Inflammation/Increased Blood Flow Causes Higher Sound When Lying Down?

[Path Maker]

From a purely "blood pressure" and "ever-present inflammation" point of view, doesn't it make sense that the reason tinnitus "gets louder" when some of us lie down, is that:

there is a longstanding inflammatory process in the acoustic nerve, associated areas, and adjacent nerve structures which have become active to "compensate" (somatosensory tinnitus), AND, when we lie down, the increased blood flow to the head causes arteries to expand and therefore increase physical pressure on the inflamed nerve structures?

This has always seemed to be a good explanation to me and I rarely see it mentioned.

Everyone says "tinnitus seems louder when you lie down in your quiet room at night, because the quiet provides more contrast."

But I can sit in my quiet bedroom reading a book for a while before lying down, and the tinnitus is at one volume. AS SOON AS I LIE DOWN, in the same quiet bedroom, the sound increases.

I think that tinnitus is definitely related to a longstanding inflammation (whether that is caused by a prior acoustic trauma or any of dozens of other possible causations).

What are your thoughts???

 

[ruben ruiz]

Yea I think blood pressure is huge in this whole thing.

 

[Jomo]

i think you are totally right....over time does this inflammation ever get better? Thats why predisone seems to help...You would think it would...i am only a month in but it seems exactly like you say...right now its a slight nuisance but at night it definitely turns up a notch...is there any kind of anti-inflammatory out there that is not a steroid?

 

[Path Maker]

is there any kind of anti-inflammatory out there that is not a steroid?

I'm not sure that any drugs work well. There has been a lot of discussion about eating foods that bring down inflammation/avoiding foods that increase inflammation.

Each person seems to find, by trial and error, what foods may or may not increase/improve the tinnitus.

I think chronic inflammation is one piece of this puzzle. Of course, there are many other factors involved.

 

[Coyotesheaven]

You've made a valuable point that warrants more discussion on this site (about blood pressure's relation to T).
My hearing and T get worse at night as a result of me putting pressure at the back of my head and neck, which in turn likely put more pressure on my blood vessels and could lead to blood pressure changes. Of course, more blood does flow to the brain when on lies down, as you mentioned.
I definitely think there is a connection between blood pressure spikes (or abrupt changes) and T levels. That is probably what is going on with me too, given that I also have migraines (blood vessel spasms, constrictions, or sudden dilations) that have been closely linked with my progressive hearing loss and T spikes. I also have orthostatic problems that have a direct influence on my tinnitus and hearing levels.

The inner ear structures and nerves are extremely sensitive to even the mildest changes in blood flow, and will react when the blood flow goes above or below a certain threshold (T, hearing changes, pain, you name it). Lots or research ties the beginnings of heart or circulatory conditions to things going on in the ears, because of how sensitive of instruments the inner ears can prove themselves to be.

 

[Jomo]

i did sleep last night with two pillows on a slight incline with some masking noise (medium volume)....T was much lighter this morning and i didnt notice any spikes during the night....think i actually got a nice REM sleep....will continue to do this...i also want to note i always sleep with those airplane neck pillows so i dont lay on my ears....this helps so much

 

[Coyotesheaven]

@Jomo

Were did you buy such godly pillows? I long to have a comfortable night sleep which does not harm my ears!

 

[Jomo]

any airport sells them but here is a link to what i am talking about. its very comfortable.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/flight-001-memory-foam-neck-rest/4171713?cm_mmc=google-_-productads-_-Women:Bags:Luggage_BagAccessory-_-5038381rkg_id=h-1a8f95bea8e87764c839dd9387d8af2a_t-1475522244&adpos=1o17&creative=57182380553&device=c&network=g&gclid=CPWZ5dmsv88CFUxbhgodZW8D6Q

 

[Path Maker]

You've made a valuable point that warrants more discussion on this site (about blood pressure's relation to T).

The inner ear structures and nerves are extremely sensitive to even the mildest changes in blood flow, and will react when the blood flow goes above or below a certain threshold (T, hearing changes, pain, you name it).

And in thinking even more about this, I am now also going to connect increased blood pressure causing increased tinnitus volume to the theory of Dr. Susan Shore (discussed elsewhere on this forum) about somatosensory tinnitus.

I'm thinking that maybe it's not a chronic inflammation so much as that the somatosensory nerves which aid in tinnitus generation/persistence are nerves in a continuous heightened excitatory state. which is why any movement/pressure - i.e. jaw clenching, neck rotation, and, when lying down, increased blood flow which expands the diameters of arteries and therefore causes direct physical pressure on adjacent structures (the overexcited sensory nerves), causes them to fire more and heighten the tinnitus.