Vipassana Meditation and Tinnitus

[Lorenzo74]

Hi,

I wanted to ask a question..

Before I developed tinnitus I did a 10 days silent meditation retreat called Vipassana.

I believe my tinnitus is stress related and I was thinking of joining another 10 days course as I think it may help getting rid of it. But I am also a little concerned on how the tinnitus will react to 10 days of total silence.

A part of me thinks it will help reduce the stress and get centered again, but another part thinks I might go a bit crazy with the noise and not being able to cover it up...

Would love to hear anybody's thoughts on this.

Thank you, Lorenzo

 

[2131e]

Hi Lorenzo

I just joined this forum. Did you try this? I want to go on a retreat next month but just got tinnitus and am at the high anxiety phase - I need valium to get to sleep. Meditation is making it worse. A meditation retreat might be easier with white noise on headphones just in case the noise gets too bad with the silence...

 

[Lorenzo74]

Hi 2131e,

Welcome to this group

I think meditation can "make" it worst at the beginning but with time it should help to lower the anxiety and help to habituate… The meditation course I did doesn't allow for any headphones or other electronic device, so I guess I would have to accept the noise and try and observe it without judgement, and maybe it will eventually go away or at least diminish its effect. I think I will do one in January, eventually I will post my experience in here...

Don't worry about the anxiety phase, I guess we all went through it but with time and calm it will reduce considerably.. Try not to give it too much attention..

Hope it gets better !!!! Ciao! Lorenzo

 

[Craggy 65]

Hi 2131e,

Welcome to this group

I think meditation can "make" it worst at the beginning but with time it should help to lower the anxiety and help to habituate… The meditation course I did doesn't allow for any headphones or other electronic device, so I guess I would have to accept the noise and try and observe it without judgement, and maybe it will eventually go away or at least diminish its effect. I think I will do one in January, eventually I will post my experience in here...

Don't worry about the anxiety phase, I guess we all went through it but with time and calm it will reduce considerably.. Try not to give it too much attention..

Hope it gets better !!!! Ciao! Lorenzo

Hi Lorenzo,Did you do the retreat,I did a 10day retreat about 5 years ago in England.It was certainly a challenge to not speak,get up very early,and ate very little,as I did not like the food.I'm not sure how it would fit in with my tinnitus?But I do yoga,and sometimes meditate.Cycling is my main exercise.After a ride my t ramps up strong,but settles back mostly by night time.Where are you at with your t.Ciao!Malcolm

 

[Lorenzo74]

Hi @Craggy 65

Unfortunately I haven't been able to do it again as busy with other aspects of life and still undecided if it would be a good or bad idea to do a silent retreat with T...

How did you find the retreat besides the tough schedule and food ? Did you feel you had some benefits ?

I loved the retreat and it was probably the most powerful experience I had ever had, and it surely helped me in solving a few of my issues in life...

Was the one you did in the UK based on the Goenka tradition ? I heard they have an amazing center over there...

I know I will do it again someday, as I still feel it could help with my T, so once I will get to it I will let everyone know how it went.. What scares me a bit is that in a meditation forum I read about a guy who went to the silent retreat and actually developed T while doing the retreat... Must be a scary thing to get it while working on yourself in a silent environment.. But I guess we are all different in so many ways and I should not focus on one bad experience...

I am in a much better place with my T now, and I guess I could call myself habituated as I don't have problems falling asleep and staying asleep when I need to.. Nevertheless I am very conscious of my ears and very careful about noise exposure and try to protect them as much as I can...

Hope your T isn't that bad either !!!

Take care of yourself and your ears !!

Lorenzo

 

[Craggy 65]

Hi @Craggy 65

Unfortunately I haven't been able to do it again as busy with other aspects of life and still undecided if it would be a good or bad idea to do a silent retreat with T...

How did you find the retreat besides the tough schedule and food ? Did you feel you had some benefits ?

I loved the retreat and it was probably the most powerful experience I had ever had, and it surely helped me in solving a few of my issues in life...

Was the one you did in the UK based on the Goenka tradition ? I heard they have an amazing center over there...

I know I will do it again someday, as I still feel it could help with my T, so once I will get to it I will let everyone know how it went.. What scares me a bit is that in a meditation forum I read about a guy who went to the silent retreat and actually developed T while doing the retreat... Must be a scary thing to get it while working on yourself in a silent environment.. But I guess we are all different in so many ways and I should not focus on one bad experience...

I am in a much better place with my T now, and I guess I could call myself habituated as I don't have problems falling asleep and staying asleep when I need to.. Nevertheless I am very conscious of my ears and very careful about noise exposure and try to protect them as much as I can...

Hope your T isn't that bad either !!!

Take care of yourself and your ears !!

Lorenzo

Hi,I have only had tinnitus a couple of months,at first I was in a mess,but after 5weeks I started to settle down.so it is only early days.The retreat I did was run by vipassana in Norfolk.I think I treated it as a bit of a challenge to remain there for the full ten days.I have done other workshops,and processes that I have gained more from,but were a long time ago,back in the 80,s.I understand the technique of meditating,but I'm too lazy to be disciplined enough to practice regularly,but I find it always beneficial when I trouble to do it.I am seeing a therapist for the tinnitus,and depending how I progress will be offered courses as required.I sleep ok now,and I,m too very care of noise exposure now.Let me know how your t progressed from when you got it,regards Malcolm

 

[Lorenzo74]

Hey @Craggy 65 !

I actually needed it so much that when I did my 10 days and I was near the end I just wished it was longer as I was really digging deep down and solving a lot of things and understanding myself and I almost felt frustrated that it was getting over..

By the 10th day I was a fountain of tears and bliss

But since I developed T I found it difficult to meditate and just recently I am getting back onto it, and at times I actually use the T-sound as a kind of Mantra if that makes sense

My T has remained the same pretty much since it started, I am lucky I don't get much spikes either, probably because I am very careful and conscious about my ears.. What definitely changed was my attitude and response towards it, and it took me a good 9 months to be able to accept it and move on...

Nowadays I stick around to check on new research and help when I can in supporting newbies.. I find this site an amazing place with great energy in helping us dealing and living with it...

All the best to you Malcolm !

Ciao ! Lorenzo

 

[HopeforAll]

Did you decide to do this eventually? I am considering one as well. I normally follow breath meditation but want to try this.