My Ringing Has Gotten Louder

[Mark K.]

Hi everyone:
It's been 2 months, and the ringing seems like its gotten worse. This week my ringing ramped up and is in 2 ears now. I was taking Ambien and Buspar, not sure if that was the reason why, but I'm in a catch 22, if I don't take the pills, I cant sleep, so I feel like have no choice. My mind is racing and seems like it cant handle this at all. I feel very depressed, I cant even hear my own thoughts right now, the ringing is so loud. I can't believe this has all happened in the last 2 days. I don't want to be like this, but I'm finding myself going deeper and deeper into a black hole. Can someone give me some advise.

MarkK.

 

[Jesse Pinkman]

I dont know all the reasons for increased tinnitus, but I do know one common one. Bad emotions against it and fixation makes physical changes in your brain. Youre improving the pathway or creating new pathways for your tinnitus by doing so. The increased volume makes you more fixated and anxious, and its a vicious cycle. Opposite feelings or ignoring it does the opposite. There is some solid science behind this and it does not only apply for tinnitus, but brain signals in general. It also applies for pain. If you can stop concentrating on a pain, your perception of it will gradually become less. It might be hard to believe how this can apply to severe pain, but it actually does. The problem is that its extremly hard to ignore severe pain and tinnitus.

 

[I who love music]

See my posts Back To Silence
and
Happy NEW Year

 

[Mark K.]

Thanks all! We'll today is a much better day. Not sure if the ringing is also triggered by taking the sleeping pills (Ambien), so I forced myself to get off it over the last 4 days. First few days were very tough, but last night I finally got some much needed sleep ( about 6 hours). Woke up today, and the ringing was virtually non existent, however, throughout the morning I hear sparks of ringing to remind me its still there. Not sure why some days and nights are good and others are a torture chamber. So I'm keeping a journal now notating what I eat, what I've done for the day, and how I went to sleep. For now, NO DRUGS....but we'll see as time goes on. I'm praying my mind and nervous system will adapt to the point I no longer concentrate on this ringing, and don't give it any attention. I've seen some of the members emails, where they've managed to sleep and function after they got used to their tinnitus, which give me a lot of hope for the future. A lot of the members, say time will make it better and easier to cope and function.

I guess because my tinnitus is so new, and it seems to change with each day, I'm still on edge and haven't acclimated to it yet. When I read my emails, my emotions are like a roller coaster, some days are depressing (2 days ago), and some days are fine (like today). Praying for consistent better days. Hoping my tinnitus levels off and stays consistent also and stops fluctuating all the time. Does anyone have same issues with theirs? And if does it ever just level off and stabilize?

Thanks,
Mark K.

 

[Kevin08]

I have two tones, one very high and a low whooshing one. I've started going to a Gonstead Chiropractor and I feel he is helping to tame the crickets a bit infact as I sit here now I can hardly hear them. Before my treatment this morning they were screaming in my ears. The low tone is still there but low tones are easier to deal with. Google it to see if it's something that you'd try. He said that he has 2 other tinnitus patients and the one thing that we all have in common is a neck that is way out of alignment. Might be worth a shot.
Kevin

 

[Jesse Pinkman]

I'm praying my mind and nervous system will adapt to the point I no longer concentrate on this ringing, and don't give it any attention. I've seen some of the members emails, where they've managed to sleep and function after they got used to their tinnitus, which give me a lot of hope for the future.

Thanks,
Mark K.

For about 95% of people with tinnitus, this will happen naturally within 12-18 months. The sooner your brain learns to not be afraid of the tinnitus and treat it as an intruder, the sooner it will stop paying attention to it. And even if youre among the unlucky 5% there are still methods, like TRT that can force habituation with a good successrate if you take it seriously . Just knowing your good odds may calm your brain down. So I thought Id share this in case you didnt know it...

 

[Larry OT]

Fluctuation of T is my story too.
It's important not to over analyze why. I still drive myself nuts trying to figure it out. I find tracking everything you do gives it a real obsessive nature.

Many have fluctuations but I've never found a reason.

It's just the way T is.

Do try and stay away from drugs. I went through a lot of them and they all have pitfalls. I'm stuck in some now and it's best to learn to live clean as possible. The price adds up and I'm paying it now.

Stay strong and learn to accept the noise instead of fighting it and fearing it. It can't own you if your in the drivers seat.