Tinnitus

[desi]

I've had tinnitus since my time in the Marines. It seems worse when I'm stressed or have had caffeine. Using a fan at night helps me get to sleep. Ginko biloba and black cohash are though by some to diminish the symptoms but the jury's still out. That laser thing sounds neat as well as the hair, hearing, cell regeneration stuff in the works. From what I understand tinnitus is usually caused by things called hair cells dying. The job of these hair cells is to tell neurons what to tell the brain it hears. When the hair cells die the neurons start talking whacky to the brain in the form of tinnitus.

 

[waitsonthelord]

I hate to say it but I am glad I am not alone with this tinnitus! Mine started in my left ear when I was holding a phone to my ear on my shoulder and the phone on the other-end anwered with a fax machine. It was so loud I finally dropped the phone but from that moment on I had this ringing. Then, a few years later, my eardrum in the right ear rupteured on a plane trip and it has been bad in both ears since.
It is so loud now I just want to scream and block my ears. Sports with whistles makes it worse, not good for a football lover. I feel like if I poked a hole in my head everyone could hear it!!!!!

 

[ShetlandRose]

I hate to say it but I am glad I am not alone with this tinnitus! Mine started in my left ear when I was holding a phone to my ear on my shoulder and the phone on the other-end anwered with a fax machine. It was so loud I finally dropped the phone but from that moment on I had this ringing. Then, a few years later, my eardrum in the right ear rupteured on a plane trip and it has been bad in both ears since.
It is so loud now I just want to scream and block my ears. Sports with whistles makes it worse, not good for a football lover. I feel like if I poked a hole in my head everyone could hear it!!!!!

Everyone has such interesting information here! Maybe what helps/hurts one will or won't another. Don't seem to be any absolutes on Tinnitus, eh?

waitsonthelord: I'm glad you're not alone with your Tinnitus also -- we need to encourage and comfort each other.

With so many causes (and there are hundreds it appears) wouldn't you think that there would be some indepth research being done? Do we need to make it more public via celebrities who have Tinnitus? Somebody big, really BIG. I only know of Leonard Nemoy, William Shatner, and Barbara Streisand (sp?). Oldies. Now if some ->HOT<- new stars had to cope with it, well, hmmmmmm.........

 

[Ariel]

I have had tinnitis in my left ear for four years. It started after an ear infecton.

I had terrible ear infections as a child as well, with visible scarring in that left ear. Perhaps it's not surprising that this is the ear affected.

I've tried a number of things, seeking some relief. The only two that have helped are
(1) taking Evening Primrose oil, 1,000 mg two or three times a day. When I'm on the Evening Primrose oil, the tinnitis even STOPS during the day, then starts up at night again. (2) Regular visits to my chiropractor. I was in a car accident five years ago which resulted in whiplash. The whiplash left me with the characteristic "military neck," that is, a neck that is straight, instead of having the normal curve forward and back. My chiropractor became aware of it recently and has begun using traction to help me regain the curve in my neck. A side effect I've noticed is that the tinnitis is greatly reduced.

I don't know if either of these two remedies will help anyone else, but it's worth a try. Neck problems are also associated with frequent headaches. I find it interesting that both the tinnitis and headaches I experience started after the whiplash.

 

[Number 81]

...I have that, didn't know what it was till now, I thought that everyone has it. I can hear it most of the time, but only when it is quiet, (mostly during exams when I need to concentrate.

 

[Philled-one]

I have had Tinitis in my right ear for about two years, and have always ben completly deaf in my left ear. The tinitis gets much worse whenever there is a storm approaching. I used to get severe migraines from approaching storms. One hearing specialit told me that I should never be in a completly silent situation so I use a noise maker a night. Caffene can alos make it much worse. I also suffer from Hyper Accusis(sp?) which is a sensitiviety to loud noises, and can actually be dangerous while driving.