New Tinnitus Sufferer

[Pat Seguin]

New here and a new sufferer sine February 2015 (I think!).

It started with hearing this high pitched wine in my head and thinking it was the TV, computer, or something else in the house. After turning everything off, I quickly discovered what it was.

It's been driving me crazy since but sometimes when I'm working or doing something else, I don't notice it.

It's a high pitch constant beep or hiss, seemingly on the left side.

On another note, I suffer from upper back problems and in this timeframe I've begun having dizzy spells when I stretch my back or move my head a certain way.

Dizziness alarmed me so I went to ENT and described everything. He did an exam and heating test and $180 later was told there is nothing he can do about the ringing or dizziness.

So many questions.

Anyone else experience dizziness with tinnitus? It seems connected to moving my neck but maybe it's all connected?

Any good solutions to reduce it? I read through googling about a trick where you press your hands over your ears and thump your pointer fingers on the base of your skull. I've tried it and every time I take my hands off, the ringing is gone for about 2 seconds and then gradually starts up again.

I use Bose over the ear noise canceling headphones at work but obviously I can't sleep in them. Anything you guys go to make sleeping a little better?

 

[billie48]

Sometimes I feel like most ENTs are just useless for tinnitus. But the dizziness may be related to vertigo. Did the ENT rule out vertigo? Also did he say you have hearing loss? I have hearing loss in the high frequency so my T is ultra high pitch. For sleeping, you can try a sound machine, sound pillow, or using ear buds of ipod or smart phone (but keep the volume down though), or having some masking sounds from PC playing TT's masking tracks as in here:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/panic/

 

[Pat Seguin]

Sometimes I feel like most ENTs are just useless for tinnitus. But the dizziness may be related to vertigo. Did the ENT rule out vertigo? Also did he say you have hearing loss? I have hearing loss in the high frequency so my T is ultra high pitch. For sleeping, you can try a sound machine, sound pillow, or using ear buds of ipod or smart phone (but keep the volume down though), or having some masking sounds from PC playing TT's masking tracks as in here:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/panic/

Yeah I'm not sure about vertigo. I can usually make it happen by turning my head a certain way. I am starting to wonder if my upper back/neck problems, dizziness, and tinnitus are all somehow related. ENT doctor didn't say anything other than I was having vertigo, said he couldn't do anything about it. He basically just looked in both ears (and said they were immaculate lol), up both nostrils, and gave me a hearing test. He said that I had moderate hearing loss. The hearing test comprises of some pretty high tones which I am sure I couldn't make out because my high pitch tinnitus was matching it.

Are ear buds safe to sleep with? Do they make the noise cancelling kind? I imagine I'd probably yank them out with the cord while turning and stuff. I'll have to Google about sound pillow, never heard of that.

Thanks a bunch billie.

 

[jimH]

Hey Pat,

My understanding is that Vertigo sometimes involves a perception that things are spinning. Check out this vid from a doctor that has had it and explains it. In addition she gives some exercises to treat the cause:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/vertigo-and-tinnitus.6868/#post-81406

Additionally, you can check out this info on webmd:

http://www.webmd.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?query=vertigo symptoms

Btw, welcome to TT and Good Luck!...

 

[Karen]

Hi, Pat, and welcome to Tinnitus Talk! I too experienced dizziness, and some bouts of vertigo, when my increased tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus first started five years ago. I don't have it any more; I think that it has to do with one's body and brain adjusting to the tinnitus, which most definitely can affect one's balance.

Yes, I think the dizziness/vertigo is probably connected to your tinnitus, especially since you've been suffering with upper back problems, too. Mine used to occur whenever I turned my head a certain way, and I was afraid for awhile to go places alone, for fear that I'd have dizziness when I was by myself. That was especially true when shopping (something about looking up and down, and from side to side made it worse) or going somewhere like a library, which involves looking up, down, and sideways.

Your body will hopefully adjust to this condition in time, but I don't know how long it will take. In the meantime, the best thing you can do is be careful not to turn your head too quickly, or roll over quickly when you're in bed, or get up too quickly from a seated or prone position.

I will add that I went to a chiropractic neurologist, because I was desperate to try whatever might work, and he checked my eyes, and noted that I had nystagmus (the eyes sort of twitch when tracking from side to side). He performed the Epley maneuver on me to reset the crystals in my ears. You can look up this procedure on YouTube, and try it yourself at home, or seek out a neurologist who might be willing to perform this procedure for you. The last time I went back to the chiro, my nystagmus had improved considerably.

I hope things begin to improve for you, and I'm glad you joined us here at Tinnitus Talk!

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Jelena]

Hi, I also have upper neck pain and experience dizziness if I turn my head a certain way or If I'm sitting for a long time in front of my computer. I am not sure if my T is connected to that, but I went to ENT and he told me I should do MRI..so I'm doing that on Tuesday..maybe you should do MRI too?

 

[Chelles]

@Pat Seguin have you considered it being bppv?

 

[Sailboardman]

Hi Pat, with regard to sleep maksing, go out and buy a sound machine and place it on your bed. if you sleep alone, this will work. Hometics, makes one for $20. it even has battery backup!

I had a bout of occasional dizziness, from a slight concussion in 2008. It dissapeared in 6 months. It usually occurred at night, while laying down. T started right after that, but was so mild, I could only hear it in really quiet situations. Then it also dissapeared, a few months later. In 2014, T came out of the blue one night and was loud and high pitched. Still is! Don't know if my T was do to the head injury, a virus or noise induced trauma? I doubt I'll ever know?

Good luck and God bless!

Sailboardman

 

[Pat Seguin]

@Pat Seguin have you considered it being bppv?

What is bppv?

 

[Chelles]

@Pat Seguin http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bppv