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Otherwise: tinnitus
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Message 1.Â
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
I wonder if anyone else suffers from this.
I have had it in a small way for a while, but in the last month or so it has become a real problem, a high-pitch ringing noise. It's especially bad a night (because everything else is so quiet of course !) but it's there all the time now.
Does anyone have any tips on how to deal/live with it ? I'm planning to see the GP soon, but don't hold out much hope. I now it's not painful or life threatening, but it's just one more annoying health problem to add to my growing list...
Thanks
dondy -
Message 2
Posted by Furster (U14644588) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Hi dondy,
yes I have had this problem for some years now. Problem is nobody knows the reason and nobody knows the cure. I've been to the docs and had a check for wax in the ears, had a total 'clearance' but that didn't help. Some say that blood pressure may cause it. Others say that there is some kind of 'injury' in the ear which results in this high pitched whine. Hope more people answer you 'cos I would like an answer as well!
Furster -
Message 3
Posted by BrightYangThing (U14627705) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
My doc told me a few years back after ruling out any fixable issues to just try and focus hard on other sounds around - not easy at night but I don't suffer then.
I do this when it hits at other times and does seem to work.
Sorry this may not be much help. -
Message 4
Posted by alanis (U2256129) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
No tips, other than ignoring it (or trying to!), but I'm interested to read anyone else's thoughts. I've always (afaicr) had this, but only in the last few years has it become almost constant - particularly at night, when as someone said, it's hard to think of something else to listen to.
In my case, it's associated with silence, or low noise levels anyway. Hence the nighttime thing. I believe some people get it in noisy places. I wonder if there are different types of tinnitus, or is it just random? -
Message 5
Posted by Kate McLaren etc (U2202067) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:33 GMT, in reply to dondy b in message 1
$quiggs does (see Earlybirds thread to find her). I have a vague feeling that she uses white noise at night - or maybe that's someone else - so that the tinnitus doesn't keep her awake.
But don't assume it is permanent yet, not until you've been dewaxed and checked for infections and things. -
Message 6
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Thanks everyone for letting me know I may not be alone. Sympathy (empathy?) to those fellow sufferers.
But don't assume it is permanent yet, not until you've been dewaxed and checked for infections and thingsÂ
That is what I'm clinging on to at present, DD, so thanks for saying all may not be lost yet ! I do suffer from earwax (sorry too much information), and a lot of use of earplugs over the years hasn't helped. I have been trying ear drops to clear them out, but have just noticed in the leaflet that it says not to use them if you have tinnitus (?!)
dondy -
Message 7
Posted by pea whistle (U14517419) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
If it's bad at night try leaving the radio on.
I believe that 'white noise' can be used to 'train' your brain to ignore the tinnitus - something like that.
Lots of Tinnitus in my family.
Do you remember that deaf MP - sorry I can't remember his name. Totally deaf but plagued with Tinnitus, imagine that poor man. -
Message 8
Posted by kk forever in the cyber atlantis of mustardland (U4670994) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:16 GMT, in reply to pea whistle in message 7
If it's bad at night try leaving the radio on.Â
That's what I do, I leave the World Service on at night.
It either reduces the effect of the tinnitus, which seems to ramp itself up to intolerable when things are 'quiet'; quiet: ha, that's a joke. Or it provides a sort of distraction that soothes me back to sleep again.
The trouble is, now, that just having the radio on indoors is likely to make me nod off ... anyhoo, it's sad to think I'll never hear silence ever again
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Message 9
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Not too sure about leaving the radio on at night - there's someone else in the room to consider...
It might come to separate rooms - hope not.
dondy -
Message 10
Posted by Destruida (U14652624) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
I have tinnitus and a host of other horrible and worsening problems. In my case, they were all caused by medecines and now there are no medecines to cure what they've caused.
I don't know of anything that helps against tinnitus. There are people who have hyperbaric oxygen treatment for it, but I don't know whether it works.
The meds I took were, first, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic and then, when I was recovering just a little, another very commonly used antibiotic, which I think had an especially bad effect because it followed the first one.
I'm not writing the names here, because I'm not sure whether it'd be acceptable. I think it's worth, when you have a whole collection of symptoms (often diagnosed as CFS or fibromyalgia, stress or depression or some other conveniently vague syndrome) checking to see what meds you've taken during the last few years (because effects can take a long time to become symptomatic.) There are internet sites, such as askapatient.com and patientsville, where people can report good and bad experiences with meds. Doctors will check and test and search for other cuases, but they never think that our problems may have been caused by meds, in fact they often don't even believe it once it's happened.
Of course, I'm only mentioning this because it's how my tinnitus started - it doesn't mean the same applies to you. Only it's worth thinking of, because it's the one thing doctors don't look for. -
Message 11
Posted by kk forever in the cyber atlantis of mustardland (U4670994) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:27 GMT, in reply to dondy b in message 9
The good news is that you may not be able to hear the snoring ... I realised, a while back, that I could sleep without fear of burglars: I simply won't hear them
there's someone else in the room to consider...Â
That can work both ways, have you asked? -
Message 12
Posted by Kate McLaren etc (U2202067) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:50 GMT, in reply to dondy b in message 9
dondy, there are radios that are specially designed for this. You put them under your pillow and only you can hear them. Alternatively a little "personal radio" with one earplug, though I don't know if that would be a good idea with tinnitus. These people will have suggestions if it comes to that: -
Message 13
Posted by plum the depths (U5587356) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Hello dondy, just popped in to say you are not alone. My husband suffers from tinnitus and it is horrible.
Obviously travel exacerbates the problem but the worse thing is stress. When he is anxious the old ears ring away.
He didn't get on with the white noise thing although many do find it helpful he just has to calm his mind down and over think the ringing.
Not as easy as it sounds. He has been calming his mind down over many years. I'm not putting this very well.
Let me try again, Stress tends to increase the noise, so relaxation and acceptance helps to reduce the noise to acceptable and sometimes un-noticable levels. Like living next to a railway line, at first it is intolerable, but as time goes by you get to hardly notice it.
My o/h wrote that last bit, hope it explains things better than I. -
Message 14
Posted by sagethyme (U5272261) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
Do you remember that deaf MP - sorry I can't remember his name. Totally deaf but plagued with Tinnitus, imagine that poor man.Â
Jack Ashley, MP for Stoke. An inspiration regardless of whether you agree with his policies (which I sometimes did, sometimes didn't).
He is still alive and wrote an interesting autobiography. He was an early tester of an experimental implant which gives some hearing, so he could hear his little granddaughter for the first time, which made me cry with joy when it was reported.
We are all subject to tinnitus in our family after middle age. At the best times it is like grasshoppers on a warm day, not always unpleasant, and you do get to ignore it most of the time. -
Message 15
Posted by Miladou bloody but unbowed (U3518248) on Sunday, 17th October 2010
"Jack Ashley, MP for Stoke. An inspiration regardless of whether you agree with his policies (which I sometimes did, sometimes didn't)."
Andrew Marr's father-in-law, too. -
Message 16
Posted by DeeKay Bee - Disenfranchised (U236881) on Monday, 18th October 2010
This has freaked me out slightly as only last night I was thinking that the tinnitus thread had died a death. I was a bit shocked as to how long ago it was F2693944?thread=4375181&skip=0&show=20
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Message 17
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Monday, 18th October 2010
Deekaybee
Thanks for the link - I guess that thread passed me by at the time, as I had nothing to do with tinnitus then(a bit selfish, sorry!).
Well I saw the GP today (a scarily young person !). She was very helpful and has given me a nose spray to try as there seems to be extra pressure in my eardrums. I do get ENT problems, mostly because of dryness caused by underactive thyroid (the gift that keeps on giving...) and my ears and sinuses have been feeling quite blocked.
It's the usual "try it for a fortnight and come back if it's no better", but it might ease things a bit. I've been trying to remember if I had similar problems when I last had a brief experience of night time tinnitus a while ago. It was the same sound as now and it went away, so fingers crossed.
There do seem to be a lot of tinnitus sufferers out there - thanks for all the comments etc.
If mine is here to stay, I shall take comfort from those who say it becomes less noticeable with time as you can tune it out... can cope in the day, it's lying awake at 3am with bells ringing in your head which is harder...
Here's hoping...
dondy -
Message 18
Posted by Lilith (U14250994) on Monday, 18th October 2010
In reply to dondy b in message 17
Some good information here, dondy.
At the end of the article there are links to a couple of support groups and the number for the RNID Tinnitus Helpline. -
Message 19
Posted by What larks (U14260755) on Monday, 18th October 2010
Bkmarking this because my OH has had tinnitus for a few months now, but hasn't bothered to see the GP about it, believing nothing can be done.
However he has recently found out that his blood pressure is high, so perhaps when that is sorted, the tinnitus will go. He is under huge stress at work, and is in line for being reorganised with less pay but (so far as I can see) even more responsibility than he has now. -
Message 20
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Monday, 18th October 2010
Lilith
Thanks for the link - lots of good information.
Skylark - I did read somewhere in my recent tinnitus googling that high blood pressure can bring on tinnitus, and stress can worsen it. Certainly worth seeing the GP if only to rule out any other underlying cause.
dondy -
Message 21
Posted by Thanks for all the fish (U10654037) on Monday, 18th October 2010
My mother has tinnitus, which flared up after a head massage, and I get it when I'm tired. Occasionally it's so loud that if I'm near the door in a shop I'll think I've set off the shoplifter alarm.
I've read that magnesium supplements can help, but I'm not bad enough to try it myself and my mother would pooh-pooh anything alternative, so I can't confirm its efficacy or otherwise. -
Message 22
Posted by Ina MacAllan (U13960407) on Tuesday, 19th October 2010
Stress is certainly a factor - I had very bad tinnitus when I was being bullied at work, and when we were going through a house move. These days I now I'm under stress because the ringing starts up again. Though, oddly, it doesn't seem to be linked to my blood pressure, which is generally OK.
Sometimes I think that the World Service should be on prescription for tinnitus sufferers - it got me through mine! (Though Ö÷²¥´óÐã7 and 5Live are just as effective nowadays.)
My local hospital has a tinnitus support group - so if yours is bad it might be worth asking about local support. -
Message 23
Posted by spotteddick2 (U9497245) on Tuesday, 19th October 2010
Hi dondy b
I have suffered this for many many years, some times it is worse than others, but it is always there, a ringing in my ears. I know how I got it, I was a sea going engineer for many years in the 70s and because of the confined spaces and at times pure stupidity, not able to or being too lazy to fetch a pair of ear protectors, I was subjected to high levels of noise.
I do have problems hearing certain pitches and need to compensate, because I cannot hear myself properly, by talking rather loud.
I just get on with life as I know it ain't going to go away.
Cheers
SD2 -
Message 24
Posted by Marmalade Drizzle (U2239190) on Tuesday, 19th October 2010
Dondy
Another tinnitus poster here. I don't want to say sufferer because I'm not suffering with it although I was upset when I first got it five years or so ago. If this is permenant there will be times when you hate it with a passion but it's amazing what you get used to.
Acceptance is a big part of living with it because when you stop worrying about it it becomes less severe (imo anyway!)
I tried the white noise and quiet radio at night but it disturbed my OH so had to stop that. It's tricky when sharing a bed with someone else!
I wish I could offer you some practical advice but have just got on with things!
Hope yours goes soon!
marms -
Message 25
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Wednesday, 20th October 2010
Thanks Marms.
I'm impressed that you have managed to get to grips with it. It's till early days bhere, but I did manage to get a better night's sleep last night (over the counter sleep tablet may have helped, but don't want to get into the habit), so do feel more human today.
I can tune it out a bit in the day as there's more noise and more stuff going on but am clinging on to the hope that the ear drum problem the GP saw may be involved. Have booked in advance to see my usual GP in a couple of weeks as he knows all my weird and wonderful medical history and will tell me like it is and is good at being up to date on what can and can't be done for various conditions.
My Mum did say that she had it years ago, lasted a few months but eventualy went. As we are physically quite similar and often have similar medical issues, I hope that the same happens for me (maybe a bit sooner than "months" ???). It's not like me to be so optimisitic, but what else can you do ?
dondy -
Message 26
Posted by Destruida (U14652624) on Friday, 22nd October 2010
I've just remembered that I heard that the Tomatis Listening Therapy (also called sound therapy) helps. I know that, done properly, it helps tremendously with some very obstinate and even severe medical problems, so it'd probably be worth investigating. It's something I'd definitely do if I could, not for my tinnitus, which is now very mild and not constant, but for my general state of exhaustion and damagedness. It's very expensive, I think, and there aren't dozens of places you can have it, but I've heard some impressive things about it. Tomatis was an ENT specialist who worked with opera singers and ill people and eventually formulated this; his life and work are fascinating. The therapy, or a modisfied from of it, is used in some Fremch hospitals and schools, I believe.
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Message 27
Posted by Destruida (U14652624) on Friday, 22nd October 2010
Here it is:
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Message 28
Posted by gigglemahanaz2 (U14257954) on Friday, 22nd October 2010
I suffer as well from this condition and have done since childhood, repeated ear infections and 2 botched gromet operations later, the 3rd op was a success but i've been left with scarred inner ears which is hte case of mine, had a 3rd op with gromments which worked but the damage was already done, fist 2 done while I had ear infections.
Over the years I've learnt to ignore it so now I don't hear it during the day that much and as we live near a railway line which the bedrooms face it's not a problem at night like it used to be.
The only problem for me now is diffuculty hearing in really noisey enviroment or if i get and ear infection (last one 3 years ago when both ear drums porforated, not good!!!).
I think if you've lived with it a long time as some have you find ways of coping with it that suit you, what works for one won't for someone else.
I've tried so many things over the years that haven't worked until a friend suggested meditation which for me works wonders when it's worse than normal.
It does get you down and I find at times I do get very cranky with it but as most of my friends and my family know I have this allowances are made! -
Message 29
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Sunday, 27th February 2011
Finally had my hospital appointment last week, having waited since last October, and having had the tinnitus continually since then. In spite of what I wrote upthread (had forgotten til I just looked back) I have developed a bit of a sleeping tablet habit, but over the counter ones, not prescription strength.
As re hospital visit -
Good news - nothing wrong with my hearing.
Bad news - they want me to have an MRI scan.
As the tinnitus is one sided, there is a small chance of having something called an acoustic neuroma, which is a very rare type of benign brain tumour. Well, I say rare, but the doctor said there was a 1 in 200 chance of it being that, which doesn't sound all that rare to me...
The GP had mentioned this possibility some months ago and told me not to google, but I did any way, so it wasn't too big a shock and it probably isn't that anyway. I'm not dizzy andI'm not deaf (see above) both of which usually accompany this sort of tumour.
At the moment, I feel more worried about the MRI scan, as I am claustrophobic. I have to wait at least two months for it, so will have to try and think about other things instead (plenty of other worries / issues in life at present, so they are helping to fill up the worry part of the brain).
Not sure why I have posted this - just wanted to get it out of my head, as it were. Feel free to scroll on by.
dondy -
Message 30
Posted by Bette (U2222559) on Sunday, 27th February 2011
Well, thanks for bringing this thread up again, Dondy. I've got a low-level tinnitus on one side. It's been going on for a couple of years, on-and-off (a v.low woo-wooing) and when it first started, I was convinced it was something to do with building going on down the road, and people putting in heat-pumps of something that was creating this 'fridge-like' humming.
Anyway, it was more disruptive around Christmas and after - especially reading at night. If I moved my head ever-so-slightly, the sound stopped, only to resume a few seconds later. I resorted to putting in an ear-plug, which helped a /little/ bit.
Well, I eventually saw a hearing-specialist, and was reassured that everything was OK and my hearing loss (around 10% in both ears) is typical for my age. He told me that psychological therapy is one part of treatment of the worst sufferers.
I also had a background, slight, on-going cold/congestion, and I did find that the tinnitus was worse during that time.
Must go to watch 'South Riding', but will follow this thread with interest. -
Message 31
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Sunday, 27th February 2011
Hello Bette
Yes, tinnitus is definitely worse when you have a cold or any sinus type blockage. Sorry to hear you have been suffering.
BTW, don't dismiss the idea of low level noises being external - we get one at night from a large factory about 1 mile away as the crow flies, but you can only hear it when lying on my side of the bed. OH didn't believe me for ages, so I made him swap sides. Now he believes me !
Off to look at the South Riding thread to see what onther thought.
dondy -
Message 32
Posted by Marmalade Drizzle (U2239190) on Monday, 28th February 2011
Hi Dondy
I had an MRI scan last year (not specifically to look for tinnitus reasons but they did so while I was there). I was concerned about the scan more than what it might show but it wasn't as bad as I thought.
Your head gets secured in a foam crash helmet but you are allowed to listen to music (bring your own CD) and there is a mirror to see the scanner operator and a buzzer to call for help so you are not alone. However I got through it by keeping my eyes shut and concentrating on keeping my breathing regular and not panicing. It's very noisy but that is the machine working normally (helps to remember that!). Actually the time passed quicker than I thought it would and I came out of there feeling incredibly relaxed so the breathing exercises worked! HTH
marms -
Message 33
Posted by dondy (U3463640) on Tuesday, 1st March 2011
Thanks Marms. That does help.
dondy
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