Is Your Tinnitus Quieter First Thing in the Morning?

[Karl]

Just out of curiosity: Does anybody have tinnitus that is quieter first thing in the morning?

Many times mine is much quieter when I wake up. I should probably count myself as fortunate, I suppose.

My tinnitus begins to increase in loudness in the morning while I watch the TV news when I'm drinking coffee. It's as though, whatever the nerve circuit is that causes my tinnitus, it starts waking up and the nerve cells start talking to each other.

My tinnitus sound grows in a way that is similar to the sound of cicadas. Don't you just love those little buggers? In Chicago, we get a lot of cicadas humming between June and August. About 5:00 pm, a few will start humming. Then more start humming back. Then the whole group joins in. Sometimes the sound of cicadas gets so loud, it's really hard to enjoy being outside at night.

I hope that someday, in my lifetime, they can develop a drug that will stop this tinnitus nerve circuit. Perhaps there is something already out there.

 

[Karen]

Karl,
Mine is quieter in the morning. No matter what I do, whether I slept well the night before or not, I can pretty much count on it being quieter at that time. It gets progressively worse during the day, and is usually at its worst in the late afternoon/early evening, and sometimes all night.

Since I have both ringing and pulsating, I want to clarify that BOTH are quieter in the morning. When mine gets really bad (for whatever reason), it's usually in the evening that I have the most difficulties. My pulsating has been so bad at times that it feels like my whole head is vibrating.

As you say, it could be due to nerve circuitry, or perhaps the flow of adrenaline in the body. I'm still trying to figure that out!

 

[DezDog]

Karl,
Mine is quiet until I listen for it. Once I notice it, I feel that I am reinforcing the "importance" of it to my brain and so it gets louder. My approach at this point is to say to myself "Huh! You're only loud because I've decided you're loud. See you later." and get on with whatever the day demands of me. I've tried avoiding coffee, but I'm not sure it really helps, but I like to think it does.
DD

 

[Tha_b_man]

Mine is strong and steady 24/7....

 

[Lorrie]

No, mine's "louder" first thing on waking and I'm not even sure if it really is louder or whether it's just more noticeable because I've woken up. If I'm at work or concentrating on something, I can go hours without really being aware of it. Mine is constant, like cicadas, so I'm thankful there's no changes in pitch or anything. Has anyone's tinnitus changed over the years, as in gradually getting better or worse? I think if it stays the same I can deal with it OK.

 

[Karl]

D.D. -Based on your recent postings, I think you may have what it takes to be a Tinnitus Retraining Therapist. You seem to thoroughly understand TRT. I wonder what it takes to get that type of work? TR Therapists can truly make people's lives better, which has got to be rewarding.

I think my tinnitus is due to my sensitivity to my surroundings. It's really hard for me to stop listening to things. My wife says that both myself and my younger daughter have "dog ears". At least I used to have dog ears..

I've just gotten home from work, wearing maskers on both ears all day. My left ear - the one that didn't have tinnitus - has this cicada type pulsating going on. It's like the swarms in the tress are talking to each other.

 

[DezDog]

Karl,
Thank you. It's hard for me to express the impact your words had on me. I've tried several times, but just - thank you.

What I do know is what worked for me, and I think I recognise myself in you. One thing that *really* helped me was reading accounts of people who had suffered and habituated. The hope it gave me was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I'm hoping that someone reads my stuff (starting with you) and it helps them along, even just a little.

The main thing for me was mental approach. I had a specialist tell me that my hearing was better than an 18 year old's. That removed the final obstacle to the negative thought "I've damaged myself by playing in a band". From that point on, it was all a mental exercise. I was sat in a kid's play gym (I think you call them Discovery Zone in the US), and I thought "this is loud!". I downloaded a sound meter onto my phone, set it on the table - 90db! I considered - people are sitting through this and living their lives, they're happy.

The following week I decided to return to my band (I'd told them I couldn't do it anymore). I took my earplugs (MusicSafe Pro), shoved them deep into my ears, and rehearsed with my sound meter playing (I looked like a nutcase, ears full and checking the soundmeter). It showed 87db at loudest. Now this *is* loud with unprotected ears, but it was *quieter* than the kid's play gym, and I had ear protectors. I considered this and reasoned that I could continue playing in my band. I freaked out the next day, not believing that I could have been so stupid, but that was still the anxiety. Had I made it worse? I had to fight those thoughts. I rehearsed again the following, week, and again, and then did a gig.

The lesson I took from this *after* the fact was that if I'd have given up something I loved, it would have made me worse, and given me a reason to feel victimized by the T. I didn't feel like this at the time, I was kind of experimenting with the reasoning of it - "if the play gym is 90 db, and people spend their saturdays there, I can surely put up with 87db for 3 hours with ear plugs".

It was also a way of saying "f*ck you" to the T.

It's only recently that I realized how important this step was. It was mentally important, and it was also important in overcoming the fear of loud noise.

My wife *also* thinks that I have dog traits! More related to my sense of smell, but I've also been told that I have super-sensitive hearing. What worries me a little about you is that you are hiding from sound. I have to be careful, because I'm *not* a therapist; but do you think you could go a day without your maskers? A morning? Perhaps not use them on the drive to work, where you've got natural noise for masking? Give yourself small victories. They all add up. Mine all added up. I still hear it, I just don't care about it.

The cicada thing is interesting. My therapist told me that we have a muscle in our ears that can tense in response to loud noises, clamping all the mechanisms down. It gives a sense of temporary deafness. When we have oversensitized ourselves to noise and our T, this can fire sporadically. I noticed it yesterday. She told me it's the same thing that makes your eye twitch after a long day on the computer.

You sound very much more sensitive than myself, so you have to find what works for you and decide what if any of what I say might work for you. I am particularly worried about dishing out advice that might somehow be harmful, but I also can't keep quiet about something that might work for others.

Gosh. That went on a bit...it was for me to write, I hope not too arduous to read!
DD

 

[Tom Barry]

Mine is lower when I wake up. In fact I sometimes dont hear anything for a few seconds. The volume will increase as the day wears on if I think about it. In fact it seems louder now as I write this. I like DezDogs approach. I too play in bands. One of them is really loud. I wear earplugs with that group. I know it is difficult to not pay attention to it but as the weeks and months roll on it has gotten better. I have ordered hearing aids because I am told that my high frequency hearing loss is causing it. But I think the best one can do is to keep an: I dont like it but it will not control my life attitude.

 

[Karl]

Tom -
Your guitar looks like my Yamaha SBG. I don't play it anymore. I usually play my Dobro.

On a few mornings, my tinnitus has been really, really low. Once I thought it went away.

DD -
Seems that a lot of musicians have tinnitus. My guitar teacher has a band, and his sax player has tinnitus and is considering quiting. My daughter's trumpet teacher has tinnitus, from standing too close to an amplifier.

I've been "back to wearing maskers" for only the past 2 weeks. I'm desperate, trying everything. I wore the maskers 4 straight months, then I stopped 2 months. Got 'em on, got 'em off... I'm up, I'm down.

I hate to be one of these people who "comtemplate their belly buttons", so to speak, sensitive to every nuance in their bodies. I think the people who are best at coping with tinnitus can distance themselves from their bodily senses. We're all built differently and respond differently to situations.

Tinnitus sufferer William Shatner is a true inspiration: "Trust me. You will get better." I've got to remember Captain Kirk's words on bad days.

 

[Lorrie]

Maybe play a new musical instrument in the evenings? It will take all of your concentration but in a fun way.

 

[mock turtle]

Karl

i envy you, ... no my tinnitus is not -less loud- first thing in the morning

count me in as one of those who hears it very loud first thing in the morning, which doesnt mean i cant spike later in the day, but more than rarely t is sometimes loudest in the morning for me

could be as DezDog says, its about paying attention to it... and since i dont dream tinnitus and i dont "hear" it in my sleep then, when i wake up... wham...slap... right in the face, it is front an center and i more than just notice it

btw i find playing (softly) a musical instrument helps to get my mind off the electricity in my head... it helps in a way that just listening to the radio or a cd doesnt not...guess its cause in actively playing , and i have to think about the notes im playing and that takes attention and thought-energy away from the tinnitus

best wishes
mt

 

[DezDog]

Karl,

that's interesting what you say about playing a musical instrument. In the first few weeks, noodling on my guitar was the only thing (before I got myself back to work) that allowed me to get entirely lost in an activity to the point I forgot I had any troubles at all. It was wonderful and above all, hope-inspiring - it told me that you really could distract yourself from it and that there was hope for habituation.

I hope you find more comfort as time goes by.

DD

 

[erik]

Karl,

Mine is also pretty quiet upon waking most mornings. It usually gets louder as day goes on especially evenings and nights. Like DezDog, even when real quiet, I am still actively searching for it so once I discover it, I hear it throughout the day low or high. There are times when I do forget about it every now and then when busy, but not enough to make a huge difference at this point. I am still annoyed by it daily. I just try to think to myself, I can choose to be positive and have a good day, so I choose to be positive. It is tough sometimes but constantly reminding myself helps.

I also play music and have worked with audio in a studio for many years so I too, think I have super sensitive hearing...it maybe toughest for us types for sure....

 

[gary]

Karl, Mine too is very quite in the morning, as I have my coffee and wake up so does the T and I too hear the cicadas. What type of noise maskers do you have, how would you rate them. Are they the same thing as generators.

All this just started about two weeks ago, having found this site this soon, after getting T is invaluable, I can't believe the help and wealth of information here, not to mention the support!!!

What really helps me, is knowing that it will not kill me, millions have it, hundreds here have learned to live with it by not giving it power over them. This is stuff I read here, it make perfect sense. IE When someone yells at me, if I get upset, that is my fault, I am letting that person have power me by what they say. Same with the T noise.

After 43 years of marriage I have learned to ignore/block out a lot of stuff I must say, do have a very supportive wife though.

 

[Karl]

Hi Gary.
I wear General Hearing Tranquil Simplicity OTE maskers on each ears (sometimes only one ear):

• Cost=$900 per ear.
• Yes, I think I would call them "generators", because all they do is generate white noise.
• How would I rate them?: OK. You must realize that maskers only make the sound less bothersome. You need to hear your tinnitus to habituate. You don't want to drown out the tinnitus with too much white noise. Supposedly, the habituation process takes between 6 months to 2 years. I am not there yet, therefore I've interjected the word "supposedly" to qualify myself.
• My tinnitus was originally in one ear, so I bought one masker. Then I read a paper discouraging the use of only one masker, so I purchased another masker. Despite this, my other ear has also gotten tinnitus "on" and "off", but not very bad. It must be age related.

There are other sound therapy devices for taking the "Road to Habituation" (sounds like an old Bing Crosby/Bob Hope movie):

• One device is Serenade Soundcure, which costs about $2000. This is being heavily marketed to veterans.
• There is a hearing aid called "Zen" which has sounds for tinnitus, too. (Chime sounds?)
• There is a place in Texas called Dichonics (http://www.dichonics.com) which says they have a sound therapy that can actually cancel tinnitus (about $3000). Based on what I've read, the Dichonics earphones are worn a couple hours a day, then "you're good" for a several hours.
• There's another device from Germany, called Acoustic Neuromodulation CR, which we can expect in the US next year, after FDA approval. Not sure of the cost in the US, but it's pretty expensive in the UK. Based on what I've read, this device is somewhat similar to Dichonics, although there are technical differences.

Other cheaper sound therapies that you can experiment with:

• Tinnitus Tamer ($35)
• White noise/nature MP3 sounds made by Jim on this website. Download them for free.
• You can also make your own sound files using NCH Tone Generator application.

The bottom line is, apparently habituation happens...eventually ...based on what I've been told. (How many qualifying statements can I add here?) Again, based on what I've been told, these sound therapies get you "down the road to habituation" faster.

There is a paper that I highly recommend describing the habituation process which my audiologist gave to me: http://www.tinnitus.org/home/frame/tin2_download.PDF
Please read this, because it makes a lot of sense.

 

[Fish]

Don't get me wrong, but what exactly is special about such devices that makes them cost so much? I mean, what is a difference between those maskers and an mp3 player with white noise? I know cheap headphones might not be able to reproduce high-freq sounds, but if you get some quality ones, what difference is there? I'm curious.

I put Jim's masking tracks (thank you!!) on my mp3 player and it helps me going to sleep.

 

[erik]

from what I was told a OHSU by a respected Tinnitus researcher, habituation would most likely happen to most people whether you use those expensive devices or nothing at all.

 

[Karl]

Don't get me wrong, but what exactly is special about such devices that makes them cost so much? I mean, what is a difference between those maskers and an mp3 player with white noise? ...

Fish -
The main difference is, maskers aren't noticeable. Someone needs to look pretty hard to see if you're wearing maskers, because they're very small. I actually have to point them out to people.

The other difference is, you can hear other things when you're wearing a masker. The maskers have these little tubes that don't block the ear. Headphones/earbuds are meant for listening to music, blocking the ear.

The high cost?: Due to, probably, because these things are very small and specialized, requiring special integrated circuits, etc. The fact is, the pricing is set by audiologists, and we are at their mercy.

But, yes, you are correct that if you listen to white noise from an MP3 files, it's the same thing as the white noise coming from a masker. Exactly the same noise. An MP3 player will do the same thing, but it's more clunky, basically. I have my maskers set at a low volume, almost to a point where I can't hear it. After a while, I forget they are there.

You need to also realize though, that I'm wearing these things from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. That's the idea: wear them a minimum of 8 hours. After 6:00 pm, "my mind is on vacation": I take them out, feed the cats, feed the dog, eat my Cheeze-Its and have a glass of wine or two. I'm cooked for the day at that point.

 

[Karl]

from what I was told a OHSU by a respected Tinnitus researcher, habituation would most likely happen to most people whether you use those expensive devices or nothing at all.

erik -
Yes, I have been told the same thing. These devices may make things more tolerable until a person reaches the objective of habituation.

Which raises another question: Does everyone habituate?

 

[gary]

Karl, thank you for that info, makes good sense to me, not to over use them, then you will never habituation. I blast the fans at night and did try white noise using just an FM radio where there was no station, it did block the T noise, but when I took the earplug out of my ear the T seemed worse, so I stopped the white noise.

 

[click]

Mine is louder in the morning - every morning it's louder than it will be during the day. It can still scream all day but the screaming will have been louder on waking.

Even when my T disappeared (completely) it was still there for a little while first thing in the morning. Some days (like today) it's just a tiny tinkle in the back of my neck and I'd be able to cope if it stayed like this - I could easily live with it. But I know that tomorrow it could be going crazy - loud, hissing and buzzing throughout my head.

Not knowing what it will be like the next day drives me crazy. It also confuses me. I keep asking myself the same question - how can something go SO low and then SO high. So I keep figuring that something must be changing it - the volume, the sound etc. And then I start trying to work out what it is that's changing it.

Instead I should be relaxing and saying - hey.. just think - you're getting good days and bad days - make the most of the good days and just get through the bad days... but I can't help trying to work out what's causing/changing it.

I also find it difficult to understand how people 'habituate' when it isn't constant - isn't constantly there and (when it's there) isn't constantly the same noise.

 

[Peg]

Im new to this. Mine is so loud all the time. I read in a book Tinnutis miracle that when you sleep there is something about the inner ear that mskes it worse in the morning. I just wish I could get it to quiet down at al. Dont know what treatments are out there

 

[Karl]

Peg and Click -
I also purchased and read "Tinnitus Miracle*" by Thomas Coleman. For those of you who have loud "T" loud in the morning, Coleman has the following advice:

"Morning Roar is common among many Tinnitus sufferers...Some simple ways others have found to alleviate this extra noise...

• Sleeping with your head elevated - by using a bed edge or several pillows, you can stop the congestion of blood in your ear canal, which is one reason why the symptoms become worse.
• Drinking something surgary like juice, tea with a tablespoon of sugar in it, or even a plain glass of surgary water. By raising the blood sugar level when you awake, you can ward off an increase int he morning ear noise. However only those who are not suffering from any glucose issues should try this.".

(*"Tinnitus Miracle" can be purchased from a website for about $50. Has a lot of information.)

I was wondering if this could also be due to a neck problem? Perhaps the position how a person sleeps could affect their T?

 

[click]

Thanks Karl,

I've slept with a mountain of pillows since this started because I suspected that my ear fluid is doing 'something' during the night and also because it's always worse when lying down (mine began at 4am when it first started - what used to be the middle of the night for me). It's just one thing on a long list of possible causes which gets longer each day. I think I need straps to keep me in the same position though because I slip down!
I have found the best way is to sleep on your back - ear fluid (or maybe blood?) is not swished to left or right then... hasn't stopped the morning screaming but it is lessened if I've managed to stay on my back all night.

As for something sugary - someone would have to pour it into my mouth 20 minutes before I wake up I think because I have a cappaccino 5 minutes after waking anyway.

The T starts before I wake when I'm half conscious and is there buzzing like mad when I open my eyes. So gone are the lovely hazy mornings when I didn't have to jump out of bed - now I move fast every morning and get up. Shame that sometimes it's still only 4 or 5am but moving around lessens it or maybe makes me less aware of it.

I wonder about the neck thing too (posture etc.) - it's on my long list of possible causes and it's also on my 'should I risk letting someone give me some treatment for this even though it may make the T worse' list.

 

[mike]

Karl,
When I wake up in the morning I can hear the Tinnitus very loud and it will stay that way all day.This can go on for 6 day. Then I can wake up in the morning and it will be very low and stay that way all day.This can go on for 2 to 3 days of barely hearing it at all. Then it just seems like it starts the cycling all over again.Really don't know what to make of this.
I tried to stop drinking coffee in the morning but it seems like it makes no difference at all. I have the zen hearing aids with 5 different tones. I wear them when it is really loud but they do not mask the sound. Takes a little edge off sometimes.. I am in my 7 month now. I thought I was in habituation some what. But it came back strong.
Mine seems to be cycling and I dont know what to make of that. I have not seen much on cycling Tinnitus.In fact I dont think most people have heard of it.I take pills everynight now to go to sleep. I do listen to rain sounds all night to help with the sleep.

 

[click]

Hi Mike, that's a good name for it - it's cycling! I have a couple of terrible days and then a couple or three excellent days and then maybe a bad or ok day but it's not a consistent pattern. My latest thought is that washing my hair (bending forward) makes it worse the next day - the jury is out on that one but I'm making notes to see if it's true. I don't take any meds - I'm too scared even to take vitamins and minerals (although I now have a cupboard full of them after ordering anything that 'may help' since it started) but I eat healthily anyway and always have. I eliminated a number of foods / caffeine etc. and discovered nothing makes a difference. I thought peanut butter was helping at one point but it was just coincidence. In fact even when I ate total rubbish (which I very rarely do) - pizza and coca cola - it didn't make it worse. I used to be a vegan in my younger days and so I have a 'thing' about the dangers of meat... that was one of the first things I cut out and then re-introduced. No difference at all. Nothing makes a difference - drives you crazy doesn't it

 

[Karl]

Karl,
When I wake up in the morning I can hear the Tinnitus very loud and it will stay that way all day....I take pills everynight now to go to sleep. I do listen to rain sounds all night to help with the sleep.

mike -
I remember how hard a time you were having at first. You've come a long way. I recall that you took gabapentin, correct? And your tinnitus disappeared for several days? Your testimony was one of most remarkable stories that I've read on this site!

click -
Apart from what Peg mentioned, I don't understand why some people have it louder in the morning. I was just tossing out the idea of perhaps a neck related issue, since we can put a lot of stress on our necks when we sleep, depending on our body position. Realize though that "We're the blind helping the blind", so take my opinion worth a grain of salt.

 

[erik]

I have tried every pillow on the market from expensive memory foam to firm, soft, extra firm, extra soft, contoured, beanbag, water pillow and the end result---my T is still about the same. I have good and bad days. Unless you have pulsatile tinnitus due to blood flow issues this will not help 99% of us. Poor circulation is not a cause for most tinnitus and will not help you (other than give possibly give you a better nights sleep) if you T is caused by hearing loss or inner ear damage.

Mike, I think most people have cycling tinnitus and I don't think it has anything to do with our diet, caffeine intake or sleeping on hard or soft pillows.

Karl, don't sell yourself short. None of us are really experts not even with our own T. We're all in this battle together and you've had some good info on this board.

 

[click]

Karl - I agree with Erik. Please, please don't stop 'tossing out ideas'. This place, your ideas and the people on this forum are invaluable. Don't ever hesitate to suggest anything - whether it's just an idea or something you have tried. I can't tell you how grateful I am to all of you. Maybe one day, one idea will work - and it may only need to be something someone has tossed out as a 'thought'.

 

[Louise]

My tinnitus is quieter in the first few seconds after I wake up. Once or twice I've thought it had gone, just for those first few seconds. Then after that it does seem quieter for some minutes after waking if I can manage to not get too anxious about it.
I had a thought that it might be quieter in the morning because my ears have had a rest from noise overnight and that's what they need to heal.

Something that baffles me about the people with tinnitus that changes from day to day (quiet days then loud days) is that it seems to go against one of the main theories of the mechanisms of tinnitus. The theory Im talking of is the one which says that the perception of the tinnitus 'sound' is caused by the neurons which are deprived of sound due to hearing loss 'chattering' then all getting together and chattering 'synchronously' and therefore forming a pathway. If a neural pathway had been created by these synchonously mis-firing neurons then it wouldnt suddenly stop one day and then start up again the next would it? The theory of the synchronous neurons is what the Acoustic CR Neuromodulator works on. Maybe that's why it only works on some people, because their tinnitus is due to the synchronous neurons and some people's tinnitus is not.