Can Anxiety Really Increase Tinnitus?

[Tara Lyons]

I am new to tinnitus, going on 3 months. I have spiraled downwards the last month and I also have felt like my tinnitus is increasing. Can this be because of my stress level?

It has been worse after the shower, I now wear ear plugs & that helps. Never used to bother me before. I started acupuncture a few weeks ago so I don't know if I am aggravating anything. I can't calm down, I've never had a bout of tinnitus in my life and it consumes my every thought every single day. I miss silence so much it is breaking my heart. I cry every day. When this first started happening, I really only heard it in quiet rooms and it wasn't too bad. Now I always have to have something on. I also have sound sensitivity. I had one night where my ears burned, I had echoing, I also now have this terrible "loudness" that comes into my ears which is really scary. I stupidly have not been taking care of my ears and have done things unconsciously to aggravate them. I went for a drive last Sunday with the windows down and music going and came home crying because my ears were going nuts. and hurt! Then went for a walk that night with a friend, in the wind and cold, same thing. I have been more careful now.

My left ear used to blare into my pillow, now it's just a loud ring. Is that a good sign?

 

[Croaker]

Don't use earplugs in the shower! Although you may not perceive it, you are actually increasing the Db inside your ear canal. Anxiety absolutely makes tinnitus and hyperacusis worse. It's up to you to avoid damaging situations for the next few years until a cure/treatment is ready.

 

[KMc24]

Hi Tara, I'm really sorry you are dealing with this. I'm now about 25 months into tinnitus. I've had about 25 sessions of acupuncture. Sometimes it would seem to aggravate my tinnitus, but the overall trend is an improvement in the intensity and loudness of my tinnitus. When I first developed tinnitus it was very severe, and remained that way for about 8 months. At about 16 months I noticed another improvement. Now at just over 2 years it continues to improve. You must be careful protecting your ears. Please stay vigilant. I've had 2 audiograms over these 2 years with no change. I haven't lost anymore hearing, nor gained any. I've worn earplugs on the job, and avoid loud situations. I now pay someone to mow my lawn. Also, I've been taking supplements which may have helped The healing process. The fact that you believe there has been some change is a very good sign. Tinnitus often improves, but initially it can seem like living hell.

 

[Tara Lyons]

Don't use earplugs in the shower! Although you may not perceive it, you are actually increasing the Db inside your ear canal. Anxiety absolutely makes tinnitus and hyperacusis worse. It's up to you to avoid damaging situations for the next few years until a cure/treatment is ready.

What is Db?? They go nuts everytime I get out of the shower or I am in the cold. I'm irritating them.

 

[ASilverLight]

dB=decibel, the loudness of noise.

Anyway, stress can definitely increase (our perceiving of) tinnitus. It's incredibly hard, but find things that calm you down and distract you as much as you can.

 

[Michael Leigh]

HI @Tara Lyons

Something usually causes tinnitus and the most common is exposure to loud noise. Before the tinnitus onset, were you regular user of headphones or earbuds? Did frequently go to places where loud music was present? If you did this is the likely cause of the tinnitus. Tinnitus is intrinsically linked to our mental and emotional well being, so stress and anxiety can affect it a lot. Stress can cause tinnitus too as well as an underlying medical problem within the auditory system and many other things.

Please click on the links below and take your time to read my posts, that I think will help you.

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

 

[Juan]

Stress and anxiety can make tinnitus spike.

 

[Tara Lyons]

HI @Tara Lyons

Something usually causes tinnitus and the most common is exposure to loud noise. Before the tinnitus onset, were you regular user of headphones or earbuds? Did frequently go to places where loud music was present? If you did this is the likely cause of the tinnitus. Tinnitus is intrinsically linked to our mental and emotional well being, so stress and anxiety can affect it a lot. Stress can cause tinnitus too as well as an underlying medical problem within the auditory system and many other things.

Please click on the links below and take your time to read my posts, that I think will help you.

All the best
Michael

I use headphones at the gym!
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

 

[Tara Lyons]

HI @Tara Lyons

Something usually causes tinnitus and the most common is exposure to loud noise. Before the tinnitus onset, were you regular user of headphones or earbuds? Did frequently go to places where loud music was present? If you did this is the likely cause of the tinnitus. Tinnitus is intrinsically linked to our mental and emotional well being, so stress and anxiety can affect it a lot. Stress can cause tinnitus too as well as an underlying medical problem within the auditory system and many other things.

Please click on the links below and take your time to read my posts, that I think will help you.

All the best
Michael



I did have a hearing test though
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Tara Lyons

A hearing test is standard procedure for tinnitus. If you don't have any hearing loss this is not unusual as many people with tinnitus do not have hearing loss. Most gyms are noisy places and using headphones in such an environment is not such a good idea, because the tendency is to listen at too high a volume without realising it due to the surrounding noise. As I said a common cause of tinnitus is headphone use due to listening at too high a volume.

Please read my posts in the links provided.
All the best
Michael

 

[Orions Pain]

If you have hyperacusis you can have the type of tinnitus that gets aggravated by noise. My tinnitus also spikes like crazy after a shower. It also used to spike after I'd go on walks around moderately noisy areas (heavy traffic). It always goes down and many of us with hyperacusis seem to have the same type of tinnitus. This seems to behave in a different way than someone with just tinnitus without hyperacusis whom often just have tones that don't change in volume.

Things like a shower won't make your tinnitus permanently worse, or at least it shouldn't, but things like driving with your windows down blasting music absolutely can make it worse, especially if you're dealing with hyperacusis.

I would be careful with ear plugs as that can send you down a path you don't want to go down and make you overly sensitive.

 

[Tara Lyons]

If you have hyperacusis you can have the type of tinnitus that gets aggravated by noise. My tinnitus also spikes like crazy after a shower. It also used to spike after I'd go on walks around moderately noisy areas (heavy traffic). It always goes down and many of us with hyperacusis seem to have the same type of tinnitus. This seems to behave in a different way than someone with just tinnitus without hyperacusis whom often just have tones that don't change in volume.

Things like a shower won't make your tinnitus permanently worse, or at least it shouldn't, but things like driving with your windows down blasting music absolutely can make it worse, especially if you're dealing with hyperacusis.

I would be careful with ear plugs as that can send you down a path you don't want to go down and make you overly sensitive.

I've been much more careful the last couple weeks. My left ear used to BLARE into my pillow. It hasn't the last few nights. I've heard ringing but not any blaring. Like blaring to the point where I would have to turn onto my other ear and sleep on that ear, the noise was so insanely loud. I am *HOPING* this is a sign of slow improvement. What do you think?

 

[Tara Lyons]

Stress and anxiety can make tinnitus spike.

I can't calm down. I wake up in a panic every day. Should I just keep taking the Ativan/Valium I was prescribed?

 

[Michael Leigh]

I can't calm down. I wake up in a panic every day. Should I just keep taking the Ativan/Valium I was prescribed?

If your doctor prescribed you medicine to help calm you down and ease stress then I advise you to take it. Stress makes tinnitus worse and tinnitus makes stress worse. Stress and anxiety has to be kept low as possible as they have a direct impact on the tinnitus by making it more intrusive.

 

[Tara Lyons]

If your doctor prescribed you medicine to help calm you down and ease stress then I advise you to take it. Stress makes tinnitus worse and tinnitus makes stress worse. Stress and anxiety has to be kept low as possible as they have a direct impact on the tinnitus by making it more intrusive.

My ENT pretty much said the same thing but I seriously CAN NOT CALM DOWN. I am obsessed with this whole issue and think about it 24/7. I am going to take an Ativan...

 

[Michael Leigh]

My ENT pretty much said the same thing but I seriously CAN NOT CALM DOWN. I am obsessed with this whole issue and think about it 24/7. I am going to take an Ativan...

Your ENT doctor is correct so please follow the advice. This was the reason I sent you links to my posts. If you read the posts then you will understand the reason why you are pancaking and can't calm down. This is how tinnitus can affect a person's mental and emotional wellbeing. When you understand this then you will realize how important it is to take the medication to help you relax and calm down. When this is achieved your mind will focus less on the tinnitus.

 

[Tara Lyons]

Hi Tara, I'm really sorry you are dealing with this. I'm now about 25 months into tinnitus. I've had about 25 sessions of acupuncture. Sometimes it would seem to aggravate my tinnitus, but the overall trend is an improvement in the intensity and loudness of my tinnitus. When I first developed tinnitus it was very severe, and remained that way for about 8 months. At about 16 months I noticed another improvement. Now at just over 2 years it continues to improve. You must be careful protecting your ears. Please stay vigilant. I've had 2 audiograms over these 2 years with no change. I haven't lost anymore hearing, nor gained any. I've worn earplugs on the job, and avoid loud situations. I now pay someone to mow my lawn. Also, I've been taking supplements which may have helped The healing process. The fact that you believe there has been some change is a very good sign. Tinnitus often improves, but initially it can seem like living hell.

I just wish I could calm down. That's the hardest part. I wake up every day to this noise and it devastates me. I just want to wake up one day to silence, although I know that is not reality.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I just wish I could calm down. That's the hardest part. I wake up every day to this noise and it devastates me.

You need to take the medication that you have been prescribed, give it time and try and focus on doing positive things throughout your day. This can help to take your focus away from the tinnitus even for a short while....

Michael

 

[Tara Lyons]

You need to take the medication that you have been prescribed, give it time and try and focus on doing positive things throughout your day. This can help to take your focus away from the tinnitus even for a short while....

Michael

What is the echoing sensation I have experienced several times? SO weird.

 

[Tara Lyons]

dB=decibel, the loudness of noise.

Anyway, stress can definitely increase (our perceiving of) tinnitus. It's incredibly hard, but find things that calm you down and distract you as much as you can.

I can't be distracted at home even when I am cleaning or watching TV. It's too hard. I'm too consumed and I feel it's always worse at night!

 

[Tara Lyons]

I developed tinnitus for the first time ever back in February, I also have sound sensitivity and have had burning and echoing. Can someone please explain this echoing to me? It was really weird and happened only a few times but so strange...

 

[sssing]

What is the echoing sensation I have experienced several times? SO weird.

Hi Tara, when you say you hear an echo? Does it mean your own voice gets louder? You may want to google 'autophony/patulous eustachian tube' just in case...I just want to encourage you from a person who has been through the worst of my life with tinnitus and hyperacusis... Please hang on, I fully understand when you say what you say. You must hang on and overprotect your ears. @Michael Leigh and the others have been giving you lots of good advice and he really does it out of goodwill. It shows that there are people who care and understand what you are facing...

 

[Michael Leigh]

What is the echoing sensation I have experienced several times? SO weird.

@sssing has suggested some valid points as the echoing could be related to eustachian tube or something else. If I were you I'd try and take things easy and give it time for the medicine to help you calm down. Once you're able to sleep you'll start to feel better and see your situation differently.....

 

[Tara Lyons]

Hi Tara, when you say you hear an echo? Does it mean your own voice gets louder? U may want to google 'autophony/patulous eustachian tube' just in case...I just want to encourage you from a person who has been through the worst of my life with tinnitus and hyperacuisis... Please hang on, I fully understand when you say what you say. U must hang on and overprotect your ears. @Michael Leigh and the others have been giving you lots of good advice and he really does it out of goodwill. It shows that there are people who care and understand what you are facing...

Hi there...

No I've walked into rooms and I have heard an echo. Or trying to sleep at night it's just like the room is echoing or something. It's so strange.... I'm trying to hang on, this website has helped me so much. I've never had an episode of tinnitus in my life so this has been probably the biggest struggle of my 32 years of life...

 

[Tara Lyons]

Hi Tara, when you say you hear an echo? Does it mean your own voice gets louder? U may want to google 'autophony/patulous eustachian tube' just in case...I just want to encourage you from a person who has been through the worst of my life with tinnitus and hyperacuisis... Please hang on, I fully understand when you say what you say. U must hang on and overprotect your ears. @Michael Leigh and the others have been giving you lots of good advice and he really does it out of goodwill. It shows that there are people who care and understand what you are facing...

Thank you! : )

 

[sssing]

@sssing has suggested some valid points as the echoing could be related to eustachian tube or something else. If I were you I'd try and take things easy and give it time for the medicine to help you calm down. Once you're able to sleep you'll start to feel better and see your situation differently.....

Yes, I agree with Micheal that you should take the medicine at this point in time to help you calm down bcos it is a very traumatising episode! I find it very hard to calm down by normal means. Getting sleep helps you feel slightly better. Not sleeping is worse. This was the same advice given to me by my audiologist and doctor about sleeping. U hang on and know there's people here supporting you​

 

[Lilah]

Hi Tara, I'm really sorry you are dealing with this. I'm now about 25 months into tinnitus. I've had about 25 sessions of acupuncture. Sometimes it would seem to aggravate my tinnitus, but the overall trend is an improvement in the intensity and loudness of my tinnitus. When I first developed tinnitus it was very severe, and remained that way for about 8 months. At about 16 months I noticed another improvement. Now at just over 2 years it continues to improve. You must be careful protecting your ears. Please stay vigilant. I've had 2 audiograms over these 2 years with no change. I haven't lost anymore hearing, nor gained any. I've worn earplugs on the job, and avoid loud situations. I now pay someone to mow my lawn. Also, I've been taking supplements which may have helped The healing process. The fact that you believe there has been some change is a very good sign. Tinnitus often improves, but initially it can seem like living hell.

What supplements are you taking?

 

[KMc24]

What supplements are you taking?

I take turmeric/curcumin, multivitamin, zinc, magnesium, CoQ10, lipoflavonoid, fish oil, B vitamin, ginkgo biloba. Hope that helps!

 

[Tara Lyons]

I'm crying... why is this happening to me. I can't even be in a quiet room.

 

[KMc24]

I just wish I could calm down. That's the hardest part. I wake up every day to this noise and it devastates me. I just want to wake up one day to silence, although I know that is not reality.

It was really devastating to me as well. I'd never experienced true depression before this. As my tinnitus has improved slowly I've calmed down a bit which has resulted in better sleep. My sleep is still disrupted which affects so many things. I too wish to hear silence again someday.