- Dec 17, 2022
- 5
- Tinnitus Since
- 2014
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Unknown
I'm new and since my tinnitus has rebounded a bit, I got interested in reading and learning more after largely being habituated for years. I'm 60 and in good health overall. Here's my journey if there is anything helpful for anyone.
I first noticed tinnitus in 2014 when I was undergoing SCUBA training. I'd often had trouble with my ears/sinuses as a child, and when I got a cold even as an adult my ears would often be clogged for a week or two, so I suspect I have some flawed Eustachian tube construction, either naturally or through early ear infections. The ENT basically said hearing aids were the only option. I did have some moderate hearing loss due to playing in rock bands, shooting guns, power equipment, etc. but I didn't suffer any real-world problems with hearing loss, though I did have hyperacusis, too. My tone is high-pitched crickets/teakettle. I'd put my baseline tinnitus at around 3/10 at this time--bearable, but it could be annoying at times.
I didn't explore any specific treatments other than "trying to ignore it," although at one point around 2017 or so I went to a tinnitus specialist. I'd been tracking my diet, etc. to see what caused any fluctuations or reductions in tinnitus and never noticed a real trend (aside from noise exposure, caffeine, etc.). She did offer a type of noise generator/CBT type device that seemed a bit awkward so I skipped it, but mostly she said I'd be better off just stop paying so much attention to it. So I did.
I started meditating with the tinnitus as the mantra, turning it into a neutral/positive sound. This seems counter-intuitive but for me the anxiety and obsession is the biggest challenge. I basically accepted that it wasn't causing physical pain and was just a background noise--"the sound of me." Eventually my level dropped to 1 to 2/10 and was not a major factor in my life, though I carefully protected myself against noise exposure. I could even play guitar again if I didn't overdo it.
About two months ago, I got Eustachian Tube Dysfunction, likely from allergies although I had no symptoms besides very clogged ears. A trip to urgent care, Neo-Synephrine, another doctor trip, Nasacort, two visits to ENT, and the stuffiness went away but the tinnitus was really bad, getting up to 6-8/10, making it hard to sleep, and sometimes it was just hanging on by my fingernails. I tried dietary changes (gluten and dairy free) for a few weeks with no dramatic change.
It is easing a bit over time, and because of my previous experience I am hopeful it gets better and that I will habituate again. Right now I am almost constantly aware of it even while I am engaged in something else. I see a specialist at university in January for an evaluation and complete testing (I've never had CTs or MRIs so I don't know if there is an underlying physical problem, but the ENT says I have no pressure or fluid behind eardrums.) I also get acupuncture focusing on sinuses and keeping my ears as clear as possible and I use saline spray/Neti pot a few times a day.
The ENT did offer some moonshot therapies like Neurontin and Prednisone but the odds/risk factors weren't appealing to me. He said two patients reported tinnitus reduction with CBD oil, which I often take for sleep but haven't noticed any effect on tinnitus (my tinnitus often gets worse at night, although not always). He also suggested CBT which seems like a good approach for me.
Based on what I'm reading and the outcome of the evaluation, I am likely to try a mix of CBT and maybe low-level masking. Meditation seems to help quite a bit, which may be more due to stress reduction than anything. Tinnitus is something I have, but not who I am. If tinnitus is largely in the mind, then treating my mind kindly seems, well, a no-brainer.
Good luck on your own journey.
I first noticed tinnitus in 2014 when I was undergoing SCUBA training. I'd often had trouble with my ears/sinuses as a child, and when I got a cold even as an adult my ears would often be clogged for a week or two, so I suspect I have some flawed Eustachian tube construction, either naturally or through early ear infections. The ENT basically said hearing aids were the only option. I did have some moderate hearing loss due to playing in rock bands, shooting guns, power equipment, etc. but I didn't suffer any real-world problems with hearing loss, though I did have hyperacusis, too. My tone is high-pitched crickets/teakettle. I'd put my baseline tinnitus at around 3/10 at this time--bearable, but it could be annoying at times.
I didn't explore any specific treatments other than "trying to ignore it," although at one point around 2017 or so I went to a tinnitus specialist. I'd been tracking my diet, etc. to see what caused any fluctuations or reductions in tinnitus and never noticed a real trend (aside from noise exposure, caffeine, etc.). She did offer a type of noise generator/CBT type device that seemed a bit awkward so I skipped it, but mostly she said I'd be better off just stop paying so much attention to it. So I did.
I started meditating with the tinnitus as the mantra, turning it into a neutral/positive sound. This seems counter-intuitive but for me the anxiety and obsession is the biggest challenge. I basically accepted that it wasn't causing physical pain and was just a background noise--"the sound of me." Eventually my level dropped to 1 to 2/10 and was not a major factor in my life, though I carefully protected myself against noise exposure. I could even play guitar again if I didn't overdo it.
About two months ago, I got Eustachian Tube Dysfunction, likely from allergies although I had no symptoms besides very clogged ears. A trip to urgent care, Neo-Synephrine, another doctor trip, Nasacort, two visits to ENT, and the stuffiness went away but the tinnitus was really bad, getting up to 6-8/10, making it hard to sleep, and sometimes it was just hanging on by my fingernails. I tried dietary changes (gluten and dairy free) for a few weeks with no dramatic change.
It is easing a bit over time, and because of my previous experience I am hopeful it gets better and that I will habituate again. Right now I am almost constantly aware of it even while I am engaged in something else. I see a specialist at university in January for an evaluation and complete testing (I've never had CTs or MRIs so I don't know if there is an underlying physical problem, but the ENT says I have no pressure or fluid behind eardrums.) I also get acupuncture focusing on sinuses and keeping my ears as clear as possible and I use saline spray/Neti pot a few times a day.
The ENT did offer some moonshot therapies like Neurontin and Prednisone but the odds/risk factors weren't appealing to me. He said two patients reported tinnitus reduction with CBD oil, which I often take for sleep but haven't noticed any effect on tinnitus (my tinnitus often gets worse at night, although not always). He also suggested CBT which seems like a good approach for me.
Based on what I'm reading and the outcome of the evaluation, I am likely to try a mix of CBT and maybe low-level masking. Meditation seems to help quite a bit, which may be more due to stress reduction than anything. Tinnitus is something I have, but not who I am. If tinnitus is largely in the mind, then treating my mind kindly seems, well, a no-brainer.
Good luck on your own journey.