Typewriter Tinnitus

[Gregory LaPres]

I'm entirely new here. I need help finding my way to peace with this unwanted clicking in my left ear.

I've been to a Neurologist, Otolaryngologist, and Neurotologist.

It all started when I woke up in January 2016 with a clicking sound. I didn't hear it again until July. It's gone on for hours, days, weeks or months and then stops only to return hours, days, weeks or months later.

Had every known cause medically eliminated. Even had the stapedius muscle cut when it was thought to be spasming only to wake in recovery with it still going.

Not helped with valium, trazodone, baclofen, gabapentin, clonazepam, flexeril, or nortriptyline.

 

[3ri0w]

Heyyy

typewriter tinnitus sucks :| Since you've tried meds to get rid of it, have you tried Carbamazepine?

 

[Gregory LaPres]

Yes. The Neurotologist found in my MRI scan that I do have a neurovascular conflict with the 8th auditory nerve. However, carbamazepine did nothing for me. He explained that the pressure on the nerve causes a misfire in the nervous system and the errant signal makes the stapedius muscle spasm. That's when I had the muscle cut. It failed to stop the clicking. I presented to his office (per his request) while the clicking was active and the audiologist performed the test that pick's up movement in the middle ear. It came back negative. We're talking 8-10 clicks per second! And they got nothing. He told me the only answer must be that nerve damage in the cochlea is causing the auditory cortex to "invent" the sound. The damndest thing is that I can bump my fists together and make it click. It's almost as if there's a short somewhere in my nervous system and I can affect it seismically.

 

[Contrast]

cool neuro-otologist are the only ones that actually specialize in finding pathologies of tinnitus in cases where it isn't clear such as acoustic trauma or ototoxicity.

 

[3ri0w]

Wow, you got serious doctors man!!! (congrats even tho they were not yet able to cure you, I mean they took you seriously and everything, good explaining and all). Well I gotta say one thing. I tried muscle relaxants to help with the fukked up TTTS/hyperacusis and all...and I had this beeping kinda tinnitus ye so the muscle relax (flexeril etc) didn't help but painkillers (opioids (even codeine)) helped a lot... just a thought, I don't mean to push them to you or you know be an "advocatee".

I mean you are serious, not that many people go and have that muscle cut..danggg I wish your T will go away. Do yoou have the kinda normal tinnitus also (just a question that spruing to my mind)

 

[Contrast]

what was his hypothesis on TTTS, and the tensor typani?

 

[DebInAustralia]

Could magnesium be worth trying?

 

[Gregory LaPres]

I'll try to answer several questions from several people. First, I have ringing in both ears that also started in July 2016 AFTER I used some over the counter drops from the pharmacy... the ringing has never stopped since. Hearing tests put that at around 9k. A bit of hearing loss in both ears above 4k. I've been taking magnesium for years before I had a tinnitus issue because I had a cervical fusion done at the C4/C5 level following a herniated disc. As far as tensor tympani goes, I don't have it. The audiologist performed the tympanometry test twice on different visits and both came back negative. I spoke with an Orthopedic surgeon in the office that cared for my neck issue about the clicking and asked if he knew of any connection between the nerves in the neck and tinnitus, specifically the clicking. He said in 29 years he's never heard of such a thing. The lineup of doctors I hired to chase this down covered the bases. No temporal dihescence, no stapedius myoclonus (had it cut), no eustachian tube dysfunction, no tensor tympani syndrome, no muscle spasms in the roof of the mouth, no TMJ, etc... It comes and goes no matter the weather or time of day or body position. It can go for hours, days, weeks or months. And then stop for hours, days, weeks or months. It's been impossible so far to habituate to the clicking because it's not always there like the ringing. I describe the sound akin to a computer mouse clicking; not the clunky click but the higher pitch. Lately it's been exactly like the sound of someone clipping their fingernails. Even with good insurance I've spent thousands in the 2.5 years timespan since it ramped up. It turns out to be 99% positive that it's coming from my audio cortex. *a ghost sound-- like ringing* The brain can give a person pain in a limb that's been removed. It can do the same for around; we all know that. I just happen to be the one freak on earth who doesn't have a physical/biological reason for the clicking. The million dollar question is, how the heck do I come to terms with it? I'm in heaven when it stops and when it starts back up, the torment begins anew. I never get a chance to get used to it.

 

[3ri0w]

Ah dang you have had a herniated disc :||| Do you have pain issues or any I mean these days? I have them back pains too and ye sucks.. And had that kinda beeping tinnitus real bad (typewriter kinda), and one tinnitus tone that "reacted" to all sounds, like it whistled to everything I heard. When I listened to music it was like layered on top of the the beat and guitars and all.

I know what you mean when you wrote it'sss real hard to habituate :\\\ But you kno you gotta think "different" you know, at least the typewriter tinnitus is not for you "always on"? Atleast you get hours/days/weeks/months worth of "normal life" time ye? But ye it's fuckkked...it's like with the back pains, the pain can come and go and it doesn't make any sense on what makes it come and what makes it go, hard to habitutate.

One more question lol: Have you tried Lyrica (pregabalin) or just different opioids?
Ps. I mean since you wrote about ghost sound, have you researched ketamine clinics? Some of them clinics offer like ketamine infusions for tinnitus too, check out if your insurance would cover that kinda thing also, I dunno if it could help you, just wanna let you know you know

 

[Gregory LaPres]

Opioids are a huge issue here in America. I don't want any more drugs to try, really. Ketamine is something new I haven't heard of yet until you mentioned it. As for the herniated disc-- that was another nightmare that thankfully has a happy ending. There are times I still have some pain but nowhere near where it had been. I still have two more discs at C2/C3 and C3/C4 levels that are merely bulging, as well as some endplate bone spurs and narrowing of the spinal cord canal. I'll web search this ketamine you speak of, thanks.

 

[3ri0w]

You had a good surgeon since the surgery got rid of the pain

No broblem

 

[OnceUponaTime]

I don't want any more drugs to try, really.

I understand. But if I remember correctly, some members here on Tinnitus Talk have taken carbamazepine and it helped.

I just happen to be the one freak on earth who doesn't have a physical/biological reason for the clicking.

Sorry, but I had to chuckle at this. I've had the same thoughts.

Enjoy the time when its gone and pray it doesn't come back!

Once

 

[Gregory LaPres]

When we consider that I have the neurovascular conflict with the auditory nerve, carbamazepine is one most people would think should've helped. I don't know if you've read this thread from the start but I tried it with no success. The way the vessel loops over the nerve must not be enough to cause the compression that would interfere. Or, carbamazepine doesn't stop the voltage gated sodium channel for me enough in that nerve. I'm not experiencing any vertigo or hemifacial spasms, so I'm assuming the compression is just too low. Here in west Michigan, Dr. Daniels is the guy I was referred to. He's recognized nationally. I spoke to other patients during my first couple visits and was told people usually wait up to a year or more to see him. In the end he admitted he couldn't find any other reason. He was certain stapedius myoclonus was it. The only answer left was the auditory cortex creating the sound.

 

[3ri0w]

Dangg long waiting lines!

What are his thoughts on Retigabine, if you still are his patient or asked him? There are new "versions" of retigabine coming out soon-ishhh to give you hope

 

[OnceUponaTime]

@Gregory LaPres Ahhh sorry that it didnt helped your case. By any chance , do you have low drone/hum tinnitus?

 

[Gregory LaPres]

They got me in within days! Spectrum Neurology referred me and had my full backstory. The suicide watch must've sped up the process. I haven't seen him since the summer of 2017. I haven't any idea his thoughts on the funny named drug; it never came up on their lists. Thanks. That's another one I'll web search. I have a nifty affective way for getting a knockout for sleep. One 5mg melatonin combined with a 0.5mg Klonopin= sleepy town. My family doc is totally cool with it.

 

[Gregory LaPres]

@OnceUponaTime no. I have high pitch ringing 24/7, occasionally I get what I call "jingling chain" in the left ear... that sounds just like a safety chain from a hitch dangling down and touching the road as a car goes by.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Have you tried applying pressure to the antero-lateral aspect of the zygomatic bone. It is hypothesised that manual pressure is transmitted through the zygoma via the posterior articulation with the greater wing of the sphenoid bone, possibly causing minuscule movement of the slightly mobile cartilaginous amphiarthroses of the skull. This could potentially alter muscle length relieving spasm arising from the wing of the sphenoid, osseous canal and cartilaginous part of the auditory tube.

 

[Gregory LaPres]

The "zygomatic maneuver"? Oh yeah. That was one of the first things I tried even before I seen any doctors. The main function of that is to relieve middle ear myoclonus...in layman's terms. I don't have mem. Couldn't have it if I wanted to now, that muscle was vaporized by 3 zaps of a laser.