Concentration Problems?

[TEL]

I am an 17 year old female, and I think I have pulsatile tinnitus. I have a constant whooshing heartbeat in my right ear, that I can stop it by putting pressure on my jugular.

I've been experiencing this for about four months. I'm also having trouble concentrating. I used to do really well in school, but my marks have been dropping. It's difficult to study, especially since the whooshing sound is a lot more noticeable in quiet environments. I'm also having trouble making it through movies or TV shows, and tend to zone out, which is weird because I love watching movies.

I'm mainly concerned about this since it's my senior year of high school, and final exams are coming up. I've told my doctor about the whooshing sound. I'm being refered to a specialist, but I haven't told my parents or teachers about my trouble concentrating as I'm worried I'm just making excuses for myself.

I was wondering, does anyone else think that they're having concentration problems due to the tinnitus?

 

[LadyDi]

Hi, @TEL: Yes, I think a lot of people have trouble concentrating when they have tinnitus. I know I do. When I am doing something, like writing, in a quiet environment, I listen to really light music with no words (like classical music), played at a very low volume, through head phones. Or listen to a "white noise" masking sound through an app I have on my phone. Here is the one I use, but there are others. You can pick the sound that works best of you or even make your own mix. I like "air conditioner" and the purring cat.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/white-noise-free-sounds-for/id292987597?mt=8

 

[Lea88]

Hey, I do have concentration problems due to the tinnitus. It was really bad during my university finals, however you can use white noise or background music to help with concentrating. It helped me at least. On a different note, if it is harming your grades, you may want to tell a teacher at school as they could help you in terms of support, so for example, if you are unable to sit an exam in a completely silent room they may accommodate this and put you in another room with background music or even give you more time.

 

[TEL]

@LadyDi , @Lea88
Thanks

 

[Bessie]

Hi @TEL. Yes it is hard to concentrate with this pulsative tinnitus. I had it for a week but it's not as bad as it was. Have you ever consider trying Vitamin b12 and zinc. That helps. But I believe you should tell your parents so they can support you. It was hard for me to tell my mom but I did because I need support. I will keep you and everyone else in my prayers who are struggling with this. It is not easy. God bless

 

[TEL]

Thanks @Bessie , best of luck to you too.

 

[Cityjohn]

Good news, pulsative tinnitus caused by bloodflow can be helped. Tell your parents, and tell your schoolteachers. It's an illness and that is genuinely affecting your concentration and you deserve extra time while taking exams.

 

[Ecip]

Good news, pulsative tinnitus caused by bloodflow can be helped. Tell your parents, and tell your schoolteachers. It's an illness and that is genuinely affecting your concentration and you deserve extra time while taking exams.

This.
See a doctor, get referred to an ENT.

 

[TEL]

Thanks @Cityjohn , @Ecip , I talked to my doctor and am waiting on a referal to an ENT doctor.

 

[suze]

I am an 17 year old female, and I think I have pulsatile tinnitus. I have a constant whooshing heartbeat in my right ear, that I can stop it by putting pressure on my jugular.

I've been experiencing this for about four months. I'm also having trouble concentrating. I used to do really well in school, but my marks have been dropping. It's difficult to study, especially since the whooshing sound is a lot more noticeable in quiet environments. I'm also having trouble making it through movies or TV shows, and tend to zone out, which is weird because I love watching movies.

I'm mainly concerned about this since it's my senior year of high school, and final exams are coming up. I've told my doctor about the whooshing sound. I'm being refered to a specialist, but I haven't told my parents or teachers about my trouble concentrating as I'm worried I'm just making excuses for myself.

I was wondering, does anyone else think that they're having concentration problems due to the tinnitus?

Yes! Terrible concentration problems since it started. Found myself on a 12 hour shift with two critically ill patients. I NEVER had problems calculating and keeping all my drips in my memory before. Scared me to think.....only one tiny miscalculation and I could kill someone... Had a massive pounding headache and the pulsating RING RING RING started. I took a medical leave of absence thinking it was temporary.......but for me, no such luck. Can't think straight. I can't feel my soul anymore. I'm a RINGING empty shell with a never ending headache.

 

[Karen]

Yes, I agree that pulsatile tinnitus makes it very hard to concentrate. I've had pulsatile tinnitus for six years now, and in the beginning, it was almost impossible for me to concentrate on anything. I've always been a voracious reader, and I had to give up my beloved reading for awhile because of it.

Now, however, after six years, I have somehow trained my brain to ignore it (not easy, with the constant whooshing going on 24/7!), so that I'm back to reading again -- and I've also joined a book club! It was a slow, gradual process; I started out reading small articles, and working simple crossword puzzles. Slowly, I incorporated longer articles, then tried reading a book of short stories. With perseverance, I trained myself to get back to reading again.

What helped me the most was returning to work, after being retired for a short time. I have found that work has helped me to focus outside myself, and forget about my pulsating for awhile.

Please don't give up; get checked out by a doctor, to be sure you don't have any conditions that need to be treated. If you get a clean bill of health, I believe things will begin to improve for you, if you give it some time and effort.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[suze]

Yes! Terrible concentration problems since it started. Found myself on a 12 hour shift with two critically ill patients. I NEVER had problems calculating and keeping all my drips in my memory before. Scared me to think.....only one tiny miscalculation and I could kill someone... Had a massive pounding headache and the pulsating RING RING RING started. I took a medical leave of absence thinking it was temporary.......but for me, no such luck. Can't think straight. I can't feel my soul anymore. I'm a RINGING empty shell with a never ending headache.

TEL: In retrospect I can see how negative my previous post was. Please don't despair. In many cases of pulsitile tinnitus the medical cause is found. Sometimes it just goes away on its own. If neither of these happens for you, take heart and remember what Karen has said, she seems very wise. ♡

 

[Mentos]

Me too have big concentration problems, even though my T is mild and not pulsatile. Before T onset I used to work and concentrate in silence, now no matter if I mask or not I have difficulties to concentrate. I have problems at meetings to follow conversations and to actively particiapte since I often loose a thread. T is a bastard condition that can affect almost every aspect of your life: concentration, relaxation, entertainment. Even though I had some health and personal problems in the past now I see life was a piece of cake before T.