Someone Please Help (Is the Masking Making It All Worse? How Does Tinnitus Jump Ears?)

[Marie79]

I can't take this anymore. I am so fearful of coming home at night because that is when I hear it most.

If I am outside I don't hear it as much so is the best thing to do stay outside most of the time going out different places? Then immediately try to mask it as soon as I get home?

I notice sometimes it seems as if the ring gets used to the masking so I can hear it over that and that is the only way I can get to sleep.

Is the masking making it all worse? How does it jump from my left ear to my right ear? I just please need help I have had a terrible day with this just crying all day.

I already suffer from anxiety anyway so I know I am just a prime patient for this.

Please is there anyone? I am having really dark thoughts. I do have xanax to help sleep at night but I am so scared this is it for my life and it's over.

 

[Dana]

Speak with @AlexSongitus to learn if you can still enroll in the AM 101 trial. You may catch the last train. Read the thread about the AM 101 trial. It is for acute (recent onset) tinnitus due to ear infections or acoustic trauma. Good luck!

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Marie79,

I'm so sorry you're going through a rough time right now, and I can totally sympathize. You're describing exactly how I felt about 5 1/2 years ago. I had mild tinnitus -- until I took a blood pressure drug, that made my tinnitus roar, and I ended up with pulsatile tinnitus as well. I remember crying and feeling that my life was totally over. But now, I'm back to living my life normally again, in spite of the tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus.

It does take time for your body and mind to adjust to this condition, but it can be done. And you're right --- since your tinnitus is so new, it really does help to be anywhere but in a quiet room. When you come home, a soft, steady masking sound will work, such as the noise from a fan. That's what worked best for me, and I still use a fan under my desk at work to help mask the sound. Right now, keeping busy and keeping your mind occupied will really help, and getting some good sleep will help, too. I'm glad you have the Xanax; just take it when you need it for sleep, and in time, you can wean yourself off it.

I'm not taking any sleep aids now at all. But I do take magnesium about an hour before bedtime. It helps to calm you down, and to help you fall asleep naturally. I think that NAC (N-acetylcistene) helps, too. It may help slightly with tinnitus, and will protect your ears from further damage. Another natural supplement that helps with calming is holy basil. I took it for about a year when my tinnitus first worsened, and it helped get me through some of the roughest times.

You'll find that things will improve over the next few weeks and months, and your body and mind will adjust to the tinnitus. You'll still hear it, but it won't bother you so much any more.

I'm sure others here will have additional suggestions for you. I just want you to know that we understand, we care, and we have experienced what you're going through right now. Things really will get better!!!

Please feel free to private-message me if you'd like; I'm here to help.

Best wishes and hugs,
Karen

 

[Dana]

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/my-success-am-101-trial.13653/

 

[Marie79]

Thank you so much for responding. I know also it increases when I get more anxious. I am desperately hoping it gets better. It really helps to hear the positive stories .

 

[Karen]

Hi, again, Marie,

Since you noted that the cause of your tinnitus is an ear infection, have you been to an ENT? What did he or she have to say? Are you on any sort of antibiotic right now? I hope the ear infection is on the mend. It's possible that as it gets better, your tinnitus may improve, too.

You're right; anxiety does make tinnitus worse. The more you can relax, as difficult as that is right now, the more your tinnitus will calm down. I hope you are able to get some sleep tonight. That will help you to deal with the tinnitus better, and make you feel more hopeful.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Atlantis]

Thank you so much for responding. I know also it increases when I get more anxious. I am desperately hoping it gets better. It really helps to hear the positive stories .

You need to ask your Doctor to prescribe you Klonopin. Take 2 mg twice daily and your anxiety will be gone.

 

[Marie79]

Is Klonopon better than Xanax? I'm so scared I will get addicted...

As far as the ear infection yes I have been seeing a great ENT and he is successfully been treating the infections but incists it was all outer ear infections. I Even got a 2nd opinion. The silver lining I guess is that I work from home so doctors visits are easier

 

[trocobob]

@Marie79 I dont suggest you to take any supplement ,
I got Tinnitus in the same time as you 01/2016 . I visited an ENT and he cleaned manually my left ear which has infection because of Wax accumulation .

In the first 2 month it was loud and I was affaid that it will be a chronic infection but i trained myself to accept it .
I decided to not isolate myself in quieters rooms , so I walk on streets with alot of noises ( car sklaxons ..ect) , I go gradually to the Gym with loud music ...
By this I can remove the Fear from loud Sounds.

you will feel better without taking any of those supplements .

Just give it some time and patience ...

 

[Cheza]

@Marie79 - It is not uncommon for tinnitus to compete with masking sounds and then the tinnitus seems louder. You want to keep the masking sound at just below the threshold of your tinnitus, so that you can hear your tinnitus above the masking; otherwise, your brain "turns up the gain" on the tinnitus, because your auditory system is designed that way, so it can determine what that sound is that it's hearing.

For some fantastic masking sounds, go to MyNoise.net and take a look at all the sound generators. Right now I'm listening to Noctural Garden, and it's amazing how well it's working to mask today's severe tinnitus. I thought the day was trashed for sure, but I'm able to get some things done by listening to this in the background. I turned the Prayer Call all the way down, don't want to hear that, plus I turned down the frogs. Now I've got some gently running water, the crickets, and a little bit of cicadas. I can still hear my tinnitus if I listen for it, but am able to tune it out when I focus on whatever task is in front of me.

 

[notquiet!]

Please hang in there Marie79. Yes anxiety does make this evil tinnitus a lot worse. Same with any other mental illness. I have to take lorazepam and use a fan or soothing water sounds to help me sleep every night now. I'm new to tinnitus as well. In fact I got my evil tinnitus on 2/13/16 Saturday at about 10:30 p.m. But mine was from noise damage. My bout with asthma and allergies is making my t unbarable. I bet since you work from home yours is very loud isn't it? I am very sorry for your current state. Please consider seeing a mental health therapist and join a local support group face to face. Please choose those wisely. You don't want to face this alone, but you also don't want to get in a group of people who are ignorant and insensitive toward this. Please feel free to contact me if you want too.

 

[Marie79]

@Marie79 - It is not uncommon for tinnitus to compete with masking sounds and then the tinnitus seems louder. You want to keep the masking sound at just below the threshold of your tinnitus, so that you can hear your tinnitus above the masking; otherwise, your brain "turns up the gain" on the tinnitus, because your auditory system is designed that way, so it can determine what that sound is that it's hearing.

Wishful...does that mean the masking music is making it worse? Or it's ok if I have those headband headphones (it's kind of like headphones but comfy like a headband) and not worry it's making it worse?

That is my fear that somehow I am making this worse.

Also how do you sleep if the masking is just below the tinnitus?

 

[Cheza]

That is my fear that somehow I am making this worse.

Marie, I don't think you're making it worse, but I think your anxiety needs to be addressed. As long as you keep the masking sound below the level of your tinnitus, you should be okay.

The purpose of masking is generally to help you habituate. If you need masking to completely cover the tinnitus so you can go to sleep, that's fine, but it won't help you to habituate any faster. You're so new to tinnitus, I think it will begin to lessen with time anyway, since you seem to do okay during the day but it's only when you come home to a quiet environment that it bothers you.

If you need masking to sleep, I would suggest a pillow speaker or bedside sound machine instead of having audio going directly into your ear all night. It's better to allow ambient sounds to be heard in addition to masking sounds. Also please try deep breathing exercises when you become anxious from the tinnitus. Drink a noncaffeine tea like chamomile tea or valerian tea before bedtime to relax your central nervous system.

Be careful about dark thoughts. It's so easy in the beginning to get overwhelmed, and almost all of us go through that phase of "it's over, I can't live like this," but for most of us it does get better and we adjust. Please read the Success stories and you'll see lots of similarities to what you're going through.

If you need Xanax to relax and go to sleep, take it. It is well-known for lowering the perceived volume. Just be careful because it can be highly addictive, and you'll need to taper off very gradually with your doctor's supervision. Tapering off is extremely important. Lots of info on this site about Xanax that will help you understand more about it in relation to tinnitus.

Yoga will help you, as will mindful meditation. Here's a nice 10-minute guided meditation for anxiety:

 

[Dansir]

Hang in there Marie. I had my T under control for many years until I stood in front of sirens at a parade. Now it is spiked up again, but I know in time it will get easier to live with once more. Patience is the key. It will get better once the brain adjust.

 

[TinaB]

Hi Marie...hope things are going better for you. I have only had tinnitus for 7 months but for me it did get better over time. I was petrified at first that I wouldn't be able to adapt/accept. It's very scary to think "it will always be here." No one in my family had ever had this, and I have 2 older siblings. My doc said I was "stuck" and prescribed low-dose Elavil (10 mg) so I am able to sleep and the anxiety level is WAY down now. But the best help for me was hearing aids with a masker. I have the Oticon 3 miniRITE. Hearing test revealed I was at a moderately severe loss in the high-pitched tones. The audiologist programs everything in her computer and it goes right to the hearing device. Today they installed a masker sound (either ocean or rainfall) that was so pleasant and relaxing that I was able to take an afternoon nap for the first time in ages without having to use headphones or CDs to mask the squealing in my ears.

So for me, I don't think the maskers are increasing your symptoms. I agree with Cheza that anxiety is a BIG part as the tinnitus is connected to the limbic (emotions) system. Audiologist said the other factors are smoking and drinking. Haven't found caffeine to be an issue as it is with some. Hang in there...I bet it will get better. Give it more time. In the meantime, don't be afraid to rely on meds or devices to help your coping. Best of luck!

 

[Jan124]

I can sympathize having suffered with tinnitus for 4 months. Now about 10 years ago I had a bout with tinnitus that was so awful, I had vertigo, but it went away in about a year, completely gone, or I just couldn't hear it. Lately I've received a new friend high-pitch tinnitus who likes to keep me up at night and it's very difficult to mask.

I could not figure out if I received it after I went to a musical because it didn't happen until that Wednesday and the musical was on a Sunday night or is this due to stress but in any case it is very annoying. I came off of Lorazepam which was very awful, so please do not take that like a vitamin, it has rebound effects on anxiety.

These things often heal or find a balance within themselves, the human body is a remarkable machine.
However anything concerning your nervous system takes very very long in healing. Hang in there.

 

[cj5suzy]

Jan can you describe what was going on as far as the vertigo? Like how long was an episode? Did it come out of the blue? How many times did it happen?

I am nearly 2 years into tinnitus with a feeling of fullness and hearing distortion and now recently have been having dizzy spells that last about 10 seconds.

Can anyone please who is having this also please let me know what you are going thru as well. I'm feeling quite desperate and alone. Thank you for your time.

 

[Jan124]

Jan can you describe what was going on as far as the vertigo? Like how long was an episode? Did it come out of the blue? How many times did it happen?

I am nearly 2 years into tinnitus with a feeling of fullness and hearing distortion and now recently have been having dizzy spells that last about 10 seconds.

Can anyone please who is having this also please let me know what you are going thru as well. I'm feeling quite desperate and alone. Thank you for your time.

The vertigo came from Lucifer. It was cruel. I quit my job had to live with my gma for a little while even though I was married with a son just to have around the clock. I had a low pitch hum and meduim in other ear at that time my vision was distorted when Vert
came on. The neurologist said it was vestibular neuritis and it would get better with the the dentist said i had TMJ due to teeth grinding at night he made me a splint. In hind sight it was probably both to some degree. It took like a year for it to completely subside. I got an adjustment from chiropractor and monthly messages from a sports therapist. At one point I had given up I just thought I would need to.go into a nursing home, but it just started disappearing so gradually I almost didnt notice improvements. I would judge improvement by the alarm chiming when I open the door. It would be very distorted and over time it got clearer and clearer.
Fast forward 10 years I have an ugly hisssssssssss. It was almost stinging me when it first started. Two trips to ER. I would wake up nauseous and have bowel movement at like 2 am. And that is was after about 2 hours of sleep. The nauseounes has subsided but the hisssssss is there day/night no masking can compete. I'm not as jolly as I once was but I'm hoping this is a nerve that got inflamed and just needs time to heal. Some of the people on the forum are dooms dayers, but depending on the source the stuff can go away. I miss.my 12 hour sleep session on Saturdays but 5-8 hours here and there is better than nothing.
Wish you all the best. The first time with this I spent a lot of time in nature walking park trails I felt this helped too. I have started back as the peacefulness relieves stress I may not realize I'm experiencing at the time and I dont hear the T when I'm hiking.

 

[cj5suzy]

Jan124,

Thank you for your reply. I haven't been on the forum for a while. I'm still suffering with this. No let up in sight. Right now sleep is my only way to have peace.

Good luck to you and yes nature walks are the closest peace aside from sleep one can get with this. I am hoping mine is due to a nerve inflammation and will disappear too. I refuse to give up hope which is hard to do sometimes but never say never.

Nothing is impossible. Take care.