Tinnitus

[Jdog]

My tinnitus, which has been pretty front and center for 5 or 6 months, is really wearing me down today.  I feel like I may be in the middle of an EF, not sure what may have precipitated it.  EFs would surely exacerbate tinnitus or any other somatic symptoms.  But I have bee to an audiologist and apparently have only slight hearing  loss all of which is considered normal for my age.  Ugh. The constant ringing really is wearing me out.

Thanks for letting me vent here.

[mourningdove]

Hope you get some relief soon, Jdog. 

[Jdog]

Thank you, that means a lot!

[Danaus plexippus]

The meds do it to me, but my shrink assures me the benefit outweighs the harm, then I say What, what's that you say? 

[Jdog]

Haha- the rare tinnitus humor!

[Jdog]

 Ok, after having read and thought a lot about tinnitus, it really does seem that habituation is the only way to find peace with this situation.  I subscription several online sites which have the aim of providing psychological and/or spiritual inspiration, and read on one that about a way to reframe difficult physical maladies.  It said to allow oneself to think of something positive outside one's own boundaries when the physical problem becomes an issue.  So, for example, when tinnitus is really bothersome I could think of a way to generate compassion for others who suffer.  Or, during meditation, I can allow become a way to focus my attention away from distracting thoughts. 

If anyone has experience working with physical conditions in this way, please chime in. 

[woodsgnome]

I don't have direct experience with the psychological approach you mention, other than a simple mantra ('peace' on the in-breath; 'love' on the out-breath). I don't have tinnitus, but this plus a positive visualization has helped during ef's (if I recognize them) and subsequent asthma flareups, although it's hard sometimes to do even this the symptoms can be so bad.

I was reading an alternative health site the other day, though, and they mentioned using taurine supplementation as having had some positive results regarding tinnitus. I'm thinking you may have run across this, but if not, doing an online search may lead you to some approaches that incorporate it.

Wishing you the best. 

[Jdog]

Thank you, Woodsgnome.  I think that for now, anyway, I will continue working with the tinnitus without supplements of any kind and see where it leads me.  It turns out that some of the experienced Buddhist meditators consider tinnitus a gift of having attained a fairly high "Jana" (sp?) or spiritual state.  Very flattering to think that I could have arrived at such a high level so quickly, however ego involvement is frowned upon within meditation circles so I think I will stick with simple acceptance of what is.

Thanks again for your reply.

[Wife#2]

jdog - if you figure out something to ease it off, please let us know! I've had tinnitus for, thinking...... 5+ years? Some times are better that others. It's just such a part of me now, I don't know how I would cope with silence.

[Jdog]

Will do!  Nothing yet, and it is really ringing today.  I am wondering whether the increase in volume which occurs at times (like now) is a symptom of being triggered.  Maybe the body knows before the brain?

Thoughts, anyone?

[mapleleaf]

Jdog - I had tinnitus for a few years, severe pinching inner ear pain and what I felt was moderate hearing loss (the doctors also said that my hearing loss was very small) which included some weird echoing.  I also had some vertigo and dizziness too. 

I went to an ENT, who did a lot of tests on me and at first suggested that it could be acid reflux ( ).  I took Prilosec which did nothing. She tested me for autoimmune diseases like Meniere's, etc. which came back negative.  Then she suggested it was allergies.  So I went to an allergist who did tests and what do you know?  I am severely allergic to various types of grass!  The allergist said it was allergy-induced eustachian tube dysfunction.  I started taking Zyrtec every day and pain has gone away, my hearing has come back, my tinnitus is gone and I don't have dizziness anymore.  During the severe allergy season, I also have to take fluticasone nasal spray and try to get it up into my eustachian tubes (no easy task  ) to keep the symptoms at bay.

Have you ever had any allergy tests done?

Will do!  Nothing yet, and it is really ringing today.  I am wondering whether the increase in volume which occurs at times (like now) is a symptom of being triggered.  Maybe the body knows before the brain?

Thoughts, anyone?

[Jdog]

Yes, I do have allergies and take Monoleuclast every day ( I think it is the generic version of Clariton).  I have used the nasal spray you mentioned in the past and could maybe try again. The interesting thing is that I had no awareness of tinnitus until I began doing meditation and someone else mentioned that they had it.  Within days, I could hear mine as well.  I do not have any pain and the audiologist says my slight hearing loss is age-related and totally within normal limits.

So, I am not sure.  I think that in my case it may just be hypersensitive reactions to normal stimuli.

Thanks for weighing in.

[Jdog]

I purchased melatonin at the drug store and will begin taking it tonight.  I will let everyone know how it goes.  Some studies have shown positive results after taking 3 mg per night over 4 weeks' time.

[Danaus plexippus]

I've been taking melatonin for years for my sleep disorder . I hadn't heard of it being recommended for tinnitus. Perhaps my tinnitus would be worse if I stopped taking it. As a matter of fact, when my former shrink ordered me to reduce the amount of melatonin I was taking to 3 mg QD, I do believe my tinnitus got worse. Of course that proves nothing. If I choose to go back to taking 15 mg QD, I'll let you know if my tinnitus abates in the least.

[Jdog]

Ok, thank you!