What I've Been Doing with My Tinnitus — a Success?

[Bernie W]

I have never written anything in any forum, only getting information and support through it. This is the first time that I feel compelled to write about my experience so that maybe I can help others as well.

I only just started to have tinnitus around July 24, just 2 weeks ago. It suddenly appeared after a period of stress (starting a new company with friends/family) and going to sleep late with overthinking. I was devastated and began to feel anxiety and panic attack. The hissing sound bothered me so much at night even though I was able to go to sleep since I had to forcefully shut it out. But waking up with the sound in the middle of the night almost made me go crazy. I called my close friends or wrote to them just so I let out my emotion to make me feel better. One friend told me her mother has been having it for over 10 years, and now living with it and doesn't even notice it. It made me feel good, and bad at the same time - you have to live with it possibly for the rest of your life, BUT you get used to it. The thought of having to deal with this for the rest of my life really made me feel so depressed. It worsened the stress I already had.

Within a couple of days, I went to see a Chinese acupuncturist and an ENT doctor, both on the same day. The Chinese doctor told me that it's good I had come early because it's better to treat it early and get successful result. The ENT doctor checked my ears and everything is normal. I got a few vitamins for better circulation to the brain etc etc. But none helped in the first week.

I started to think about what I have done wrong including whether it was a good decision to be in the new business. I started to take steps and unwind what I've done. I decided to not take part in the share holding because it really makes me feel too responsible.

I am a Catholic and I have recently relied on any good lucky charm to get my business to run smoothly, and profitable. I feel like I have gone too far in terms of relying so much on good luck charm or good feng shui study and extraordinary stuff that is not so godlike and against the belief of my religion. The next step took was I intended to return all the good luck charms, and come back to trust God.

I also asked my Chinese acupuncture doctor for herbal medicine. I took it nearly a week, but nothing happened.

Yesterday was the day that I did almost anything that I possibly could - starting with acupuncture in the morning, in the evening I tried some yoga poses that increase blood circulation to the brain - like the downward dog pose. Then I had my usual vegetable smoothie, but bigger portion (I haven't been having it regularly), and when I laid on my bed- I prayed to Pope John Paul II and read his book about suffering. The messages in his book are mostly about the suffering and illness, and that human suffering brings people closer to God/Jesus.. And that God doesn't abandon the sick. He is full of love for them. Sometimes you are called to suffering so that you can gain salvation through it.

To my amazement, I felt calm afterwards, and the sound was not noticeable. It began to subside. I even thought the tinnitus was gone because I could hardly hear it. But I also realized it's still there, just not bothering as much.

Today, everything seems controllable. The hissing sound seems far distant, and low in pitch. Again it's still there, but somehow it doesn't bother me as much and I believe it is lower in volume. I do not want to try to hear or to measure it since I am able to ignore it or make it seem so distant.

So I just want to share with everybody --- first try the yoga poses at home, anything that will bring your blood down to your brain. It makes sense since that's what we aim for - blood circulation to the brain. I found it almost had immediate relief.

Then take your powerful vitamin shots from veggies - super food, etc etc. Nature can cure you. I think all the supplements may not take direct effect, just drink it directly. Nothing is better than fresh product.

If you have time - go see an acupuncturist. It may or may not work, but it won't hurt. It may even cure your other ailment.

Lastly and most importantly - read the sign of your tinnitus - what is the message that it's giving you - for me, it's the fact that I overstressed myself and that the business venture might not be right for me. I am in a process of pulling out, and it gave me immediate relief just thinking about it. And start to trust God again. Human suffering does bring people closer to God, and I hope everyone is blessed to find relief from your suffering. It is in a way a spiritual journey. I don't want to say mine is completely healed, but going through it gave me a few insight of what is important to life and what is not. I may be too subjective in dealing with this, but if you want to be objective - then do your yoga poses today, and make your blood circulate to your brain. And see what happens.

Good luck!

 

[Jenni8619]

Thank you @Bernie W for sharing your T story, I loved your message!

 

[Bernie W]

Thank you for your message too @Jenni8619. I am glad to hear that

 

[Bernie W]

I started this thread earlier, but that was false alarm, the T came back and continued with different intensity until this morning.

My T was initially caused by stress, and lack of sleep due to opening up a new company. I had tried to unwind what I did, starting with trying to pull out of the company & restructure the shareholding. I went on vacation in Europe (btw, I reside in Thailand) and just got back yesterday. I took Xanax every night except one. I also want to say that I am in menopause period which I think exacerbate the symptom and caused insomnia and panic attack as well.

What I did yesterday? I talked to an old friend about my problem and she said she herself bought an expensive laser treatment machine which she is using for her aging father to rejeuvenate his body/blood, and I'm not sure if she does it commercially or not, but it seems another provider of this machine is in a local hospital. I haven't got a chance to go into lengthy detail, but after listening to her, I said that in fact, my sister recently bought Weber medical watch and my friend said it's pretty much the same thing except hers uses the needle and applies the laser directly to the blood. She said go ahead & use it as it's the same technology. I actually used it once, after reading a possible cure from the laser watch. But the first time, it didn't do anything and I simply ignored it believing it wasn't for me. But after talking to my friend, I pulled it out again, and used it twice (half an hour each time) yesterday. The watch comes with headset that you can plug into your ears, and the laser points directly into your ears. I think it's supposed to be for hearing problem and tinnitus.

Oh I forgot to say - because of the anxiety & insomnia while I was away, I experienced lack of concentration during the trip, and forgot my mobile phone in the bus, it's being sent back to home and it's supposed to be here tomorrow. I was without my mobile phone for a couple of days which for once was kind of good because it took my attention away from any information on the phone. I recommend you to try it! Life is easier when you're not constantly looking at it. I also took Xanax very early last night, read a few pages of a book (which I hardly do these days), and fell asleep before 10 PM. To my surprise, I woke up without Tinnitus!!!! It lasted for a few hours, but I began to hear a little bit of it later on (while talking about leftover work from the company!), but it's a tolerable and low level hissing sound. While typing I can still hear it, but it's not bothersome at all. But this morning it was completely gone.

I conclude that it's a combination of 3 things:

1) I was without my mobile phone (hahaha)

2) I took Xanax very early (instead of waiting to go to sleep first THEN take Xanax which reduces my sleeping time), and I had a long night sleep with only 1 toilet break. So it was important that I get enough, long sleep.

3) The laser treatment which is known to reduce stress, and anxiety, makes you sleep better. It's supposed to recharge your body battery, specially the red blood cells so that they will cure whatever they supposed to cure. Also, the headset that gives out laser pointed directly into the ears where the problem was. The 2nd time I was wearing the laser yesterday, it made me sleepy a bit, and today I put it on the second time, I fell asleep for half an hour after taking the headset out, it did kind of relax me.

So all in all, I would say - if your tinnitus is triggered by stress/lack of sleep - please make sure you get enough sleep every night, not 5-6 hours, but at least 8 hours, or even more. I will continue to use the laser treatment and taking Xanax until I feel I can go to sleep on my own for certain. The T is still there but only at very low level. And I really need to avoid ANY stressful situation because it can easily come back.

 

[Bernie W]

Thank you @Equalizer.