How Do You Deal with Your Tinnitus While Meditating?

[Mister Muso]

I used to listen to meditations and relaxations regularly before tinnitus. Since tinnitus I find it more difficult, but if I do, it's likely to be a breathing meditation that focuses on the sound and feel of your breath. Having low level background sound helps too.

My current favourite is this audiobook, Deep Breathing Relaxation Meditation by Mindfulness Training. I often fall asleep whilst listening and it always helps to calm my stress-related breathing difficulties.

Here is the Audible link for the UK. It's an American voice so I'm sure it can be found elsewhere too.

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B07Q7SW1X7?source_code=ASSOR150021921000V

 

[Eddie Koala]

I got tinnitus in 2014 and at the time i thought my life was over. It bothered me a great bit for 2 years, and meditation is a huge part of my life. I thought i would never be able to properly meditate again. It was so painful where it was all i would think about every day.

But the good news is that it did nearly all go away for me. and i believe it will for you too in time. There is still a tiny bit of ringing if i concentrate really hard on it. But i now go months without even thinking about my once debilitating condition.

In the beginning of getting any condition it is extremely hard. and im sorry that you are going through what you are going through. I was there too, i know the feeling. at least for me it was helpless and sorrowful and that everything was over. One of the darkest periods of my life. But now i look back and laugh at it. Time really does heal.

In meditation, if it bothers you can do many things. There was a time when i meditated where i would only focus on the noise and ringing, concentrating deeply on it. i did it for hours over the span of many months. and i believe this helps. "Look fear in the face and it will cease to bother you" my teacher once said. You can also use white noise to help for a bit. or a guided meditation. but eventually you will have to face it head on. and overall remember that even though it feels horrible now, it. is. not. the. end. you will get used to it, it WILL fade into the background of your life, and it will heal. I know its hard to believe in the moment, but having gone through it myself. You will too. Have faith, have strength, have hope. You will not be lost.

"Pain is the prod to remembrance". We grow from our struggles, not from an easy life.

 

[UKBloke]

Things are significantly better now, thanks.

How are you doing?

Glad to hear you're doing well man.

I'm up and down to be honest. 25 years of tinnitus but during that time I'd never have said I was a tinnitus 'sufferer'. The volume increase since the self-induced worsening 5 years ago has been a rough ride though, particularly the past 6 months since mild hyperacusis set in. I was interested to try Lenire at one point, but will probably wait it out to see if the Shore device ever makes it to market. I did manage to get an appointment at my ENT Tinnitus Clinic but in all honesty it was farcical - when the audiologist told me I had to make tinnitus my 'friend' then printed out a load of pages from the BTA website I kind of gave up. Really, the only thing now that gives me a few hours proper relief is building work in and around the house. At least the missus is happy!

 

[Sean]

I got tinnitus in 2014 and at the time i thought my life was over. It bothered me a great bit for 2 years, and meditation is a huge part of my life. I thought i would never be able to properly meditate again. It was so painful where it was all i would think about every day.

But the good news is that it did nearly all go away for me. and i believe it will for you too in time. There is still a tiny bit of ringing if i concentrate really hard on it. But i now go months without even thinking about my once debilitating condition.

In the beginning of getting any condition it is extremely hard. and im sorry that you are going through what you are going through. I was there too, i know the feeling. at least for me it was helpless and sorrowful and that everything was over. One of the darkest periods of my life. But now i look back and laugh at it. Time really does heal.

In meditation, if it bothers you can do many things. There was a time when i meditated where i would only focus on the noise and ringing, concentrating deeply on it. i did it for hours over the span of many months. and i believe this helps. "Look fear in the face and it will cease to bother you" my teacher once said. You can also use white noise to help for a bit. or a guided meditation. but eventually you will have to face it head on. and overall remember that even though it feels horrible now, it. is. not. the. end. you will get used to it, it WILL fade into the background of your life, and it will heal. I know its hard to believe in the moment, but having gone through it myself. You will too. Have faith, have strength, have hope. You will not be lost.

"Pain is the prod to remembrance". We grow from our struggles, not from an easy life.

Beautiful message. Thanks for sharing. I have had a spike since 12-1-21 after taking a statin for one month. It's been few days but these were darkest days of my life. What helped me was counseling by therapist. I would say repeat mantra "AUm Namah shivay"and it helped me a few times to go to sleep.

 

[BigNick]

Glad to hear you're doing well man.

I'm up and down to be honest. 25 years of tinnitus but during that time I'd never have said I was a tinnitus 'sufferer'. The volume increase since the self-induced worsening 5 years ago has been a rough ride though, particularly the past 6 months since mild hyperacusis set in. I was interested to try Lenire at one point, but will probably wait it out to see if the Shore device ever makes it to market. I did manage to get an appointment at my ENT Tinnitus Clinic but in all honesty it was farcical - when the audiologist told me I had to make tinnitus my 'friend' then printed out a load of pages from the BTA website I kind of gave up. Really, the only thing now that gives me a few hours proper relief is building work in and around the house. At least the missus is happy!

Lenire might help a little. Before I used it, my brain was locked to my tinnitus. What happens now is that I'm drawn towards other sounds, like my own footsteps, the crunch of leaves, birds, traffic, wind, chatter.

Hopefully Dr. Shore's device will be better, I will definitely try and get it.

Dr. Will Sedley's sound therapy helped me as well, I think sometimes I forget how bad my tinnitus was, so I'd recommend that as well.

I've found sound therapy in general helpful, If you can find three or four things and rotate them you might find it helpful. I've made some of my own, very simple and tailored to my own tinnitus.

I have a somatic element to my tinnitus and have found stretching and sleeping on one pillow instead of two often means milder days.

A big thing for me is that I've started making music again which I thought I'd lost forever.

Don't get me wrong, I still have bad days and still detest my tinnitus but it's not catastrophic anymore.

Best of luck mate, hang in there.

 

[DebInAustralia]

I checked her website. I wonder how many Tinnitus Talk members have taken the course.

I am currently doing her online course. I have briefly read that meditating can increase glutamate in the prefrontal cortex, which enhances neuroplasticity.

 

[DebInAustralia]

When I first got tinnitus in 2018 and was in crisis I forced myself to meditate in silence. I had multiple tinnitus sounds and during the meditation I would often find not just the volume but number of sounds would reduce. Unfortunately, the tinnitus would ramp up again very soon afterwards. I'm aware of some other people that have experienced something similar.

I was in hell at that time but forced myself to do it, it helped get me through a really dark time. Furthermore, I think if you can get into meditation you might find it will help you sleep.

Would you mind sharing how you meditated please? I am very interested in this approach.

 

[BigNick]

Would you mind sharing how you meditated please? I am very interested in this approach.

I did it in quiet room, no background noise, lying on bed or floor and you just anchor your attention to your breathing, when your mind wanders just draw it back to your breathing.

Try and focus on the sensation of air coming in through your nose and your belly going up and down.

I forced myself to do it when I was in crisis, the tinnitus would reduce pretty much every time but could take 20 minutes+ before it calmed down.

If you prefer guided meditation, then John Kabat Zinn is a good place to start.

 

[Vincent R]

Pre-COVID-19, I used to do Yoga but then the gyms closed. Now that my tinnitus has spiked and isn't seeming to go down, I was wondering about getting back into Yoga and adding Meditation.

But my biggest problem is, with meditation, as it's quiet internal focus based, all I hear is that darn ringing (2 high pitch tones and a much much lower rumble).

Does anyone here meditate? And if so, how do you deal with your tinnitus while doing it?

And of course, does meditation help you with your tinnitus, be it habituation or just calm?

Any help is appreciated.

I've been meditating for nearly three decades, and I´ve suffered from tinnitus for eight years. My experience is that meditating with tinnitus is perfectly possible, but requires more effort and handpicked techniques.

Sitting down with your legs crossed and focus on your breathing? Very difficult. Qi Gong, which means you focus on your movements/energy flow, works better. My favourite method is a whole-body meditation described in the following thread:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/meditation-practice-to-deal-with-tinnitus-suffering.8165/

(The post is poorly written, but the info should be accessible nevertheless. For some reason, whole-body meditation of this kind seems to be unusual even though it is a very basic technique.)

For me, meditation provides huge health benefits, which means I am more capable of enduring tinnitus.

 

[Vicki14]

I have meditated every day (often twice) for about 4 months (still waiting on any kind of change from it). I meditate with low ambience sound, in the background. Sitting in silence gives me a panic attack in only a couple minutes. Not possible. Even with a bit of sound it's still hard.

Agree, I need to have some form of masking on as I can't bear the silence and is just not conducive to meditation when all you can hear is the screeching in your head! It's very very frustrating.