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  1. eric peterson

    How Can I Calm Down Tinnitus in My Left Ear?

    Unfortunately, sir, you can't. There isn't any remedy in the world that has been scientifically shown to reliably lessen the volume of tinnitus in sufferers. It's a condition that people simply get used to (habituate to) over time. Some people have had success using methods like CBT (which I...
  2. eric peterson

    Has Anyone Been to NYC with Tinnitus?

    have fun. nyc is great in the springtime...
  3. eric peterson

    Has Anyone Been to NYC with Tinnitus?

    If you want to carry earplugs with you in case they're necessary, that's probably not a bad idea. But it's doubtful under most circumstances that you'll need them. Go hang out in Central Park. It's plenty peaceful there. (except for all the tourists). :)
  4. eric peterson

    Has Anyone Been to NYC with Tinnitus?

    Don't know. Is there some evidence that there are increased amounts of tinnitus specifically in NYC relative to the rest of the US, or the world? What about Philadelphia? It's loud there. (Also the city I was living in when I first developed tinnitus). What about Chicago? LA? Houston or...
  5. eric peterson

    Has Anyone Been to NYC with Tinnitus?

    I go to NYC with tinnitus everyday. I live in Chelsea in Manhattan. You'll be fine. I do nothing to protect my ears, and I've never had a problem. Good luck.
  6. eric peterson

    Why Doesn't God Just Kill Me!

    I had a viscous bout with ETD that began last spring. right ear clogged up. couldn't swallow anything without having a terrible crackling in my ear. (like someone crushed a bag of chips) It has slowly improved to a point this year where it's nearly gone. I did have sinus surgery to clear...
  7. eric peterson

    What Feelings Do You Get When Your Tinnitus Bothers You?

    minor annoyance. used to dominate my brain 100% of the time. now I'd say that I enjoy 100% silence (i.e. that I'm not conscious of my T) a large percentage of my time. When I am, I am often not bothered by it. It's worst when I first wake up in the morning. Once I get up and about my day...
  8. eric peterson

    After 7 Months I Can Honestly Tell You...

    @John Meyers @gobolts07 I think that we all can get caught in 'short-termism' when it comes to our T. By that I mean that you only really remember how you've felt recently, so if you have a setback, you tend to make more out of it than you should. If you are able to take a step back and...
  9. eric peterson

    After 7 Months I Can Honestly Tell You...

    John, Don't judge yourself too harshly if you have setbacks. Many people (myself included) had setbacks on their trip toward feeling better. 6 months is hardly a long time in the greater scheme of things. Try and concentrate on the progress you've made, and be positive. It'll go a long way...
  10. eric peterson

    How Long Before I Don't Associate the Ringing with Fear?

    Full habituation can take 1-2 years. But you'll likely be feeling a lot better in a few months and it'll slowly improve from there. First few months are the worst, but gradually you begin to feel better. By 6 months or so you'll likely feel A LOT better.
  11. eric peterson

    How Does Tinnitus Impact Your Relationship?

    no, and not at all.
  12. eric peterson

    Best Guess on When Tinnitus Will Be Cured?

    absolute nonsense.
  13. eric peterson

    New Tone in My Ears

    fangen, I'm not sure there's any real way to know if a new tone is permanent or not. I hope for you that it isn't. But unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it. I've spent way too much time in my life trying to figure out what caused my tinnitus in the first place. it was, by and...
  14. eric peterson

    Just Started... So Scared

    I don't know. But I know that trapped fluid behind your ear drum is a cause of tinnitus. When that fluid clears up and the ear drum can begin vibrating normally again, the tinnitus often resolves. And if it doesn't, you'll be fine either way.
  15. eric peterson

    Just Started... So Scared

    It's very likely that the ringing will go away when the fluid behind your ear clears up...
  16. eric peterson

    Data Collecting from This Site

    Drawing from a skewed distribution to see how to help that exact skewed distribution is a valid idea and can help those most at need. Drawing from that skewed distribution and making inferences on how the entire population reacts to their tinnitus would be the equivalent of going to a Los...
  17. eric peterson

    Data Collecting from This Site

    Well, I hope that you change your feelings on that. Being close minded toward habituation is unfortunately one of the best ways to hinder it. Spending one minute more than necessary suffering, waiting for an elusive cure, was never in my plans. I wish you the best of luck in your recovery and...
  18. eric peterson

    Data Collecting from This Site

    Well, in that, we both agree.. I'm very much in favor of more funding to help people suffering from tinnitus. I'm opposed to newbies coming here and scaring the hell out of themselves here. My hopes are to help alleviate the fears of people new to tinnitus. far too many people leave this...
  19. eric peterson

    Data Collecting from This Site

    using a support forum for tinnitus as a proxy for the greater distribution of people with tinnitus as a whole is probably a bad idea. people are here because they are (1) new to tinnitus and have not habituated or (2) are part of a very small group of long time sufferers. Most people move on...
  20. eric peterson

    Different Sounds in Each Ear

    yes, I'd expect that unless your ETD is such that there is a ton of fluid behind your ear which is keeping your ear drum from actually vibrating, then I'd expect that even as your ETD cleared up that the tinnitus may well remain. I've had ETD come and go. I've gone so far as to have sinus...
  21. eric peterson

    What Has Tinnitus Taught You?

    I would sort of look at things as 3-month periods. months 1-3 I had very little improvement, and needed Ambien to sleep, and Xanax to calm myself during the day. Months 4-6 I saw a good amount of improvement. I stopped using Ambien and Xanax, and just needed to mask with some rain sounds...
  22. eric peterson

    What Has Tinnitus Taught You?

    It's relatively high. Loud. But not maybe as high pitched as some ppl's on here. It goes up and down like a siren. WaaaaaAAAAHHH WaaaaaaaaAAAAHHHH.... Like that.
  23. eric peterson

    What Has Tinnitus Taught You?

    I do believe exactly that. My tinnitus is quite loud. Unmaskable in almost any situation. Can even be heard outside in the streets of Manhattan. 9 months ago I would have said I think about my T 100% of my waking hours, and that it made me sad 100% of the time I was awake. I needed ambien...
  24. eric peterson

    What Has Tinnitus Taught You?

    At some point in the future, you will look back at this time (when you were new to Tinnitus) and wonder why you ever worried about it so much. Getting to that time is (of course) incredibly difficult. Overcoming intrusive tinnitus is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But I did it, and so...
  25. eric peterson

    What Has Tinnitus Taught You?

    If you're new to T, this is quite often one of the worst places that you can go to. Concentrate on the success stories. (Even those here can devolve into some depressing stuff) Just know that support sites for T are not at all indicative of the larger distribution of people who have T. (I...
  26. eric peterson

    Jaw Bone Surgery — Yes or No?

    I would take the advice of your medically trained professionals. if you're concerned after a first and second opinion, I'd go and get a third one. Surgery is nothing to take lightly. No one on this site has the requisite medical training to make a decision for you about this surgery, nor do...
  27. eric peterson

    In Labor... Urgent Ototoxicity Question

    Congratulations. Hope the baby (and mother) are happy and healthy.
  28. eric peterson

    I'm New Here (And Anxiously Awaiting Results)

    I would say the chances of it being an acoustic neuroma (or anything that is dangerous to your health) are incredibly slim. Very rarely is the cause of someone's tinnitus dangerous to the person. You've gone and gotten the MRI, which is exactly what you should do. Just relax, you've had this...
  29. eric peterson

    Is There Hope?

    Well said.
  30. eric peterson

    I'm New... Scared and Really Depressed :(

    Kay, it is completely normal to feel overwhelmed early on when you first get tinnitus. Know that the vast majority of people with tinnitus (even very loud, intrusive tinnitus) move on and live very normal, very happy lives. It is very rare for it to be a long term problem for anyone. But the...
  31. eric peterson

    Flu Shot — to Take or Not to Take?

    i took mine a few weeks back and no problems.
  32. eric peterson

    Morning Anxiety Struggle

    no worries, mate. you'll be fine. I sit with two people two offices down who were both in the military. Both have jet turbine sounds going off in their ears from years of working near military aircraft. Yet they're never bothered by it. You're only a few months in. It'd be unusual for you...
  33. eric peterson

    Morning Anxiety Struggle

    happy birthday, Natalie. try and enjoy your day as best you can. the first few months of tinnitus are a roller coaster, to say the least... even for the toughest of characters... to be dealing with young kids at home as well as one on the way is certainly making your situation worse. I can...
  34. eric peterson

    Hello All. Recently Diagnosed with Tinnitus.

    2 months in, and you're already having good days. I wouldn't have said that 2 months in. So you are improving. keep up the positive thinking/mindset. it goes a long way. good luck, eric
  35. eric peterson

    Is Your Tinnitus a "Moving Target" Too?

    mine changes in tone, pitch, etc. is always out of right ear strong/loud. can come out of left ear at times, but is more fleeting there. I gave up trying to figure out why months ago. wasn't doing me any good.
  36. eric peterson

    New Here... 5+ Years with Tinnitus

    habituation is very real. even for very loud T. Great story.
  37. eric peterson

    Back from the ENT, Are They Right?

    means you probably have sinus issues. eustachian tube dysfunction (i.e. the tube in your ear is having trouble opening due to inflammation) isn't uncommon. go and see an ent.
  38. eric peterson

    If the Cure for Tinnitus Appeared Tomorrow, How Much Would You Pay for It?

    7 months ago I would have paid many years' salary. Now after passage of time, something much, much more nominal. Maybe $2000, certainly not more.
  39. eric peterson

    Back from the ENT, Are They Right?

    #1 did the camera go in your ear, or up your nose? The eustachian tube cannot be seen through the ear. Gotta go up your nose. #2 don't know. You should try and get a reading on the pressure in your right ear. Do you feel fullness, or have crackling of your ETube?
  40. eric peterson

    Dread Waking Up

    It's only been a few weeks. It's perfectly normal to feel this way early on. Patience. This too shall pass.
  41. eric peterson

    Low Frequency Tinnitus

    lowering, and eventually removing your emotional reaction to tinnitus is really, really, hard (it's why we all ended up here:)). really the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I'm a few months ahead of you, and it wasn't long ago that I needed xanax to get through the day, and ambien to sleep...
  42. eric peterson

    Low Frequency Tinnitus

    Like @glynis , I also have two tones in my ear. One is quite high pitched, but the other is a much lower deeper sound to it. It also pulsates (e.g. like a police siren)... Good news is it has a pretty funky beat to it, so I've gotten used to it.
  43. eric peterson

    New Member — Life Story — Theory — Nerve Fibers & Tinnitus/Hearing Loss — Normal Audiogram?

    If you want to get on a specific diet, safest to speak to your doctor before undertaking it. There is no medical evidence to show that any diet will improve your tinnitus beyond anecdotes. otherwise, everyone on this site would be on it yesterday. and it would have long since been on the...
  44. eric peterson

    Chiropractor Made Tinnitus Worse?

    No, i haven't. But if it helps, then it helps. Give it a go....
  45. eric peterson

    Chiropractor Made Tinnitus Worse?

    Correlation vs. causality is a funny thing, particularly when talking about your health. You'll see no shortage of stories on this site attributing the cause of someone's tinnitus or the severe increase in someone's tinnitus due to something that is either a freak accident, or in reality, truly...
  46. eric peterson

    Antinitus Tinnitus Patch — Does It Work?

    If Antinitus worked, the company that made them would be zillionaires, and the story would be on the front cover of the New York Times.
  47. eric peterson

    It's easy to lie with statistics. It's easier to lie without them.

    It's easy to lie with statistics. It's easier to lie without them.
  48. eric peterson

    Close to Tears, Panic Has Set In Again

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. @Dr. Hubbard, and perhaps the other docs on here are practitioners of this method. It's basically therapy sessions that help (or should I say that helped me personally) to soften your attitude toward tinnitus, help you to cope with it better, all in an effort to...
  49. eric peterson

    Close to Tears, Panic Has Set In Again

    TRT costs dough, so I'm not going to push you one way or another on that. I know that it has some impressive stats for helping people. I personally used CBT (maybe 10 sessions) and I started to make a nice turn for the better around 4 months. I couldn't fall asleep with headphones on 7 months...
  50. eric peterson

    Close to Tears, Panic Has Set In Again

    Natalie, We're not. It's a support board. Post as much as your heart desires. But my feeling in general for my own recovery was that staying away from this site early on and staying away from wallowing was actually the best thing for me. Went out in the sunshine with my gf and enjoyed a walk...
  51. eric peterson

    Super New to This.... Need Advice

    (1) No idea. No one else will really know either. But since you're pretty new to tinnitus, and it was likely caused by noise (ATEOS is probably correct. you attended a concert. it was loud. you got tinnitus soon afterward. it's certainly not uncommon), there is a good chance that it will...
  52. eric peterson

    Free of Tinnitus. Or Winning the Lottery?

    you'll look back at this and smile a little someday. you'll feel so much better. tinnitus won't play any role in your life. and you won't be able to believe that you ever considered turning down the money.
  53. eric peterson

    Success: Another Newbie 6 Months Later...

    Hubbard was great for me. I'd recommend him to anyone. As far as tinnitus remedies, its truly impossible to know what is working, if anything. Habituation is very real for the great majority of people. So if you do anything, it might work. Stick your finger in your nose every day and drink...
  54. eric peterson

    Success: Another Newbie 6 Months Later...

    No. I did CBT. Worked great for me. I'm in NYC, and was able to see @Dr. Hubbard from this site. Was an absolute godsend for me. Can't say that it would work for everyone, but it has plenty of evidence to back it up as having efficacy, and anecdotally, I'm glad I did it. I know that TRT has...
  55. eric peterson

    Possible Causes?

    what you are going through now is entirely normal for someone who has recently begun to suffer from intrusive tinnitus. I used to lay my head on the pillow at night, completely sure that my head was actually vibrating with the sound of my tinnitus. Now I think that this is silly, and I fall...
  56. eric peterson

    Possible Causes?

    good luck. there's never nothing to be done. there's plenty that can be done. the question is, do you consider getting out and living your life and telling your tinnitus to eff off doing something or not? you can do this. millions of people have tinnitus. up to maybe 20% of all americans...
  57. eric peterson

    Possible Causes?

    Natalie, the chances that your tinnitus is actually dangerous to your health is incredibly unlikely. talk to your ENT. If your tinnitus is unilateral (only in one ear, or much louder in one ear), then you should ask for an MRI. That will rule out an acoustic neuroma, which is a non-cancerous...
  58. eric peterson

    Wondering What We All Do for Our Work/Job/Living

    i work as a mathematician/statistician for a large bank in nyc.
  59. eric peterson

    Success: Another Newbie 6 Months Later...

    Love hearing this. Congratulations on the speedy recovery (which probably didn't feel all that speed at the time)... eric
  60. eric peterson

    Hello, My Name Is Kathi Coats

    Great, now simply show us reliable and verifiable studies published in the juried scientific literature that these needles and disks work, and I'll buy them for everyone on the site.