Can't Tell One Way or Another

[Clarissa51]

I've "whooshes" in my head for quite some time; I would especially get "whooshes" and "whirling" in my head when I turn my head to back up the car. What's that? I used to think...I told my doc about it once and he kind of just looked at me like I was probably imagining things....
Then it happend. February 24, 2008. My ears started ringing and they haven't stopped since. The stages that I went through: horror; anxiety; hope; agony; defeat; depression, denial, and acceptance.
Or am I just kidding myself. Is this all taking its toll on me and that's why I feel so 'down and out'?

 

[Jim]

Clarissa51, tinnitus can definitely take it's toll and cause all the reactions you describe. I'm no doc so I can only give you my experience. Counseling/psychiatry helped me immensely. It's what really put me on the road to habituation. My reaction to the T was out of control and it was running the show. I took some meds for a short while to help get my brain under control, did some reading on stress reactions and had some sessions with psychiatrist who helped me understand the body/brain reaction to T. I came away with a better understanding and was able to have a more appropriate reaction and interaction with it. Noise elicits a very primal reaction. It is our evolutionary vestigial alarm system. Try to react to to it for what it is- a sound that cannot hurt you. I don't mean to make this sound simple or easy-it's not. This is a what I did in a nutshell and things are much better for me. Look around this forum, you will find some good info and some great people and I'm sure someone will jump in here with some more advice. Hang in there.

 

[Allevous]

Clarissa, have you been to an ENT who has a special interest in tinnitus? Could it maybe be Ménière's disease?

All the best,
Jonathan