I have tinnitus for years, almost 20 years.At first I thought it was stress related.During the first few years I was able to MANAGE it, by listening to soft music, walking in the countryside, watching tv ,and even flying at 36000 feet was a distraction.I even tried classical concerts and football games but this didn't help.
After retiring I thought it would improve.I attended GP's, Consultants, Audiologist, tried Acupuncture, Qi gong exercises, reflexology, various massages, sacro-cranial, kinesiology, bio-dynamics breathing, gluten free diet, hearing aid, but all to no avail.
I have different types of T on various levels and scales, sometimes all at once. Fortunately I am able to sleep well but Mr T awakens me everynight particularly when there is a full moon or changeable weather.I have my own weather app!
One theory I have is that my office for over 35 years was next to a flowing river and I opened the windows every morning for fresh air.I wonder if the radon gases emanating from the riverbed is the root cause of my T.Another theory is that the T was very active during the aurora borealis ! There must be an atmospheric correlation! Another theory is that as a child I had lots of dentistry treatment and that my mouth is full of mercury .My wife claims I am from another planet but I assure you I was born on earth ! Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks for reading
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Amyneddgar52
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you’ve been doing the right things in my view (especially walking in the countryside). Tinnitus doesn’t have to be caused by anything particularly and you’ve been through all the possible avenue of explanation as to why you’ve got it, so let’s put that aside for a moment. Whatever caused it, it has happened and cannot be changed.
Looking at it through my lens, you are paying the tinnitus attention in three ways - by trying to overcome it, by searching for a cause, and by paying attention to the different sounds. And tinnitus loves the attention!
It’s very possible that in summarising your journey you’ve put into one paragraph several years of NOT doing anything particular about the tinnitus, but your explanation sounds as if you are giving it the attention it craves.
the point of walking, classical music and so on is to distract your primitive brain from the sounds. What about just enjoying them from what they are?
Hey there, my tinnitus journey began in 2018. Actually, I had a brief acoustic trauma back in 2003, but it was quickly resolved with some ear drops after seeing a doctor. However, in 2018, while sitting at home, I suddenly heard a crack sound, and from that moment on, I developed persistent tinnitus in my right ear.
Living in Turkey with private health insurance and good financial standing, I've consulted numerous specialists including ENTs, neurologists, and cardiologists. Despite this extensive medical exploration, I haven't found a solution. My most recent endocrinologist, who also suffers from tinnitus, humorously suggested that I inform him if I ever discover a cure, which somewhat dampened my determination to continue researching.
Through my own observations, I've noticed that my tinnitus worsens during periods of high blood pressure and stress. I also experience an increase in symptoms during rainy and humid weather, which made me laugh when I saw comments about weather apps, as I can relate.
My tinnitus is likely pulsatile, so I've been focusing on cardiovascular causes lately. Last year, my doctor prescribed Plavix (clopidogrel) as a blood thinner for another condition. Remarkably, during the one day I took it, my tinnitus almost disappeared. However, due to its serious side effects, I can't use it independently.
I believe many types of tinnitus are related to the blood vessels supplying the ears. While Plavix worked wonders for my tinnitus, it's a prescription medication with heavy side effects, making it unsuitable for self-medication.
If you haven't seen an ENT specialist yet, I highly recommend getting a hearing test done, especially if you've had tinnitus for a long time. Hearing loss often accompanies tinnitus.
I hope this information helps anyone on a similar journey. If you have any insights or suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
Hi. I have had detailed debate with a private ENT consultant as I still fail to see how Pulsatile tinnitus can be helped with CBT. I have AICA loop which is a physical condition where an artery has looped itself around the 8th nerve beside cochlear thus it’s picking up the sound of blood flow and pulsating 24/7 in time with my heartbeat. The ENT consultant still says no cure just ignore T (pulsating or not). I swear if I win the lottery I will pump millions into T research. There must be a solution surely. I just plough on trying to ignore it. As ENT said to me no one has keeled over from it yet so just get on with life. Sorry if this is negative. Best wishes.
unfortunately , because no one keels over from it ( as you put it ) that is why there is limited research into it . Plus I guess there are too many causes of it .
Hello, Minsky. I'm not sure if any ENT doctors read this, but I wish they would. As soon as you tell any doctor that you have tinnitus, they start by saying there's no cure for it. I also have vitiligo, and the same applies to that. Doctors tend to ignore these kinds of non-lethal conditions that modern medicine hasn't yet found a cure for. As a result, alternative medicine comes into play, and unfortunately, desperate people fall into the hands of charlatans and fake hope peddlers. Anyway, I'm getting upset again.
The first doctor I saw requested an MRI of my brain and, after reviewing the results, told me I had a vascular loop that could only be fixed with surgery. I was devastated. Then I thought he must be lying, so I went to see a neurologist. The neurologist said there was no such thing. After that, I saw another ENT specialist who said it was due to a deviation in my nose and performed surgery. The tinnitus didn't decrease at all. The deviation returned to its original state after two years. None of the doctors I saw after that took my tinnitus seriously.
However, last year, after having COVID-19, I experienced numbness in my left arm and leg. I rushed to the doctor, and they told me I had experienced an ischemic attack and needed another brain MRI. I had the MRI and had to take very strong blood thinners (Eliquis) for four months. On the first day, they gave me a blood thinner called Plavix (Clopidogrel). During that one day of taking Plavix, my tinnitus significantly decreased. In fact, the effect started about 20 minutes after taking the medication. It felt like there was a blockage in my ear (my tinnitus is in my right ear) that cleared up. Since then, that medication has always been on my mind, and I've done some research. Clopidogrel, the active ingredient in Plavix, eliminates tiny clots in the blood. However, its most significant side effect is increased bleeding risk. Therefore, taking it without a prescription and doctor supervision is a serious risk. But you can consult your doctor to see if it might help you.
Four months after being diagnosed with an ischemic attack, I saw another neurologist, showed them my MRI, and compared it with the MRI I had in 2018. They told me I hadn't had a stroke and that what the previous doctors had seen in my brain was also present in the 2018 MRI. They explained that some people have such spots in their brains and that the initial diagnosis was definitely wrong. They immediately stopped the blood thinners. Since then, I haven't been able to trust any doctor. Hope you get better.
on another note, since you said "I have different types of T on various levels and scales, sometimes all at once. Fortunately I am able to sleep well but Mr T awakens me everynight particularly when there is a full moon or changeable weather."
this might be related to "calcification" on your neck (veins) or something, may be worth to check that out.
My own theory is what I'm hearing is the sound of blood flow in tiny capillaries at the site of the ear. If ears were solid state electronic devices they would have a reset button. I don't believe it to be beyond the range of pharmaceutical science to come up with a chemical version thereof. There's hope yet!
My tinnitus is variable, so can I assume the brain is attempting it's own reset. I think I can but it needs some chemical assistance to complete the job.
yeah you are right Ray, from what I've read and experienced, it seems like the cure for tinnitus might lie in addressing brain health rather than focusing solely on the ears. Treatments specifically designed to improve brain function, reduce stress, and enhance sleep quality could potentially offer relief. Managing anxiety and depression through therapy or medication might also play a key role in reducing tinnitus symptoms.
I recently came across Joey Remenyi who talks about neuroplasticity and for me it was a real eye opener - retraining the brain’s neurons. Similar to what Happyrosie said, the less attention given to the T, the better. Easier said than done I know. For myself it consumed me for probably around a year (right ear only), but I now feel I’m at the tail end with just a slight buzz which sometimes turns into a ring. But trying Joey’s techniques I believe has really helped me (I’ve just read her book, not paid for any programmes) and I am able to ignore it when it pops up, rather than panicking thinking it’s going to get loud again and trying to figure out why. I can’t say that when it was at its worst this would have helped, as it was off the scale loud and I was a mess. But now it’s tapered to a low, sometimes non existent T (although still there if I listen hard enough - which I try not to do anymore!) I can ignore it and then it’s not my focus anymore.
I don't think it would be your teeth Although I took all of my feelings out and had white ones put in but my friend has a mouth full and he don't complain with t, An ENT cost mine along with stress and I do notice that when I'm stressed out or matter use a sander for hours or so mine does it within it calms down later and I hope it stays that way I'm supposed to take an MRI and I'm in fear that it will start back again but a hearing task a month apart started it real loud 34 years ago and it calmed down after about a year, But anytime you do any kind of test that puts sound down in your ear it's probably gonna make it worse so if you're typing any kind of therapy that they put sounds down in your ear don't do it
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