Tinnitus Week 2018 / Day 1: What Techniques Do You Use to Manage Your Tinnitus?

[MBH]

My work 3 small fans on desk and radio playing music low, At home tv on and fans, I like taking car rides taking my children to do things with radio on, and sleep fan and sound machine, and do meds for anxiety that came along with T.

 

[Elinor]

I do my best not to give into negative emotions nor thinking excessively about it. After a decade with T I feel like I'm unable to be upset about it for a prolonged time. I obviously freak out whenever I get a spike, but tend to calm down quickly.

I also like ambient noise from various electronic devices. It doesn't mask it but the buzzing is similar to what I already have in my head and it makes it difficult to distinguish which one's me. Any new tone or buzzing could be coming from my computer or it could be me, I don't bother finding out and always assume the computer. Maybe it's a weird way to deal with it but I find it effective.

Basically, diverting my focus onto something as much as possible. I find comfort in this forum too, especially during spikes when the negative thoughts and emotions temporarily win.

 

[Starrgirl]

I have been trying to meditate focusing on the T sound and controlled breathing. 15 minute sessions each day. I find the more I try to concentrate on the T sound, the more my mind wanders. Which I have read is a good thing in the habituation process.

 

[HCR123]

Going to bed when my body tells me it's exhausted instead of when I want to.

Using pink /white noise Lectrofan just below the T while sleeping

Wearing ear plugs when I'm driving a long distance or when I'm out for lunch or dinner and it gets noisy

Use .25-.5mg clonazepam in the T evenings to sleep if it's too loud. Going to try valerian and melatonin instead more regularly

Trying mindfulness for 30-40 mins/day

Need to get into the gym more regularly and also take yoga.

Going to try @Elinor technique of ignoring new sounds around electronics. Just recently the refrigerator emanates a sound only I can hear that's annoying. I feel I'm now sensitive to EMFs. Hoping this changes over time and there's less reactivity.

 

[hans01]

Better sleep, longer sleep 9-10h works best, some time release melatonine before going to bed (1-2mg), L-glycine (10g day) and sometimes lithium orotate (small dose) to calm things down. Trying to avoid stressors and anxiety is my goal to lower T.

 

[Louise Martin]

Hi there everyone.

Forgive me for off loading but I am new to tinnitus and getting into a positive mindset is like climbin my own Everest.

I am not yet managing it well as I have had it since Nov 2017 on constant. Its the anxiety causing figjt or flight. Some days worse than others. At the moment I am taking anti depressants and anti anxiety tabs plus sleeping pills. And melatonin believe it or not. I know it's awful to say but I seem to be hyper sensitive /phobic person so it has become all consuming. Still don't sleep thru night. I am trying meditation but do find it hard. I seem to have been in fight or flight mode since November and can't break the cycle. Some days I dont know how to cope. I have stopped working but realise that it might have been a mistake.

When it started I found a treatment here in Stockholm that seemed to help called Naprapathy. It's a mix of massage and chiropody. They look and muscles and bones together. It takes about 5 years to train so they are well qualified.

I am going to start CBT and use my smartphone app called Relax for night sounds but I would be ever so grateful for some positive advice and input. In Stockholm there are no support groups. Perhaps I should start one when I am managing better.

Is there anyone in Stockholm out there with tinnitus?

Louise

 

[NavsPH]

i am just careful with what i eat. i noticed that my tinnitus gets loud if i ate something with msg and after a few hours of drinking coffee or cola. i guess what we eat is a big factor.

 

[Christophe_85]

I try to relax with reading and deep breathing...

But I know that I drink and eat too much caffeine and sugar, it doesn't help !

 

[Dana]

If tinnitus is so bad that it surpasses my power to endure, i take Rivotril, 1 pill of 2 mg.

 

[Autumnly]

Not going to lie, it hurts a little bit to read this thread... yes, all those things people have mentioned are nice, I've tried many of them, but they don't make my tinnitus any quieter, they only change my emotional reaction towards it. I'm still hoping to see a real treatment in my life. However, I know that the vast majority eventually habituates, so I think for many people things being listed here might help.

Anyway, on to things I've tried or am still trying out:
Acupuncture, Chinese medicine, listening to white noise, yoga, meditation, infrared light, neck massages, craniosacral therapy for my jaw, acceptance/mindfulness, CBT, physical therapy for my cervical spine/posture, applying mint oil around my ears and under my nose to distract myself, drawing, supplements (magnesium, vitamin d, vitamin b12), CBD oil, pramipexole

 

[Chartreuse]

For the mild and moderate days, I recite music in my head and see how many instruments and movements I can remember. Beethoven's 9th (cliche, I know) is very helpful, but any music will do. Yesterday it was A Trip To The Moon score. It worked well My tinnitus "reacts" different to different kinds of music. The funny thing about that is that techno and rock music makes it quieter, while music that is traditionally viewed as helpful, doesn't. Enya actually makes it worse! As do white noise, like fans, and "soothing music".

Drawing, writing, crafts and knitting also helps. As do walks and reading. Since I first noticed the noise, my hands have been busy with something. Last summer I picked up origami and my repertoire expands slowly. There's a backside to this, though: it tires me out.

Unfortunately, those really bad days I can't do anything than wait it out. I have a bad habit of feeding the loop by suffering in silence, because I'm ashamed. I blame myself a lot. Luckily these days are few and far between.

 

[james00]

MyNoise app on my phone. Allows me to play white noise in addition to music (youtube). Air purifiers in every room.

Drugs (perscribed). Try to stay positive but its hard.

 

[shumandu]

I've had my whiny friend with me for 40+ years. I avoid silence (meditation is murder) and loud noises, my tinnitus likes to compete with loud noises for dominance. I stay busy, physically or mentally, relaxation is not an option. I don't drink anymore; I've found alcohol especially wine makes my tinnitus way worse, red wine, grain-based spirits such as rum and beer, cider, sherry and brandy all contain high to very high levels of salicylates which can exacerbate tinnitus .

 

[Monica Ahern]

We want to get you talking about tinnitus and in doing so, help others how may be needing some support. So together with the other international organisations involved in Tinnitus Week, we will be posting a question a day.

View attachment 14599

Comment below. You can also respond to our Facebook post.

I simply try to don't pay attention to the noise, although sometimes make me crazy.

 

[POGO2]

During the daytime White noise is found to be the best distraction since my T(f) is 10,800 Hz. During periods of concentration I am able to mostly ignore Tinnitus. Evening time Alcohol works the best along with sleeping pills reduces Tinnitus to a manageable level. Without these I lay awake for hours until I finally fall asleep for a few hours to wake up tired.

I have recently been diagnosed with Chronic Sinusitis after a CT Scan and when through insertion of stints to open my inflamed sinus openings. Hopefully the $6,000 I spent to have this surgery will help to reduce ear pressure and constant head congestion. I feel this was a contributing factor to fluctuations in my Tinnitus levels. I don't have any expectations that Tinnitus will disappear, just hope it will be reduced to a manageable level.

 

[GlennC]

I have a noise maker. Some of the best sleep I ever got was when I was in the Navy underway. The sound of the waves against the hull of the ship, rhythmically would work every time. The noise maker doesn't recreate it, but it comes close. I've never used any drugs of any kind or done much more then just try to live with it. I have a rough time when one ear is one pitch and the other is a different pitch. Any ideas on how to work with that?

 

[Shera]

I try to not let the negativity and fear of T control me.

It's loud and not much can truly drown it out. It amps up in volume whenever it wants or there's any "pressure changes". I don't want to worry about masking too much, but when it amps up you gotta do what ya gotta do. I will leave the TV on all day or have music. When it's time to drive or shower I know it will spike, but keep myself chill. I've kept doing TMJ and neck therapy which has yielded better results.

Trying to keep positive is key, but not always easy.

 

[karentea]

I have lived with tinnitus for so long (45 years) I have gotten used to it. I don't have any techniques for managing it.

 

[annabel16]

My most effective technique is simply staying busy and nurturing interests in other things so that I can't dwell on it. When I have a spike due to noise exposure I use essential oils (helichrysum and juniper) to reduce swelling and pain.

 

[Dive Master]

rTMS
Psychiatrist
Pink Floyd, Santana, Ted Nugent : their solo guitar totally mask my T
Time, sleep, no stress, reading/crosswords on good days, scuba-diving

 

[Samir]

What seems to have best effect in silencing my tinnitus is running water, from a shower or from a tap. I have also tried different types of noises. White noise was most effective, and when I stopped the noise I sometimes experienced total silence as it should be. But this only gave me relief in the beginning of tinnitus onset and only lasted for a few seconds. White noise doesn't do much for me lately.

Going out on walks seems to have a positive effect as well. I don't think it has much to do with the ambient noise. It's as if these walks activate other parts of my brain and the tinnitus is suppressed. I noticed for example that when I am driving a car I rarely ever perceive the tinnitus. But as soon as I get stuck in a traffic jam for a reasonable amount of time, I start to perceive my tinnitus. This seems to go hand in hand with the resting state network theory of tinnitus.

I also have mild form of hyperacusis. So I try to avoid loud places, I use earplugs when I have to and I avoid using headphones.

 

[grate_biff]

found Apple cider vinegar which brought silence

Do you know why it is helping you?
Do you pour it into your ear or?

 

[Rajin]

Prayers, chanting, meditation help me a lot. Made me get off the medication for now. Supplements Zinc , Cbd oil, ACV, BComplex Magnesium. I sill trying to figure out which work best or if any thing helping. Bird chirping all day in my Truck at work. Go to bed little earlier than I used to. Play App on my phone that work for me.

 

[Cal18]

On my lower days, once every 3 days, I can somewhat ignore while I'm working by listening to low level music. On the loud days, unfortunately nothing seems to help except knowing that the day will be over. Using a fan or other noise on the loud days makes it worse (on those days the tinnitus is highly reactive).

 

[.bill]

@grate_biff the vinegar cleanses the system flushing out all the crap in our system like virus or medication that doesn't leave. You drink the Apple cider vinegar read my post under success stories Apple cider vinegar works.

 

[dorje]

Meditation, being in silence and relaxing reduce my T. CDB cannabis oil eliminated my occasional insomnia. I also take magnesium and zinc supplements but not sure how much impact it has on my tinnitus.

 

[SilverSpiral]

Epsom Salt Bath and Suicidal Ideation.

Hope for cure.

Supplements, tinnitus research, "alternative" health research etc. Spiritual/esoteric research (usually still related to healing).

 

[Lorac]

I try to stay busy to keep my mind distracted. Reducing sound in my environment helps. I try to sleep more.

 

[vermillion]

I have no techniques. Lately when my tinnitus ramps up and feel sorry for myself i keep thinking "there's nothing you can do, just do something that you you can still do today and it makes you feel better".

 

[Dmitriy]

My T gets worse later in the day from work/stress, and later in the week from lack of sleep catching up. My T is mostly static noise, something you typically hear for few minutes if you were just exposed to sudden, loud noise. When static gets loud it feels like I am standing under electric current, and can cause dizziness and nausea.

- Around 11AM I take liquid vitamin (cannot swallow those horse-sized pills).
- Around 2PM I make myself fresh juice from 1 green apple, 2 sticks of celery (thats for kidney stones), and carrots to fill the cup.
- Try to go to sleep on time to get full 8 hours. Do catch up on sleep when you can.
- Try to do some short physical activity at least 3-4 times a day. I go for 15 minute walks.
- Try to reduce stress/anxiety in your life through many means already mentioned in this post.

Do believe it will get better. Last week I realized that pain in my shoulder was gone, and doctors told me I will have it my whole life unless I do surgery. My shoulder and bicep are completely messed up due to injury, but last week I started doing pull ups again. Your body and mind are wonderful at adjusting and rewiring. Just give it time.