Tinnitus Worse When Stressed/Tired

[Stina]

Maybe this thread has already been created, although I used search and couldn't find anything. However, here is my question. During my 2 months and 1 week of Tinnitus I have noticed that it starts out quiet in the morning after I have had a good night sleep. Normally it gets a little bit louder during the day. But I have also noticed that when I am tired (eg. tired from the chores of day) or nervous (right now I am REALLY nervous about an upcoming extremely difficult exam) it also gets louder. I know that many doctors say that it only seems louder but in my case it actually gets louder (I do a sound check by closing my ears. Yes, I am aware that I am not supposed to do that). I haven't noticed any connection to diet or exercising (I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle before Tinnitus anyway).
Since I never had any ringing after listening to loud music before and appeared sort of out of the blue without any prior acoustic trauma, it got me thinking that maybe the majority of my problem is fatigue and emotional problems. I would like to hear the experiences of others, especially the ones who have Tinnitus from acoustic trauma.

 

[kenji]

hi Stina , im a smoker and i suffered from lingual nerve damage 10 years ago a botched wisdom tooth extraction i battled this burning tongue pain last year i had to rub ghost pepper on my tongue meaning on a scale from one to 10 it was a 20 .it burned like hell all i could do was constantly chew gum or eat something to feel ok ...in the meantime i was soaked up on benzos and anxiety medicine ...i think maybe the benzos started a chain reaction with my already buzzing sound thats when i had enough i got acupuncture done auricular style ...it finally put the fire out..yeay after a year of hell burning tongue i did develop the ringing at the same time ...im on lithium to keep me from getting depressed ...this article makes me wonder... Current treatments for tinnitus generally involve masking the sound or learning to ignore it," said James F. Battey, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), which funded a large part of the research. "If we can find a way to turn off the noise, we'll be able to improve life substantially for the nearly 23 million American adults who suffer from this disorder. when i eat my ringing goes lower faint like

 

[billie48]

I agree with you. Stress and being tired always can spike tinnitus. I remember during my first vacation after tinnitus, being stress free from work and sleep all I wanted, as well as having fun, my T seemed lower or whatever because my focus was on something else. Came back after vacation with the stress back, T just blasted away as usual. Luckily for me, T is no longer an issue in my life high or low. Thanks for pointing this out to newer sufferers so they learn what to do to avoid flaming their T.

 

[Neenie]

Same. It's quieter in the morning then is really loud in the afternoon. I think it's because you get tired. A the start of the day you think "yep, today will be different, today I will not think about it" and then as the day goes on, you get more and more anxious because you CAN hear it even though you told yourself not to think about it and then it just spirals out of control. That's how it goes for me anyway! Good luck in your exam tomorrow, you'll do just great!

 

[Amelia]

Whilst mine isn't quieter in the mornings, I know of I'm tired and stressed it is (or seems) louder.

Maybe it's because I'm less equip to deal with it when I'm not 100%.

It also started at a very stressful time in my life and I believe I may have always been predisposed to T, but that period tipped me over the edge

 

[Stina]

@Neenie and @billie48 : im fairly sure my tinnitus getting louder has not much to do with me thinking about it. For example, im thinking about it right now while sitting on this forum but its not louder. I dont really get anxious about it during the day either. It is just there and I accept it. But its is louder when I havtn gotten a good night sleept or when I get nervous about other things. While studying for the exam I didnt really think about but it still gets louder (it really gets louder, objectively. and goes down after relaxing). Therefore Im thinking that maybe it hasn't to do only with focusing on it, but also with the brain reacting to stress.
Of course I realize that I am not a doctor and have no medical background but maybe by changing the way I think I would be able to keep on a low level or smth. I wish we had better experts in Estonia to help me treat it is a whole body problem, not only focus on one specific area.

 

[Zimichael]

Hi Stina...(I've been too busy with California drought preparations and now my first cold in memory - pushing too hard I guess - so been off board here a while).
You know, I think I may have a simpler explanation for what is mentioned here in your thread...or a least a question.

If you stay in a very quite location all day does your ringing increase as the day goes on? Is it louder by evening? (Now hopefully there would not be a whole lot of stress or something to mess with this - like panic study for an exam that worries you). So, just a normal day say? No big hassles, just quiet?

I ask, because I spend a LOT of time at home and it is very quiet. I read. I do computer stuff. I do chores. I don't answer the phone much (and can only use speaker-phone anyway due to hearing sensitivity). Etc., etc. On days like this my ringing does not change. It is just LOUD!

However, if I go to town and have to shop, get groceries, deal with free range kids running around the natural food store making a noise, grimace as a Harley Davidson goes by (= loud, macho motorcycle built for people who like being deaf and care nothing about others), talk to people and often back off as they are loud talkers at the check-out, etc....then by the time I come home my tinnitus is louder. JUST EXPOSURE TO NOISE AGGRAVATES THE DARN THING....just like pouring salt in an open wound. Of course I have my plugs in sometimes where I know it will be dangerous, but putting them in increases the "internal" screeching sound too - which I think adds to the "sound exposure" I am talking about here - internal or external "sound".

So there' my question. Is you increase in the day the same on a quiet day as a day when you have "sound" as a part of it or much of it...even if not rock concerts or jack hammers, etc.

Take care, Zimichael

 

[Stina]

Hi Stina...(I've been too busy with California drought preparations and now my first cold in memory - pushing too hard I guess - so been off board here a while).
You know, I think I may have a simpler explanation for what is mentioned here in your thread...or a least a question.

If you stay in a very quite location all day does your ringing increase as the day goes on? Is it louder by evening? (Now hopefully there would not be a whole lot of stress or something to mess with this - like panic study for an exam that worries you). So, just a normal day say? No big hassles, just quiet?

I ask, because I spend a LOT of time at home and it is very quiet. I read. I do computer stuff. I do chores. I don't answer the phone much (and can only use speaker-phone anyway due to hearing sensitivity). Etc., etc. On days like this my ringing does not change. It is just LOUD!

However, if I go to town and have to shop, get groceries, deal with free range kids running around the natural food store making a noise, grimace as a Harley Davidson goes by (= loud, macho motorcycle built for people who like being deaf and care nothing about others), talk to people and often back off as they are loud talkers at the check-out, etc....then by the time I come home my tinnitus is louder. JUST EXPOSURE TO NOISE AGGRAVATES THE DARN THING....just like pouring salt in an open wound. Of course I have my plugs in sometimes where I know it will be dangerous, but putting them in increases the "internal" screeching sound too - which I think adds to the "sound exposure" I am talking about here - internal or external "sound".

So there' my question. Is you increase in the day the same on a quiet day as a day when you have "sound" as a part of it or much of it...even if not rock concerts or jack hammers, etc.

Take care, Zimichael

Hhehhee... I hope California will thank you for it later
It is very hard for me to answer this question Normally when I go to the street or speak on the phone or talk to someone I dont notice a difference. I went to the doctors every day last week with 2 buses and some days right after I got home I couldnt here any ringing. This week I was mostly at home and at work (it is quiet there) studying and occasionally it got louder . I think if I went to the bar or smth it would get louder for some time. Yes I have become more aware of "dangerous decibels" but I think thats more psychological. In short, there is no difference between a busy day outside or inside: in my opinion it has more to do with how much I think about it.

 

[Zimichael]

Ah so.... Well, that fact that is seems to not be there sometimes is EXCELLENT news, as "physically" is sounds like you may no have that sort of "irreversible damage" tinnitus that never goes away but goes to the "background' from adaption. COOL..you may be looking forward to as tinnitus free zone in the future!

 

[Stina]

Ah so.... Well, that fact that is seems to not be there sometimes is EXCELLENT news, as "physically" is sounds like you may no have that sort of "irreversible damage" tinnitus that never goes away but goes to the "background' from adaption. COOL..you may be looking forward to as tinnitus free zone in the future!

I think it could be a combination of things Honestly it doesnt really matter whether I have it or not. I have learnt to live with it without it bothering me. In fact in November and December when it began and I thought it would go away it didnt really annoy me. Then in January I started realizing that it maybe be permanent and panicked. Now Ive spoken to you guys and my family is very supportive so Im less nervous anyway. Even if through some sort of miracle it should go away I will never ever ever ever go to a club or concert again or also probably not to bar (or with 30 db plugs only). However I think that if some and a relatively big part is caused by stress then thats smth I can control to some point by changing my thinking. Cant do nothing about the the damaged cells.
@I who love music and @Zimichael your posts have helped a lot as ive gotten many helpful tips about how to protect my ears. Thank you very much Looking forward to more similar posts.

 

[Asian]

Why does it always flare up in the middle of night when I wake up?

 

[mandi]

Hi Kenji, Did you say auricular style yoga eliminated your tinnitus?? Please clarify, thanks!

 

[billaro4]

My R ear used to spike when hit by a loud noise.
During a stressful month of work, extremely stressful, both ears raised their standard levels.
two months on, they are still blaring.
I put a hard earplug in my ear and now the R one is even worse. ARGH.
I felt it push something, my ear drum? dunno, going to have a doc look into my ear.
does anyone know if the inner ear can be seen by a doc?

Suggestions?

relax...... that i'm doing, I work from home.
Get out to a cafe where there is ambient noise, ya not bad.
Taking all my vits.