Tips for Coping with Mild Tinnitus?

[AndrewW]

Hi everyone,

I developed tinnitus spontaneously about 3 weeks ago and although I can't point to an exact cause, I suspect stress and external factors (i.e., a dog barking in the apartment next to me) were contributing factors. I cannot point to any obvious trauma outside of loud music at the gym, but the "trigger" point was hearing the noise while in the bathroom (the quietest room in my apartment) and being unable to "unhear" it since.

Based on descriptions other people have given about their Tinnitus, I consider mine to be "mild", however the effect it has had on me is significant. I suffered several panic attacks shortly after onset and was crippled with anxiety, having to rely on Diazepam and sleeping pills to function and sleep. I've been off work for two weeks due to an inability to concentrate and heightened anxiety. It's still extremely distracting and annoying to me and I haven't slept properly since it started (averaging a few hours a night if I'm lucky), although I have better control over my emotional reaction to it.

Based on my observations, my tinnitus can be described as:

• Mild, in that I cannot hear it outside but can hear it in quiet rooms. I can sometimes hear it above things like the fridge and ambient noise from open windows.

• Variable, manifesting as static, hissing, whistling, crickets and tones. When I'm relaxed it's quieter but if I'm stressed or have been exposed to loud noise it becomes louder and is tonal.

• Reactive to sound, which makes watching TV etc. difficult. The noise seems to sit on top of the TV audio, or is at least obvious enough to be distracting. I've been attempting sound therapy but noticed that most sounds (e.g., brown noise) aggravates it.

• If I wear earplugs and mediate/use relaxation techniques I can reduce the noise to practically nothing. Most of the time I can even gradually dial down the volume of tones during a spike using this method, however outside of this specific environment I cannot control it at all.

• When trying to sleep with earplugs (as I have for ~15 years) there's often not much noise initially, but it usually builds up to a very loud tone.

I do check the noise regularly, which I know I shouldn't and is something I am working on. Trying to maintain a positive attitude and sound therapy are the other key aspects of my "treatment" at the moment.

Has anyone with tinnitus similar to mine had luck treating it or have any tips or tricks to help cope with the noise?

 

[Earing]

If you sleep with earplugs you will be impacting earwax, which can cause tinnitus. Have you had your ears checked for wax?

 

[AndrewW]

If you sleep with earplugs you will be impacting earwax, which can cause tinnitus. Have you had your ears checked for wax?

My hope was that there was a physical cause like that, however an audiologist and doctor have both checked my ears and apparently there's no wax. I did try using wax removal drops early on, but noticed no difference.

I had a hearing test done as well, which didn't identify any hearing loss. That said, I understand subtle high-frequency hearing loss might not be picked up during a standard test.

I do get other weird effects sometimes. For example, when there's a high frequency noise nearby I sometimes hear a cricket-like sound instead. Because the barking dog nearby has stressed me out in the past, I occasionally hear that at odd times (e.g., when my wife is having a shower). I attribute these things to stress and lack of sleep mostly, but makes me think that my Tinnitus is largely psychological/neurological. Of course that doesn't make it easier

 

[neo-t]

Hello!

I also have mild tinnitus and I don't handle it well haha. Whenever I have anxiety and stress for my tinnitus (which is all the time sometimes) I often try to distract myself with something. I go on a YouTube rabbit hole often to distract myself, so going on an adventure through documentaries or inside edition videos on yt help me at least haha. For sleeping, I suggest having something that'll create white noise, like a fan (which is what I use) or a white noise machine.

Although our noises are different (mine is a like ringing but low tone, thank god), I do feel your pain. It'll get better! We have cures and stuff on the way, so we just have to hang on just a little longer. For now, we have to protect our ears the best we can.

I hope you can find peace with your T, I personally haven't yet because I'm a big ball o stress, but that's besides the point lol

 

[AndrewW]

Thanks, neo-t.

I'm trying to ween myself off earplugs when sleeping, but it's a hard habit to break. So far I can't sleep at all without them

There seems to be a real link between anxiety and the noise (or at least the perception of it) for me, so addressing that would likely be beneficial for both of us!

 

[neo-t]

Thanks, neo-t.

I'm trying to ween myself off earplugs when sleeping, but it's a hard habit to break. So far I can't sleep at all without them

There seems to be a real link between anxiety and the noise (or at least the perception of it) for me, so addressing that would likely be beneficial for both of us!

I personally don't sleep with earplugs, but I'm sure you'll be able to break the habit soon!! Just be persistent, and whenever you feel the need to wear them whenever sleeping, don't act on the urge. I'm breaking off the habit of using earbuds and headphones, so I feel your pain!! Haha

 

[foam]

AndrewW, I also got mine 3 weeks ago and is at a similar level to yours. Perhaps slightly higher. Mine goes completely late at night then get raging again is I sleep... I found the first two weeks life destroying. This last week I've been able to sleep a bit but not enough but I still can't concentrate on anything at all until it goes later in the night, then I get a couple hours to do something.

I don't know what to do about it yet but mine is certainly tied to or worsened by high cortisol levels (stress). Could I ask you some things about your lifestyle? do you sleep regular hours?, I figure from you saying you were working externally that you've been on fairly regular hours. And what kind of diet are you on? anything unusual? are you drinking taking sugar free drinks or food.. Few things like this are suspect to me. Also are you taking any prescription drugs? or even antihistmines? have you been taking any supplements the last few months?. I don't know if there's a way out of this but I'm surely going to try. Stay outside all day certainly helps make mine quite at an earlier time than if I'm inside all day, somehow this is related to the light/bodyclock these kind of things. Unfortunately it's winter time here at the moment and being outside all day just adds stress.

 

[AndrewW]

Hi foam - I was working regular hours and sleeping very well and consistently (8 - 9 hours per night without disruption). I've had a couple of weeks off work now and am sleeping between 1 and 4 hours a night typically, often with the aid of sleeping pills.

In terms of diet, I keep a very healthy diet, exercise regularly and don't smoke or drink. I joke that my only vice is (was) coffee. I do drink the occasional sugar free drink though, which arguably isn't healthy The only drug I was taking prior to onset was Finasteride (for my hair), but I've been on that for 10 years.

I've started taking a bunch of supplements (Ginkgo Biloba, Zinc, Magnesium, Curcumin, Vitamin B12 etc.) and although there might be a positive effect there it's hard to tease out from placebo or things like stress, sleeping patterns.

I find that going outside masks it at the time, however upon returning home it's louder and a consistent tone. Staying inside or in a quiet environment prevents it from becoming louder, but I find I notice it way more and it's a real distraction. Funnily enough, my wife experiences similar noises sometimes when we compare experiences in a quiet room. She can apparently just "ignore them" though by focusing her attention elsewhere, lucky girl.

I've noticed the effect that stress and attention has on it. When it's lower it can sometimes upset me a lot and other times not so much. I'm trying to adopt a more positive attitude not only because I think it would be beneficial, but to reduce the emotional burden on my family.

Did yours begin spontaneously with no apparent reason too, or was there an obvious cause?