnitus. I take it under my tongue for faster acting....usually effective within an hour. I only take it when needed....in my case a couple times/week.
Ativan can be addictive and affect balance function when taken at high dosage on a daily basis. 0.5mg is a tiny dose and when taken sparingly (couple times/week) is not addictive or harmful. I've been taking it for 20 years and have found that my tinnitus (from bilateral Meniere's Disease) is quite manageable during those times when it would otherwise be very loud and disturbing.
Thanks for your comment, Tanney I have never been prescribed, Ativan. I live in Australia. But yes, if the ringing is unbearable and this drug gives you some relief I totally agree with you! You seem to have found an effective way to manage this condition. Our bodies are so complex and unique. I seem to have an inbuilt fear now due to my own experiences. A life of lower stresses is essential.
Betahistine has no effect on tinnitus. It is a medicine for vertigo usually used with Meniere's disease patients. Trying a hearing aid in at least one ear might be worth it. It takes some getting used to, I know, but you can control the level of the sound to some extent. I use one in certain situations (I have fluctuating hearing loss, so some days I need it, others I can get by). You will get more used to it and it can be useful, although for me, not much is useful in situations where there is background noise or several people are talking at once. But if you can get one on the NHS (I'm in the USA and private as far as that went, OUCH) why not give it a go? Nothing to lose.
Hi, I have auto immune and tinnitus. This has happened in the last 4 years, I think stress was a factor. I am so pleased these forums exist so you can share experiences. They are hidden disabilities but do affect the way you live, the choices you have to make as in where you go and looking after yourself. I am 64 this yr and try to keep up the Yoga at home, luckily the one I listen to does not have music in the background. Do you wear sound reduction earphones/headphones? I wish you all the best and thank you for sharing your experience.
Hi Topp. Yoga at home is a good idea and I commend your discipline!I absolutely need the motivation of a live teacher and class. It has been so helpful and I have needed to really persevere. One-legged poses are a huge challenge for me. Humbling to say the least! There is no judgment, however, as yoga is designed as a personal experience. Each body is so different. It is not a competitive practice. phew. It really helps and I am still so new to it. It engages the part of us that is eternal too (not in a preachy way), our spirit self. I like that.
I don't like anything near or on my ears and so, no, I don't use sound reduction earphones. I don't like the feeling of wearing a hearing aid, either. I prefer to simply hear what I hear and this is less stressful for me. Each to their own, hey...
Yes, we surely do need to look after ourselves. I believe many are affected in some way by inflammation and damage to certain organs. For me, it is the intestines. I have issues here with digestion, bloating, etc. I follow a gluten-free and dairy-free diet. Low sodium also seems to be the best option with tinnitus. But not always. Mysterious. I am still learning what is best for my body. Have a good day..or eve...
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