Tinnitus Began First Week of June 2020 After Wim Hof Breathing

[Lukee]

This is an article hosted by University or Ottawa. It has 8 ways to manually stimulate the vagus nerve. One of the items on the list is Omega-3 fatty acids. I found that interesting as I have been finding a small positive effect. Also, cold exposure. I was still do cold exposure up until today as I was worried it was raising my blood pressure but maybe it has been helping over the last few days. Just thought it was an interesting read.

I also found this very interesting!

https://www.lifeworksofmaine.com/services

Using sound therapy to trigger the vagus nerve. If you read it, it's crazy how it mentions clogged ears and being able to drain them using this sound protocol.

L

 

[Adam Sutcliffe]

Hi All,

Firstly, thank you! I no longer feel alone in having to cope with this.

I've had tinnitus for about 20 years probably caused, like @Ross Duncan 's, by an errant youth. After doing WMH breathing everyday for the past 2 months I've noticed the familiar 'eeee' is more potent than it's ever been. Which is a real shame as the breathing technique had a profound affect on my ADHD, I slowly discovered that I could concentrate again and that my anxiety had gone.

As such, @MrC6688 thank you so much for all your research! I shall embrace your findings to both reduce the ringing but also calm the vagus.

I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,

Adam

 

[MrC6688]

I didn't want to post brands but the pills are Omega MonoPure by Xymogen. It's one of those "professionals only" companies. I trust my doctor's advice so I'm taking them. With that being said, I took NeutraSea Omega-3 oil for two days before I started the Xymogen pills today and noticed the same result. So I think any Omega-3 fish oil might work.

I agree with being able to activate parasympathetic response through the vagus nerve. I read @Csani90's post about the herbs for rebalancing and it's pretty insightful. I also found a few articles pertaining to vagus nerve stimulation devices. Here is one such site:

https://www.caringmedical.com/can-repair-vagus-nerves/

I am going to reach out to a neurologist and see if it's accepted medical practice or just hocus pocus gimmicks, otherwise it looks promising.

@Drachen, thanks for your kind words. We are figuring that together we are stronger and hopefully we can come to a solution to help a community at large. We are lucky to have found each other and be able to offer insight and support.

Unfortunately, on some other forums it's like hearsay if you even mention any negative implications from WHM, even if you aren't being critical.

Anyway, hopefully we keep on plugging away and we can continue to discover new info.

L

Very cool. Let us know what your neurologist says about the vagus nerve stimulation device. Here's one I came across from a UK based company, interesting concept:
https://www.parasym.co/parasym-device-transcutaneous-vagus-nerve-stimulation.html

Honestly, I feel like we're developing a very unique group here. We need to continue supporting each other, welcoming others, and fostering a thread where everyone can gain from each other's ideas and experiences. And yes, you're absolutely right about trying to address this on some other forums. I've seen either indifference, denial, or vitriol coming from Wim Hof veterans towards anyone who has questions about the practice's links to tinnitus. I also don't understand the need to become so defensive and aggressive. If the practice can hurt people, at least address it. It would go a long way and they might get people coming back and continuing the practice. But like you said, it's almost as if you commit heresy in some cases by trying to link tinnitus and WHM together. Anyway, let's continue to do it the right way here!

 

[MrC6688]

Hi All,

Firstly, thank you! I no longer feel alone in having to cope with this.

I've had tinnitus for about 20 years probably caused, like @Ross Duncan 's, by an errant youth. After doing WMH breathing everyday for the past 2 months I've noticed the familiar 'eeee' is more potent than it's ever been. Which is a real shame as the breathing technique had a profound affect on my ADHD, I slowly discovered that I could concentrate again and that my anxiety had gone.

As such, @MrC6688 thank you so much for all your research! I shall embrace your findings to both reduce the ringing but also calm the vagus.

I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,

Adam

Welcome @Adam Sutcliffe! Yep, the "eeee" we're all too familiar with. Hopefully we can find some solutions that will help remedy it! That's the hope. Please add any ideas or information you come across.

 

[Lukee]

@MrC6688 Given the symptoms I'm starting to think this might be inflammation of the eustachian tube. I think the tinnitus is being caused by the the eustachian tube being inflamed or damaged. This is why Prednisone seems to work and reduce the tinnitus (at least initially). ETD can last for months and even possibly years. I have been reading some posts and seems like a few people have had success with Otovent. I'm trying to get one but lead times are long on Amazon.

Maybe the EarPopper you posted if used regularly might start to clear your ET... just a thought.

L

 

[MrC6688]

@MrC6688 Given the symptoms I'm starting to think this might be inflammation of the eustachian tube. I think the tinnitus is being caused by the the eustachian tube being inflamed or damaged. This is why Prednisone seems to work and reduce the tinnitus (at least initially). ETD can last for months and even possibly years. I have been reading some posts and seems like a few people have had success with Otovent. I'm trying to get one but lead times are long on Amazon.

Maybe the EarPopper you posted if used regularly might start to clear your ET... just a thought.

So this would bring us back to it being a physical disorder (i.e. ETD) vs a neurological issue (i.e. traumatized nervous system / overly done sympathetic response)? It's hard to nail this thing down but I guess it could be one of these two origins?

On a dose of 20mg of Prednisone I did see a reduction of ringing. So perhaps.

 

[Lukee]

The problem is they both have similar symptoms. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an overlap. The other theory I'm starting to investigate is if acute high blood pressure could have caused damage to our ears. Again, it could be a combination of all of them.

The one thing is ETD can last a long time. For some people it lasts months and sometimes years.

On a dose of 20mg of Prednisone I did see a reduction of ringing.

If you saw a reduction/resolution of the ringing, ETD inflammation could be to blame.

With that said, did you notice a reduction in pressure or clogged ears on the steroids?

Your MRI came back normal, otherwise I would even suggest we suffered a form of stroke. We will keep combing through the possibilities. I have an appointment with an ENT on Tuesday. We will see what he says.

L

 

[MrC6688]

The problem is they both have similar symptoms. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an overlap. The other theory I'm starting to investigate is if acute high blood pressure could have caused damage to our ears. Again, it could be a combination of all of them.

The one thing is ETD can last a long time. For some people it lasts months and sometimes years.

If you saw a reduction/resolution of the ringing, ETD inflammation could be to blame.

With that said, did you notice a reduction in pressure or clogged ears on the steroids?

Your MRI came back normal, otherwise I would even suggest we suffered a form of stroke. We will keep combing through the possibilities. I have an appointment with an ENT on Tuesday. We will see what he says.

L

I'm trying to think back. The Prednisone might have helped but I think the pressure started to get better on its own, though the ears still won't pop to this day.

 

[Csani90]

Whichever it may be, it is still beneficial to go on the course of pacifying the nervous system. As I read it helps reduce inflammation, of course not as much as a steroid would, but it can help in the healing of Eustachian Tube, which definitely has got some kind of problem. And furthermore it helps coping with the stress coming from having this and can lead to habituation in the long run.

I'm started to use an app called Prana Breath, which has different breathing patterns. I do the prolong exhale breathing because that and the deep belly breath breathing seems to be most calming ones for the vagus nerve. Getting into deep relaxation seems to make the "eeeeeee" go a bit smoother. I also noticed it fluctuates, goes weaker, then louder in a random pattern. I can only notice it if I really dwell into the ringing. I wonder why is it like this?

@Lukee, if you have the chance to take Prednisone, then we can see what results it will bring and we can maybe get closer to pinpointing the cause. Good luck with the doctor tomorrow!

 

[Lukee]

Hey @Csani90, I actually had my appointment today but unfortunately dude to COVID-19, only a phone call. The doctor says it shouldn't be anything major especially at my age (35) and as a relatively healthy person. He has set up for hearing tests and then an in-person consult. I'm hopeful it will be soon. He did mention that the symptoms were indicative of something going on with the eustachian tubes, which we are already hypothesizing.

@Csani90, do you feel like you have a tight neck or shoulders at all? Also, are you generally anxious? I'm trying to connect some dots as to why different people manifest different symptoms (fullness in the ears for example).

@MrC6688, I have been doing some neck exercises and I feel some improvement in my fullness and certainly in pain. Yesterday, my ears were a little painful like an ear infection coming on. After doing the exercises yesterday and all day today I feel like my fullness has improved and my pain is mostly gone. Also, I'm able to equalize my ears but it doesn't give a fully satisfying decrease in fullness and it's usually just temporary. For about half the day today my fullness seemed to basically disappear and since I'm around noise all day, I couldn't hear the tinnitus (which is fairly low anyway). I'm starting to think (and likely just being hopeful) that some of our issues from WHM might actually be mechanically related. I guess the stretches and neck exercises can't really hurt and like I mentioned, there was someone who reversed their tinnitus (from WHM) by doing yoga focused on neck and back. Between a spike in blood pressure and relaxation or straining of muscles, I'm wondering if we maybe offset something in the neck.

I do the prolong exhale breathing because that and the deep belly breath breathing seems to be most calming ones for the vagus nerve.

I have been doing the breathing exercises as well. I have not noticed a big difference as of yet. I have practiced for several hours since Friday.

L

 

[MrC6688]

Hey @Csani90, I actually had my appointment today but unfortunately dude to COVID-19, only a phone call. The doctor says it shouldn't be anything major especially at my age (35) and as a relatively healthy person. He has set up for hearing tests and then an in-person consult. I'm hopeful it will be soon. He did mention that the symptoms were indicative of something going on with the eustachian tubes, which we are already hypothesizing.

@Csani90, do you feel like you have a tight neck or shoulders at all? Also, are you generally anxious? I'm trying to connect some dots as to why different people manifest different symptoms (fullness in the ears for example).

@MrC6688, I have been doing some neck exercises and I feel some improvement in my fullness and certainly in pain. Yesterday, my ears were a little painful like an ear infection coming on. After doing the exercises yesterday and all day today I feel like my fullness has improved and my pain is mostly gone. Also, I'm able to equalize my ears but it doesn't give a fully satisfying decrease in fullness and it's usually just temporary. For about half the day today my fullness seemed to basically disappear and since I'm around noise all day, I couldn't hear the tinnitus (which is fairly low anyway). I'm starting to think (and likely just being hopeful) that some of our issues from WHM might actually be mechanically related. I guess the stretches and neck exercises can't really hurt and like I mentioned, there was someone who reversed their tinnitus (from WHM) by doing yoga focused on neck and back. Between a spike in blood pressure and relaxation or straining of muscles, I'm wondering if we maybe offset something in the neck.

I have been doing the breathing exercises as well. I have not noticed a big difference as of yet. I have practiced for several hours since Friday.

L

@Lukee very interesting information. Funny you mention it, I found this yoga video from a post where someone mentioned these exercises are helping their tinnitus:



The sound that I'm hearing (and have been hearing since June 2020) is a high pitched "eeee" that is almost mechanical sounding in nature. It's almost like the sound a dentist's instrument (i.e. water pick) makes when they're cleaning your teeth. Not as loud thankfully, but that's the sound. Is that what you guys are hearing also?

At this point, there are three treatment paths I'm considering:
1. Continue with the Ayurvedic medicine and give it the required 2 months to see what kind of results I can get while also doing neck exercises / yoga / ETD exercises.
2. Call up a neurotology doctor to have a further exam of my ears.
3. Go in for specialized chiropractic treatment.

I suppose I could do all three at the same time. If this is ETD, you're right in that it could take quite a while to heal. By the way, you guys asked my age. I'm 46, so, don't lose hope!

The first one of us to fully recover and figure this thing out is going to be like the Jonas Salk of WHM induced tinnitus, lol.

 

[Csani90]

Yeah I have stiffness in my neck, I have had it since a long time and I was and still am doing stretching excercises to relieve it. When I move my head around I can hear crackling-like sounds, especially when I do the ETD exercise occipital lift.



It feels good to do it. Also my jaws are clicking if I open in up wide, so maybe it is TMJ? It is also linked to tinnitus. I do recall when I was doing the WHM that I noticed I kind of clinched jaws and had to relax it. My doctor also suspected that the problem's root is somewhere in the neck area, this is why on Thursday I will have an X-ray and ultrasound scan on my neck area.

I'm curious... I have upper back pain quite often, but I relieve it with yoga just like in the video @MrC6688 posted.

The sound that I'm hearing (and have been hearing since June 2020) is a high pitched "eeee" that is almost mechanical sounding in nature. It's almost like the sound a dentist's instrument (i.e. water pick) makes when they're cleaning your teeth. Not as loud thankfully, but that's the sound. Is that what you guys are hearing also?

I hear exactly the same. Not super loud but constantly going on and on, sometimes in both ears, other times only one. Weird...

 

[Lukee]

I hear exactly the same. Not super loud but constantly going on and on, sometimes in both ears, other times only one.

Same here. Same high pitched eeee. Almost like the sound a fridge or some electronic device makes or even the CPU of a computer. It's really strange. At some points I can barely notice it and at other points it's fairly loud, especially in the evening. It changes in severity throughout the day and moves from ear to ear and sometimes both. Sometimes I can't even tell which ear it's coming from, almost like it's coming from the middle of my brain.

With that being said, the three of us seem to have one thing in common physically... tight neck/shoulders. This is why I'm thinking it might be some form of mechanical issue in the neck that was exacerbated by WHM. I was pretty intense during the breathing exercises.

Curious to see how the yoga and exercises turn out.

1. Continue with the Ayurvedic medicine and give it the required 2 months to see what kind of results I can get while also doing neck exercises / yoga / ETD exercises.

I would definitely continue along all 3 paths if I had the opportunity.

Have you started work with the Ayurvedic physician yet?

It's been hard for me to find anyone really willing to help and all appointments are weeks/months away.

L

 

[Lukee]

@Csani90, @MrC6688, another possibility I was thinking about is Secondary Endolymphatic Hydrops. Basically in our case, some form of trauma would have caused it hence the secondary. For many people with the condition, symptoms such as vertigo or dizziness could present months or years down the line.

The prognosis is a little tricky though. Some experts seem to believe in resolution over 1-2 years after trauma while others say that the tinnitus and fullness persist indefinitely possibly followed by vertigo and/hearing loss.

A couple threads on this forum mention resolution or reduction of symptoms after IT steroid injection though not sure if it is only temporary or permanent effect.

Seeing as how @MrC6688 had some reduction after oral Prednisone and since my understanding is his symptoms are slowly improving (please correct me if I'm wrong), I would think this is a possibility. He also had some dizziness which may be related but could be anything including ETD or high blood pressure during the exercises.

Secondary Endolymphatic Hydrops can be diagnosed by a specialized MRI I believe.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

L

 

[Lukee]

https://www.marklevine.ca/Mark_Levine/Research___concern_specific/Entries/2008/4/4_Craniosacral_Therapy_and_Tinnitus_files/Craniosacral Therapy and Tinnitus.pdf

I would like to share the above link from Julian Cowan Hill. I know his name has circulated on these boards but not sure what the general perception is. I found something in the above PDF particularly interesting:

"Analysing the case histories of over 200 people, tinnitus is closely linked to an "adrenal" lifestyle, and emerges shortly after dangerous, challenging or overstimulating events. I have written a list below of the common situations in life where tinnitus tends to emerge."​

The entire article is literally about the ANS causing tinnitus. I would assume this is for a subset of sufferers like us.

Also, Scott Carney posted this link:
Stress Reactivity in Chronic Tinnitus

L

 

[Lukee]

@MrC6688, any updates for us with your Ayurvedic treatment?

 

[Csani90]

https://www.marklevine.ca/Mark_Levine/Research___concern_specific/Entries/2008/4/4_Craniosacral_Therapy_and_Tinnitus_files/Craniosacral Therapy and Tinnitus.pdf

I would like to share the above link from Julian Cowan Hill. I know his name has circulated on these boards but not sure what the general perception is. I found something in the above PDF particularly interesting:

"Analysing the case histories of over 200 people, tinnitus is closely linked to an "adrenal" lifestyle, and emerges shortly after dangerous, challenging or overstimulating events. I have written a list below of the common situations in life where tinnitus tends to emerge."​

The entire article is literally about the ANS causing tinnitus. I would assume this is for a subset of sufferers like us.

Also, Scott Carney posted this link:
Stress Reactivity in Chronic Tinnitus

L

Too bad craniosacral therapy is soooo expensive around here and as the author states probably a few sessions are needed to see if it has benefit. My girlfriend is a physiotherapist, so I'll try to convince her to start learning this technique...

tinnitus is closely linked to an "adrenal" lifestyle, and emerges shortly after dangerous, challenging or overstimulating events

I think what I experienced on the 3rd day of WHM counts as a dangerous and overstimulating event. I probably overdid it with 9 rounds. I know after every breath hold I felt like I would faint, but it gave me euphoria so I carried on. Then came the sudden heart racing and the cramping of fingers. I know I felt anxious because I thought if I lose consciousness, I might die or something. I overcame it by being present and calming myself, but I remember after this experience I felt like I had a near death experience. So this was really "adrenal". But I carried on for a few more days, since I'm drawn to extreme things.

Also prior to this I had a somewhat stressful period in my life and I'm also by nature an anxious person. This was the reason I took up WHM... Anyway... I just discovered that I can achieve relaxation and being less stressful in everyday life, with practicing the Prana breaths. These are gentle and yet effective. I wish I would have tried it before WHM...

Today I had the results of my inner ear test and everything is fine, which was not a surprise. But the X-ray of my neck and spine showed I have scoliosis. The doctor said it could be a reason why I have tinnitus, but I just can't connect the two. I'll have to see another doctor who can tell me what exercise can help it. Of course I will do it to see if it makes any difference. I asked about the crackling and the occasional ear fullness, but the doctor said there is nothing indicating why I have it.

 

[Lukee]

@Csani90, I've been generally anxious as well and that's why I got into WHM. Like you I felt good after the exercises, almost euphoric. I only did 3 rounds but my breath hold were pretty long off the bat.

One trend I'm starting to notice is the tight neck and shoulders. I don't have scoliosis but I have degenerative disks in my neck and have for the longest time had some neck pain and shoulder pain. I don't know why but my tinnitus has actually gotten worse in the last 24 hours. The fullness comes and goes. I'm really tempted to try a course of steroids and see if that resolves the issue but either way we have certainly endured a traumatic event. Whether it's hypoxia, neck issues or autonomic nervous system (or a combination of the three) I guess we just have to figure out what might work to fix it.

I haven't heard from @MrC6688 in a few days but he seems the most far ahead since he got his tinnitus in June. Maybe it will take a year or two but hopefully we get resolution at some point.

I'm almost tempted to try again and be less aggressive and see if it corrects the issue but I'm scared of making it worse.

L

 

[MrC6688]

@MrC6688, any updates for us with your Ayurvedic treatment?

Hey @Lukee, I'm purchasing the supplements this week and they should get here within 2 weeks I'm hoping. Btw, I tried that yoga video I sent you guys and it's very relaxing! It definitely helps with tight neck and upper back muscles. Please try it and let me know what you think.

With the Ayurvedic approach, it's longterm (2-3 months) so it won't be a quick fix unfortunately but I will definitely keep everyone here informed on my progress.

Regarding Julian Cowan Hill, he was actually the very first person I spoke to about tinnitus back in June. I had a Zoom call with him and he was a very nice guy. He said he suspected the WHM overcharged the nervous system and put it into a sort of stuck "fight or flight", very similar to what my Ayurvedic specialist has said. I'm going to read that article you sent over. Thanks.

About cranio sacral therapy. I tried a few sessions about 3 months back and it's wonderful. I'm not sure if it did anything for my tinnitus but it definitely relaxes the body and puts you into such a relaxed state that you feel it for a few days.

 

[Lukee]

Awesome. Thanks for the update!

 

[MrC6688]

@Lukee, I read the Scott Carney article Stress Reactivity in Chronic Tinnitus and saw this, "...successful suppression of tinnitus has been associated with an increase in parasympathetic tone"

Increasing parasympathetic tone as a way to decrease tinnitus seems to keep popping up. Let's keep praying this is the way to go.

By the way, once I do the Ayurvedic treatment I will list out everything I did including the herbs I'd taken. I'm going to document everything if it can help people.

Lastly, @Lukee, I would personally stay away from WHM. I think the path to follow is increasing parasympathetic tone, not sympathetic tone, just based on what we're reading. But if you feel up to the challenge and want to give it a shot, let us know how it goes. Good luck man!

 

[Lukee]

I would personally stay away from WHM.

I agree with you. Some part in my mind feels like there might be resolution if you do it long enough but I don't want to take the risk to make things worse.

I don't want to jinx myself but I have felt an improvement in fullness and tinnitus. I have been trying to reduce stress and keep trying the parasympathetic route.

Here are the things I'm doing/supplements I'm taking:

-Daily neck stretches. As often as I can. Including chin tucks 4-5 times a day.
-ETD exercises as posted in this thread as well as some other ones I've found online.
-Using the parasympathetic breathing technique (like 1:4 ratio inhale to exhale) as many times as I can throughout the day, even while just sitting at my computer.
-Cold shower for 1-2 minutes at end of morning shower.
-I am taking Omega-3 fish oil. 2 teaspoons.
-Liposomal Glutathione, I think 600mg.
-Vitamin D 3,000-4,000IU.
-NAC 600mg
-Super strong probiotics. 120 billion units and 20 strains.

I have seen some slight improvements overall. My ear fullness comes and goes but is definitely better than a week ago. I've had a couple weird feelings of pops and different noises and even a bit of fluttering (I think it's called MEM) when I'm doing breathing exercises or ETD exercises. Hopefully the trend continues and at least I can get rid of the fullness. If the tinnitus stays as low as possible, I can live with that.

L

 

[Lukee]

Hey Guys/Girls,

The fullness in my ears and the comments on this thread keep me going back to the ETD theory. Whatever the underlying mechanism that caused it (autonomic nervous system, neck problems, hypoxia, etc), I'm wondering if treatment of the ETD medically might improve the symptoms.

My Battle with Tinnitus Is Over

This thread is from 2017 but the OP says his tinnitus was cured with nasal spray following what his ENT referred to as ETD. Maybe we have some acute ET injury that may get cleared up or helped along by nasal spray. I have some Mometasone leftover, I will try it for a couple of weeks and see if I have any improvement.

L

 

[Drachen]

The fullness in my ears and the comments on this thread keep me going back to the ETD theory. Whatever the underlying mechanism that caused it (autonomic nervous system, neck problems, hypoxia, etc), I'm wondering if treatment of the ETD medically might improve the symptoms.

Hey Luke.

It is very possible nasal steroids might help you in this case. When this symptom results from ETD or infections, I've seen sprays help out in those instances. My ENT had even prescribed me some since I described some days where my ears felt itchy, but I'm not sure I'll go through with taking it.

I encourage you to check out this article or this video to ensure you are using the nasal spray correctly. There may be better resources you can find otherwise, but it is commonly believed that people tend to use them wrongly and therefore don't experience the benefits.

 

[MrC6688]

Hey Guys/Girls,

The fullness in my ears and the comments on this thread keep me going back to the ETD theory. Whatever the underlying mechanism that caused it (autonomic nervous system, neck problems, hypoxia, etc), I'm wondering if treatment of the ETD medically might improve the symptoms.

My Battle with Tinnitus Is Over

This thread is from 2017 but the OP says his tinnitus was cured with nasal spray following what his ENT referred to as ETD. Maybe we have some acute ET injury that may get cleared up or helped along by nasal spray. I have some Mometasone leftover, I will try it for a couple of weeks and see if I have any improvement.

L

Very good article. I agree with you. I think ETD could very well be what's ultimately causing the tinnitus. It's almost like a chain reaction: ANS overload/neck & upper back muscle issues/hypoxia -> ETD -> tinnitus.

 

[Lukee]

I encourage you to check out this article or this video to ensure you are using the nasal spray correctly.

Thanks for the heads up. I have read up on it and watched Dr. Mandel's (I think that's his name) video on YouTube. I like the additional steps of the Valsalva maneuver, I think that adds some additional chance to get the spray where it needs to go.

I've started on Mometasone this morning. I'll report back as I have updates.

L

 

[Leakytolucky]

@MrC6688, I've been reading this thread and have just joined. It sounds very much like you caused a pressure increase within your CSF system (cerebrospinal fluid). I really really suggest that you look into a CSF leak. We can burst a leak spontaneously if the pressure gets too high.

Please take a look into CSF leaks.

 

[Lukee]

Hi @Leakytolucky, thanks for the post. I will definitely check it out as I have been having very mild head pressure since this all happened.

As a side note, while many others have mentioned pushing to the head and an increase in presssure, I never did do that and at no point did I feel there was a lot of pressure in my head during the breathing exercises. I can't speak for @MrC6688 and the others but it will be interesting to hear their thoughts.

I will be looking into CSF leak and see if the symptoms fit and how I can diagnose.

Thanks again.

L

 

[MrC6688]

Hi @Leakytolucky, thanks for the post. I will definitely check it out as I have been having very mild head pressure since this all happened.

As a side note, while many others have mentioned pushing to the head and an increase in presssure, I never did do that and at no point did I feel there was a lot of pressure in my head during the breathing exercises. I can't speak for @MrC6688 and the others but it will be interesting to hear their thoughts.

I will be looking into CSF leak and see if the symptoms fit and how I can diagnose.

Thanks again.

L

Thank you both. I found these 2 resources:

https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/skull-base-surgery-center/conditions/cerebrospinal-fluid-leak and https://www.csfleak.info/what-is-a-cerebrospinal-fluid-csf-leak/

While I did push the air to the head as part of the WHM breathing, the ear pressure gradually got better but the tinnitus remained. Today, I noticed that I got a really high pitched ringing in my left ear that stayed for about a minute and then dissipated before going back to its normal level. I have to be honest, this introduction to CSF isn't what I wanted hear as a possible cause of our tinnitus, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

@Leakytolucky, what type of physician (i.e. neurologist) did you see and what was the treatment if you don't mind me asking? Did they cure your tinnitus as a result?

When I had my MRI done this summer, it came back completely normal. 7th and 8th cranial nerves were normal, cochlea and vestibular apparatus were normal, sinus spaces were normal, no region of hemorrhage nerve edema, ventricles were normal, and there were no abnormalities that would indicate an acute ischemic event (i.e. a restriction in blood supply to the brain, causing a shortage of oxygen).

I think we've all been dizzy after the WHM and I know a few weeks ago I got dizzy from having my feet in the air when I was doing sit-ups. I'd never felt anything like that in my life, where the floor started to spin towards the ceiling. Now, granted I was doing one set of sit-ups after another without a break so maybe I just got dizzy and was overworking myself. Who knows... Nevertheless, I think I'll seek the advice of a professional. I need to find the right one to go to.

I'm praying we're just dealing with a stubborn case of ETD that will gradually go away on its own or with the use of nasal sprays, steroids, or natural medicines.

 

[Lukee]

Today, I noticed that I got a really high pitched ringing in my left ear that stayed for about a minute and then dissipated before going back to its normal level.

This has happened to me many times. Well before I got tinnitus from WHM. I would just be driving or sitting on the couch and all of a sudden, I would get a high pitch, loud ring in one of my ears. It would last about a minute and go away. My wife and friends have said they get the same thing occasionally.

I have noticed it 2-3 times over the last couple weeks since getting chronic tinnitus. Same thing, it spikes for a minute then seems to go away. Actually, the other day it happened when I was driving home from work and when it stopped I couldn't hear my tinnitus even if I tried in my car. I figured it was really low and the engine and heat were drowning it out but once I got home I realized it was still gone and pretty much just a hiss. It got louder once again later in the night but not sure if it's because of dinner or lying down.

I am a little concerned about the whole CSF leak thing as some of our symptoms do fit the bill and the sudden onset would make sense after the breathing exercises; however, @MrC6688's MRI came back normal so that should be at least some good news that CSF leak is not the cause. At this point we can't completely rule it out and I too will be further investigating with my doctors. Unfortunately, it's been pretty hard to find the right help... all I do is get bounced around with appointments that are weeks and months away.

On day 4 of the nasal spray now and hoping to see some form of resolution in the next couple of weeks. Overall, tinnitus is bearable but the ear pressure and small head pressure here and there are "bothersome". I think it's getting better but I can say for sure, sometimes I forget about it all and sometimes the ear pressure just comes out of nowhere.

L