Any "ringing in the ear/tinnitus" sufferers out there? I've had this for

[Southsideirish]

the past week and its very irritating! I trace it to one song I was playing on my Ipod while out for a run. It came on after one of my favorites so I had the volume at maximum and on came this new song that started off with something that sounded like a gunshot. I almost fell over! What the hell way is that to begin a friggin' song??
I'm going to see if I can get some acupuncture for it tomorrow. Yikes, it sucks.

[JackintheGreen]

1. Just a week?

I'm a recovering metalhead. I've had tinnitus for 10 years! Let me know if the acupuncture works. And good luck!

[harrison]

2. I have had it for a number of years. It is very strange. I have

been accustomed to mine. There are some tinnitus support message boards out there. Google and you will find them.

[fjh]

32. I HAVE CURED MY TINITIUS...sort of, please read carefully.

What a P.I.A. thing...a couple ENT's and one specialized clinic and a lot, a lot of research got me to the point where I'm pretty convinced mine is a combination of high blood pressure and a mucus buildup from chronic sinusitus.

I can alter the tone by pressing my fingers in my ears at strategic spots, so I know it is pressure related, i.e. a build up of pressure in the inner ear along the auditory nerve.

Have to rule out all the other problems, like tumors, brain injury/tumors---found out one doesn't need to have 'ears' to hear...boy, did that cheer me up when they testing my brain through the top of my head.

The blood pressure is chronic, losing weight, exercise, ENALAPRIL worked for a while, but I hated side effects. Blood pressure increases after meals, while working out, or under stress...if your tinititus goes up then, it's probably pressure related.

I just hit on a combo for reducing the effect of the chronic infection in my sinuses...ah, my love of swimming has a downside.

I take a tab of SUDAFED PF before bed, and then do a thorough rise of my sinuses using a NETTY POT and warm salt(kosher, of course) water. The smelly discharge in one ear appears to have gone away, pressure in sinsuses is focused and often nearly disappears.

To help reduce pressure in the tiny sinsus canals I sometimes take "CLEAR" a homeopathic ($27) remedy that has a lot of herbs that open them up a bit. It has a side effect of requiring a lot of water, or you dry up, i.e. diuretic effect....less body fluid, lower pressure.

The new "combo" has been fantastic...full deep sleep; no groggy mornings from the side effect of sinusitis discharges, etc.

BEFORE YOU RUSH RIGHT OUT AND GET A NETTY POT AND CLEAR AND SUDAFED; I strongly recommend a series of tests to make sure you don't have an organic cause, i.e. tumors, brain cancer, cochelar deterioration, etc. One took 30 minutes and resulted in strange charts for both ears.

Another thing, when the threshold of hearing increases because of the reduced tinnitus; it's amazing what you can hear again. I don't feel like I'm living inside my head.

BTW...there are some major lawsuits against APPLE because of the serious hearing loss with Ipods. You might want to join them.

[Daphne08]

3. I've suffered with tinnitus for years, and "the constant ringing"

is often intensified by certain sounds such as those you have mentioned.

I've learned to just deal with the problem because I was told that there's really not much they can do about it (but then, I haven't consulted a physician about it in many years).

I wish you good luck with the acupuncture.

[Richard D]

4. If you use the IPod . . .

. . . or anyother earphone at full volume, you're gonna be listening to things via Amslan eventually.

Good luck with the acupuncture. You also might try Gingko or an herbal formual from your acupuncturist.

[Daphne08]

5. I agree about the headphones, but I'm over fifty and never

used headphones in my youth (which is when this ringing began).

In fact, I really don't know how I came to be afflicted with this condition unless it was caused by listening to live bands in local clubs during my college days.

Other than that, I was never exposed to "loud" sounds.

Thanks for the tip about Gingko. I will definitely try that.

[Syncronaut Seven]

9. Get your blood pressure checked

Ringing ears could signal high blood pressure.

[RebelOne]

27. No necessarily. I have high blood pressure

and even with medication to control it, I still have the ringing, clicking and buzzing in my ears.

[applegrove]

6. The only person who I know who ever had it was a "walkman" freak.

Give the ipod a break.

[ashling]

7. I have had this most of my life

Now that I am on the up side of half a hundred, it is especially bothersome. There are several things that can cause this, mine hs something to do with the brain stem ... or so I was told by a Doctor of hearology or whatever they are called. Most of the time I can deal with it, but sometimes it has gotten so bad that I have actually thought about acupuncture: with an ice pick! The only relief I can get is to apply a purring cat to my ear.

[hobgoblin]

15. Aggravating to say the least!

Had a brain stem stroke in Nov 1993 and have various permanent residuals; one of which is tinnutis. Yes, it is annoying. I have learned to live with it, too, but on those days that it gets really loud...I agree, acupuncture with an ice pick has crossed my mind! Summer and fall allergies also worsen the condition.

Sympathy to all who suffer with this. And no, there isn't a cure!

[bullimiami]

8. take it very easy on the ears for awhile, be careful with the headphones

as much as possible, always.

I guess this is a new thing for you since you seem to be surprised.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. years and years and years

I wans't a metalhead either. I do have hi-fi equipment, but I didn't blast my eardrums out with it. I drive a motorcycle, but I nearly always wear earplugs and always wear a full-facial coverage helmet. I wear earplugs when I use power tools such as drills and Dremel Mototools.

In my case, the tinnitus is there, and it's never going away.

For the record "tinnitus" is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable. It almost rhymes with "cinnamon," as opposed to almost rhyming with "appendicitis."

[Slit Skirt]

11. Apple is being sued for the IPOD because

it will go over 115 decibals...

let us know if the acupuncture works

[Nashvilliberal]

12. Sorry you're having to deal with this....

Your tinnitus could very well been caused by the "gunshot" event, but daily overexposure to moderately loud sounds will cause hearing loss and ringing also. The ringing often subsides if you're not exposed to additional trauma, so hopefully it will fade.

The event you describe is a fairly new problem. In the past, people listening to headphones would typically be listening to a manufactured CD, which is mastered so that levels are consistent from song to song. Even back when we'd make cassettes from albums (to listen to on a walkman), the loudness level was pretty consistent from album to album (at least in pop music) because of built-in physical limitations of vinyl. But new technology has made it possible to make finished recordings dramatically louder (not without sonic consequences) in the last five years or so than was possible to do before, and Ipod-like technology has made it possible for people to mix old and new recordings on the same player, so if you crank up the Ipod for Tom Petty's "Last Dance With Mary Jane," and then something from the last Red Hot Chili Peppers record comes on, you're going to get creamed.

If you're distracted by the ringing while trying to sleep, try some background noise (like white noise, or tune a radio between stations so that you have low level "static"). This helps a lot of people.

This from www.ata.org



What causes tinnitus?
The exact physiological cause or causes of tinnitus are not known. There are, however, several likely sources, all of which are known to trigger or worsen tinnitus.

* Noise-induced hearing loss - Exposure to loud noises can damage and even destroy hair cells, called cilia, in the inner ear. Once damaged, these hair cells cannot be renewed or replaced. Millions of Americans have hearing loss due to noise exposure, and up to 90 percent of all tinnitus patients have some level of noise-induced hearing loss.
* Wax build-up in the ear canal - The amount of wax ears produce varies by individual. Sometimes, people produce enough wax that their hearing can be compromised or their tinnitus can seem louder. If you produce a lot of earwax, speak to your physician about having excess wax removed manually-not with a cotton swab, but by an otolaryngologist (also called an ear, nose, and throat doctor).
* Certain medications - Some medications are ototoxic-that is, the medications are toxic to the ear. Other medications will produce tinnitus as a side effect without damaging the inner ear. Effects, which can depend on the dosage of the medication, can be temporary or permanent. Before taking any medication, make sure that your prescribing physician is aware of your tinnitus, and discuss alternative medications that may be available.
* Ear or sinus infections - Many people, including children, experience tinnitus along with an ear or sinus infection. Generally, the tinnitus will lessen and gradually go away once the infection is healed.
* Jaw misalignment - Some people have misaligned jaw joints or jaw muscles, which can not only induce tinnitus, but also affect cranial muscles and nerves and shock absorbers in the jaw joint. Many dentists specialize in this temporomandibular jaw misalignment and can provide assistance with treatment.
* Cardiovascular disease - Approximately 3 percent of tinnitus patients experience pulsatile tinnitus; people with pulsatile tinnitus typically hear a rhythmic pulsing, often in time with a heartbeat. Pulsatile tinnitus can indicate the presence of a vascular condition-where the blood flow through veins and arteries is compromised-like a heart murmur, hypertension, or hardening of the arteries.
* Certain types of tumors - Very rarely, people have a benign and slow-growing tumor on their auditory, vestibular, or facial nerves. These tumors can cause tinnitus, deafness, facial paralysis, and loss of balance.
* Head and neck trauma - Physical trauma to the head and neck can induce tinnitus. Other symptoms include headaches, vertigo, and memory loss.

[WhiteTara]

16. mine came through a car wreck...

the whip lash was so intense that I never recovered. Somedays it almost drives me mad and other days it isn't so intense.

[Coyote_Bandit]

13. I awoke one morning many years ago

to find myself incredibly bed spinning wall hugging dizzy - for no apparent reason. It wasn't until I picked up the telephone that I realized that I could not hear at all. My sudden hearing loss eventually resolved itself. I was forced to leave my job in a music studio. Eventually I regained all my normal voice range hearing. I also developed a nasty case of tinnitus. I still have it but I have learned (1) what makes it worse, (2)how to mask it, and (3) how to largely ignore it.

What makes it worse? Being overly tired. Eating poorly. Allergies. Artificial sweeteners. And *loud noise.* I suggest you ditch your headphones for awhile - and when you put them back on turn the volume down. And avoid ototoxic drugs - which include aspirin.

How to mask it? White noise. Nature sounds CDs. Meditation.

How to ignore it? You will get used to it and you will learn how to tune it out.

Realize that you have tinnitus and likely some hearing loss - probably from listening to loud music through your headphones. That means you have damaged your acoustic nerve. Nerve injuries can take a year or more to heal. Be patient.

Unfortunately there is not much that can be done to treat tinnitus. And your inner ear isn't easily examined.

Good luck. It does get better. And I suspect with time your hearing will improve though you likely have some permanent impairment.

[driver8]

17. I work as a sound editor but used to work in a recording studio.

We were working with a multi Grammy winning engineer one day and he told us a story about how he woke up one day and was totally deaf in one ear. He had to quit working and thought his career in music was over.

Two years later, he woke up one morning and his hearing was back in that ear. He is still working and still winning Grammys!!

Please be careful with your hearing. Keep the volume down and give your ears frequent rests.

[Coyote_Bandit]

19. Wow - I'm happy for him

Anybody who has been treated for sudden hearing loss will tell you that the doctors will scare you to death. The first thing they consider is whether you have a brain tumor or an acoustic neuronoma. The last thing they consider if they are not able to diagnose any known hearing disorder is multiple sclerosis. If they can rule that out and if you didn't initially respond to a battery of anti-biotics then they will tell you that the cause was probably viral.

I wasn't in the same league as a Grammy winning engineer. I can only imagine his thoughts. Initially, the tinnitus really screwed up my sense of pitch as I found I had a tendency to gravitate toward the sound in my head. I worked through that. I do have some high frequemcy hearing loss and now things sound lack their full tone and sometimes sound a little flat. I still love music and play for my own enjoyment. I always will.

I've had my tinnitus for nearly ten years. Eventually my doctors decided my sudden hearing loss was probably viral in origin. There was measurable damage to my acoustic nerve. During the first couple of years I would from time to time have tingling sensations in my ear. The doctor explained to me that this was nerve tissue healing and "waking up" and starting to function again.

I keep the volume on everything turned way down these days. I wear ear protection around loud noises - live performances, lawn equipment, etc. I also try to avoid all the ototoxic chemicals and medications. Minus the tinnitus I think I actually hear better than I did before. I've learned to hear things at low volume. I find that now if I listen for them I can pick out lots of incidental noises in broadcasts and music that I used to be largely oblivious to.

[seemunkee]

14. Yes from years of woodworking machinery

When I first started no one wore ear protection.

[GoodE2Shoes]

18. Taking too much aspirin can do it, too.

Sometimes, cold products etc. can have hidden aspirin, so check the labels--especially if you're taking more than one product that contains aspirin. (Excedrin?)

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

22. HIgh doses of Vitamin C can cause it, as well. n/t

MKJ

[Warpy]

20. See an audiologist

and lose those headphones for now. You only get one set of ears and implants will never replace full range hearing.

Acupuncture won't do any harm.

This may clear up on its own, or it may not. Giving your ears the best chance to heal is your best bet, which is why you need to take it easy on loud music and listen on regular speakers, not headsets.

(I sympathise, I was once put on high dose aspirin therapy, quit due to tinnitus. Not only was it annoying, it changed pitch every time I moved my head. Mine finally cleared, yours may too)

[IDemo]

21. I've had this for about 12 years

About a 15 kHz squeal in both ears, 24/7/365. I have mentioned it to my doctor a couple of times but he waved it off as "just a part of aging". I'm 'only' 48, by the way.

[philb]

23. Hulda Clark says she finds strep, dental caviations, saliclates in tinniti

Hulda Clark says that her testing often finds
strep pneumonie, dental cavitations, liver blockages, salicylates, beryllium in those with chronic tinnitis.

Dental cleanup, zapping the bacteria, and avoiding salicyalates often helps

The Cure of All Diseases, New Century Press, 1995

[Sgent]

24. For what its worth

I would make an appointment with an ENT immediately. Depending on the location and type of damage, immediate treatment may lesson the symptoms and more importantly reduce the chance/severity for permanent harm. If you have swelling in and around the nerve caused by the damage, you maybe a candidate for steroid treatment which could reduce long term damage. That type of treatment is more effective the quicker it is initiated.

[Tracer]

25. Yes, for years.

And I attribute it to singing in a choir for a long time --- lots of loud voices and bellowing organ.

Most of the time I don't even notice it, unless I consciously pay attention to it.

I HAVE noticed that I can reduce the ringing by applying pressure to the bones directly behind my ears. What this does, I have no clue --- and I can hardly go around all day with my fingers clamped to my head.

[RebelOne]

26. I've had it for as long as I can remember.

But I've learned to live with it because there is no cure.

[RebelOne]

28. If you do have tinnitus, acupuncture is not going to help.

There is no known cure for it.

[Celebration]

29. TCM

One thing for sure is that acupuncturists can easily unclog wax from the ear. Generally their ear stuff works pretty well and they certainly have protocols for tinnitus. I doubt if there are any studies proving it but it is a reasonable thing to try, since there are no ill effects.

http://www.yinyanghouse.com/chinesetheory/etiology-tinnitus.html#acutx

TCM Diagnoses and Acupuncture Treatments

Etiology:
Emotions:
Emotional strain, anger, frustration leading to LV fire or LV yang rising - usually sudden onset and loud ringing.
Excess sadness/grief leading to stagnation in the upper warmer - weak Qi in chest which doesn't rise to nourish the head.
Excessive sex a/or overwork - weakens KD - usually low pitch ringing but can be high.
Old age - weakens KD Jing - gradual onset w/low pitch.
Dietary habits - excessive damp/greasy/irregular eating leads to Phlegm which prevents the rising of clear Qi to the head.
Trauma - exposure to loud sounds - excess type, suddent onset, loud ringing, aggravated by cupping hands over the ears.

[OhioChick]

30. Research Confirms TMJ-Tinnitus Connection

The connection between temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and ear dysfunction was first researched by Drs. David Goodfriend and James Costen in the 1920s. Hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo and nausea was often mentioned in case histories of TMJ patients.


Most recently, the association between TMD and tinnitus was confirmed by Harold Gelb, DMD, at the Tufts University College of Dental Medicine; Michael L. Gelb, DDS, of the Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology at the New York College of Dentistry; and Melinda L. Wagner, DMD, of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Earlier this year, they reported that patients with craniocervical mandibular disorders can present with tinnitus as a primary or secondary complaint. ("The Relationship of Tinnitus to Craniocervical Mandibular Disorders", The Journal of Craniomandibular Practice, Vol.15, No.2)


Their findings validated an earlier study by William S. Parker, DMD, Ph.D., and Richard A. Chole, MD, Ph.D., who reported clinical confirmation of the association between TMD and tinnitus in 1992. The University of California-Davis researchers cited the correlation in their findings of a controlled study involving 1,032 patients. ("Tinnitus, Vertigo, and Temporomandibular Disorders," Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vol. 188).


Douglas H. Morgan, DDS, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who has specialized in TMJ treatment for over 30 years, was sponsored by the American Tinnitus Association to do a special clinical research study. Twenty patients who suffered with tinnitus were chosen. These people had been to ENT specialists to rule out any organic or other otologic causes of their tinnitus. Also, none of these patients complained of jaw joint or facial pain and were not aware of any jaw joint dysfunction. Dr. Morgan conducted an eight part comprehensive TMJ diagnostic study of these tinnitus patients. Among the tests used was a complete radiologic evaluation, which included transcraniel lateral oblique x-rays, tomograms and magnetic resonance imaging in order to evaluate the condition and shape of the joint bones and meniscus. Electromyographic studies were also used to evaluate hyperactivity in the jaw and surrounding facial muscles. Other assessments included palpation of the TMJ area, orthodonic examination, range of jaw motion studies and joint sound evaluation.

http://home.earthlink.net/~dhmorgan/research.html

[Southsideirish]

31. I had my 1st acupuncture treatment. So far no change. This Doctor is

very good (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and I have been going to her for years. She said treating this is very difficult and, as several of these posts have indicated, something that has to be "nipped in the bud." I'm taking Chinese herbs to relax and we'll see what happens.

[Ediacara]

37. In addition to your acupuncturist

I would strongly recommend seeing an audiologist and/or an ear/nose/throat doctor.

[petersjo02]

33. Ringing most likely evidence of nerve damage

B vitamins help support nerve function and even serve to help damaged nerves heal. Have had nerve damage from herpes down back of both legs, and a B100 complex vitamin taken daily helps. Often suggested for sufferers of sciatic nerve pain with good success. I suspect it may help you, too, in combination with the acupuncture or anything else you might want to try. I buy my B100 vitamins from Puritan's Pride, a vitamin and supplement site on the Web. Good prices compared to drugstores. Will include B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, among a few other of the Bs.

jp

[philb]

34. Hulda Clark says the following are common factors in tinnitus

Tinnitus strep pneumonie bacteria, dental cavitations, liver blockages, salicylates, beryllium,

Hulda Clark, The Cure for All Diseases, New Century Press, 1995

She says zap the bacteria, get a dental cavitation checkup and treatment & check beryllium in crowns, do a liver cleanse, and reduce salicylates intake, and take niacin

If you have those problems they have other effects as well.
I've had tinnitus since shooting big guns in the military.
I've done things to improve it, but it often sneaks back.

[trotsky]

35. I didn't know Hulda Clark could talk.

I thought all she could say was, "Quack, quack, quack."

[philb]

38. Hulda Clark is a respected scientist- her findings have been confirmed

by others including University studies. And her equipment is similar to that of others that has been
proven to do what they claim. And supporte by lots of medical studies in National Library of Medicine Medline.

You are the main one that I'm aware of on this site who commonly cites Quacks.

Hulda has been in court with your quacks several times. And she's won and they've lost every time. With good reason.
She's a real scientist with credible knowledge.
Your cites are not only proven quacks but are paid to harass alternative practitioners irregardless of the effectiveness
of their methods.

If you want to debate who are the quacks we can do that. I can provide support from real credible experts. I'm reasonably
certain you can't. Its also easy to debunk those you cite with medical studies. Much of their info is bogus.

[Ediacara]

36. I have it, I hate it

My doctors have indicated that in my case, it was most likely nerve damage caused by persistant ear infections in my youth. I actually have so much scaring in both ears, doctors that are unfamiliar with my ears think I must be deaf! I generally ignore it, everyday sounds are normally louder than the tinnitus (to me anyway). The only time I cannot ignore it, is when I go to bed, and at that time, it seems to be unbearably loud (since it's the only thing I'm hearing). As a result, I generally put in a DVD or listen to some music quietly to distract myself from the ringing.

[philb]

39. I've had it since training on big guns in miliatary- but it can usually be

improved.

Look into some of the previous suggestions. Mine gets better and worse, but when I focus on it I usually can make it better.

[benEzra]

40. Your problem is probably the cumulative time spent with the volume

at maximum, not a half-second of white noise that you weren't expecting.

With earbuds, you can be pumping a lot more decibels into your ears than you realize, since you don't "feel" the sound like you would if you had your car stereo cranked that high.

N-acetyl cysteine supplement can help with the tinnitus long-term (sold at GNC, ask for "NAC").

[philb]

41. I don't listen to loud music; and i've really had it since Fort Benning

I'm also familiar with NAC, which is a mercury chelator.
Its good if you don't have a blocked sulfur oxidation process, which mercury can cause. Some advise
getting blood test for free cysteine and not taking NAC if free cysteine level is high. There are other detox options.

Mercury can be a major factor in tinnitis. I've also had major mercury toxicity from lots of amalgam fillings and
metal crowns over amalgam. But I've done a lot of detox also after getting all of the mercury replaced.

[LiberalPersona]

42. Yes

I've had tinnitus for years and I've gotten used to it. I've always used the sound of a running fan to drown it out at bed time.

[dad]

43. iu

had it for my entire life. I used to go to the ear doc every few years for it but always heard the same thing - there is no cure. The best you can do at night is find something to block it out like a fan or music.

[Karenca]

44. I have it 8 years

constantly in my left ear.

I was in a terrible accident.
I've tried biofeedback, neurofeeback, tinnutis masker, hearing aids, and everything else that's available.

I gave up, and so have the doctors.