Poll: Does Deep Breathing Reduce Your Tinnitus?

[Farkon]

I'm not sure why, but breathing deep, even when I'm alone in a silent room, reduces my tinnitus drastically, and I don't breathe deep in a way that's for relaxation. I noticed this when I was swimming last year and came up for air (I hear tinnitus underwater as well... go figure) and when I was gasping for air, my tinnitus subsided as I was gasping for air. Afterwards it returned.

I thought it was really due to water pressure or something similar to that since I went underwater a few times. However, a few days later I tested taking a deep breath again and had success in lowering my tinnitus while doing it.

Have you experienced anything similar from taking a deep breath?

 

[Tweedleman]

Well, for me, I think it's a case of just hearing myself generate noise louder when I breathe deeper/heavier, partially masking the tinnitus. If I hold my breath in a dead silent room the tinnitus immediately comes blaring back.

 

[MindOverMatter]

@Farkon, yes, deep breathing and focusing on the breathing tend to help me. It's calming, and stimulates the vagus nerve.

 

[Mister Muso]

Yes. Diaphragmatic breathing reduces my steady tones, which are the most troublesome in the night.

However it doesn't do anything for my ultra-high fluctuating tones, or my bass rumbles. Still, one out of three ain't bad.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

I noticed recently that my tinnitus can actually spike a bit from a deep breathing exercise where you breathe in deeply through your mouth, hold and then exhale through the nose. I don't know why that is.

 

[Lukee]

Be careful as breathing exercises gave me and a whole bunch of other tinnitus.