I joined this forum specifically to share my story of how i tackled tinnitus and won!
I have had tinnitus for roughly 7 weeks now and for 6.5 weeks i have felt depressed and borderline suicidal not only from the constant ringing in my head, but also from the 'there is no cure' comments from people on forums.
Now, what you are going to read is my case and based on no medical evidence, but it certainly helped me. If it helps one other person, then great!
My story begins, 7 weeks ago when i noticed a constant ringing in my head after a blocked up right ear and having both two ears syringed (why they did the left ear i'm not sure).
The ringing went on and on to a point where I was scared and afraid of going into quiet rooms as the pressure ramped up and so did the noise. Having been to numerous doctors and nurses who said it was definitely blocked eustachian tubes (i went through steaming every night, nose sprays, you name it...) i decided not to wait for an nhs appoint with an ENT specialist and decided to pay my £150 and pay for a private consultation. One of the best things i ever did! He told me my tubes weren't blocked and all the things i was trying to unblock them with was doing me more harm then good. He also said there was no damage to my ear drums...i thought 'ok great, but why the ringing?' He explained to me that it was down to the 4-5 day period that i had a blocked up ear and essentially deaf that side, that what i was now actually hearing (this ear splitting ringing) was over emphasised silence! His suggestion? To play a pod cast every night for half an hour just below the level of my tinnitus to get used to it. I have to admit i did come away thinking 'surely not'...However after 4-5 nights i noticed the level of my tinnitus improving.
At the time, i must point out, i was also trying acupuncture. I did 4 sessions, about £40 each, which i can honestly say helped too...The chap i had was great. He not only dealt with my ears but also the anxiety i was having about going into silent rooms.
The other reason i found him so useful is that 7 years ago he had beaten tinnitus too- his method, meditation. I asked more about this and he said that after 2 months of dealing with it and getting nothing from doctors he was recommended meditation. His method? To sit comfortably in an upright position in a quiet room and just listen to the tinnitus- he did this for 2 nights and by the 3rd day his tinnitus had all but gone. I tried this as soon as i got home...However, the ringing was so bad i gave up and cried after the 3rd or 4th minute. Dejected...i thought how am i going to cope with this? Am i going to have this for the rest of my life?
So i carried on for a few weeks, as best i could. Then something changed last Thursday night...i took control. I went around a friends and afterwards i just sat in my car and just listened to the tinnitus...it was loud (like a car alarm), but i thought no...you little sh!t you are not going to beat me....so i kept on listening to it. Then after 10 mins by concentrating really hard on it i worked out i could start changing it's tone and volume. Then i did my half hour podcast through the car radio (just below the volume of my tinnitus). What happened the next morning? I woke up...and the volume had decreased to about 30% of what it was. I did the same listening out for it for 10 mins, relaxing, determined not to let it beat me and trying to retune it that same night and the next morning it had gone down to 5-10%.
It's now Tuesday, so 4 and a bit days and my tinnitus has never been so good. Yes, it's bubbling away...i'd say 10% of what it was...but now i am in control!
If you are a new sufferer of tinnitus, or even an existing one...i hope this post gives you hope.. A lot of it is about mind control, relaxing and sheer grit and determination that tinnitus will not beat you. I thought 'b*gger this, live is short and i will beat tinnitus...it took me 6.5 weeks, you can do the same!
I have had tinnitus for roughly 7 weeks now and for 6.5 weeks i have felt depressed and borderline suicidal not only from the constant ringing in my head, but also from the 'there is no cure' comments from people on forums.
Now, what you are going to read is my case and based on no medical evidence, but it certainly helped me. If it helps one other person, then great!
My story begins, 7 weeks ago when i noticed a constant ringing in my head after a blocked up right ear and having both two ears syringed (why they did the left ear i'm not sure).
The ringing went on and on to a point where I was scared and afraid of going into quiet rooms as the pressure ramped up and so did the noise. Having been to numerous doctors and nurses who said it was definitely blocked eustachian tubes (i went through steaming every night, nose sprays, you name it...) i decided not to wait for an nhs appoint with an ENT specialist and decided to pay my £150 and pay for a private consultation. One of the best things i ever did! He told me my tubes weren't blocked and all the things i was trying to unblock them with was doing me more harm then good. He also said there was no damage to my ear drums...i thought 'ok great, but why the ringing?' He explained to me that it was down to the 4-5 day period that i had a blocked up ear and essentially deaf that side, that what i was now actually hearing (this ear splitting ringing) was over emphasised silence! His suggestion? To play a pod cast every night for half an hour just below the level of my tinnitus to get used to it. I have to admit i did come away thinking 'surely not'...However after 4-5 nights i noticed the level of my tinnitus improving.
At the time, i must point out, i was also trying acupuncture. I did 4 sessions, about £40 each, which i can honestly say helped too...The chap i had was great. He not only dealt with my ears but also the anxiety i was having about going into silent rooms.
The other reason i found him so useful is that 7 years ago he had beaten tinnitus too- his method, meditation. I asked more about this and he said that after 2 months of dealing with it and getting nothing from doctors he was recommended meditation. His method? To sit comfortably in an upright position in a quiet room and just listen to the tinnitus- he did this for 2 nights and by the 3rd day his tinnitus had all but gone. I tried this as soon as i got home...However, the ringing was so bad i gave up and cried after the 3rd or 4th minute. Dejected...i thought how am i going to cope with this? Am i going to have this for the rest of my life?
So i carried on for a few weeks, as best i could. Then something changed last Thursday night...i took control. I went around a friends and afterwards i just sat in my car and just listened to the tinnitus...it was loud (like a car alarm), but i thought no...you little sh!t you are not going to beat me....so i kept on listening to it. Then after 10 mins by concentrating really hard on it i worked out i could start changing it's tone and volume. Then i did my half hour podcast through the car radio (just below the volume of my tinnitus). What happened the next morning? I woke up...and the volume had decreased to about 30% of what it was. I did the same listening out for it for 10 mins, relaxing, determined not to let it beat me and trying to retune it that same night and the next morning it had gone down to 5-10%.
It's now Tuesday, so 4 and a bit days and my tinnitus has never been so good. Yes, it's bubbling away...i'd say 10% of what it was...but now i am in control!
If you are a new sufferer of tinnitus, or even an existing one...i hope this post gives you hope.. A lot of it is about mind control, relaxing and sheer grit and determination that tinnitus will not beat you. I thought 'b*gger this, live is short and i will beat tinnitus...it took me 6.5 weeks, you can do the same!
Member
