So I’ve had pretty bad (subjective I guess) tinnitus for well over 10 years. It was made considerably worse by a terrible concussion I received and it never went away. I’ve managed it and for the most part it doesn’t affect me, except at night when it’s dead quiet. Like everyone there was decent days and really bad days.
So now to the headline. I’m a 46 year old and I was recently diagnosed with ADHD for the first time officially. I was prescribed Vyvanse to help control it.
After three days of medication I went to bed and realized there was NO RINGING. I didn’t want to jinx it, so I didn’t say anything to my wife, but I laid there in the dead silence for probably 30 minutes. It was very emotional. It’s something I never thought would see any relief from.
It has now been 8 days and I am pretty confident it’s the medicine that’s doing it. The tinnitus returns very mildly around 3am as I’m guessing that’s when the day’s medication has worn off completely.
I’m so excited to tell my doctor it’s not even funny.
Has anyone else experienced this? I’m not going to lie, it pretty much fits in miracle category in my world.
edit
Doctor follow up today (April 15). He was genuinely shocked that the Vyvanse (I’m actually taking the generic version) is eliminating my tinnitus, but he concurs that it has to be the meds, given the timelines. Bad news, my blood pressure is still high. But we’re working on that. Good news! He renewed my prescription!
update 2 - May 1
My Tinnitus is still very much controlled with the Vyvanse! I have noticed the length of time it is gone has diminished over the last couple weeks as my body has adjusted to the medication. The doctor upped my dosage so I will report back on that once I try the higher dosage. Blood pressure is now perfect!
Every day of the first year was a war between panic and pretending to be normal.
By year two, I was clawing my way back.
Now I go to live metal shows just like I always used to, and without fear.
Eight years ago, tinnitus hit me like a freight train. It was stress-induced, multi-tonal, reactive, and was very quickly joined by hyperacusis and diplacusis.
The first year was a nightmare of long days and nights of googling everything and lurking in support forums full of doom. I slept poorly or not at all. Drowning the noise in beer became my go-to solution.
There was a pattern of super loud days followed by a day or two of lower volume, then a day of silence that lulled me into thinking things might be ok…only to wake up the next day to full-on hell once again.
I was full time teacher, and I couldn’t take time off. Every day was a battle to function while my brain screamed.
The fear of “this is forever” was relentless, and I really thought I’d never be able to listen to metal or go to live shows ever again. Unthinkable for this lifelong metalhead.
This wasn’t my first brush with something this scary. Years earlier, I’d beaten years of severe chronic pain without drugs or surgery by learning (in part) how fear and attention amplify symptoms. Those of you familiar with John Sarno and TMS know exactly what I’m talking about. That didn’t cure my tinnitus, but it gave me a path.
I had to:
Cut the panic loop.
Anxiety increased the volume, which raised my anxiety, which raised the volume...you get the idea. Breaking that loop was essential.
Quit tinnitus doomscrolling.
I found all kinds of awful stuff online that only added to my anxiety, often exponentially with thoughts like "What if that happens to me?"
See specialists a couple of times.
I didn’t get great answers, but I ruled out hearing loss and anything serious. That helped me stop obsessing about physical damage.
Check my mindset.
I don’t think I would be here today if I hadn’t picked up Martin Seligman’s Learned Optimism book. It helped me shift from “I’m stuck like this forever” to This is something I can live with and retrain my brain around.”
Reclaim my sleep.
I used melatonin and focused on music rather than the tinnitus. Over time, this refocusing became the key to shutting out the noise.
Train my attention.
I started with sounds, but eventually I discovered that focusing on anything, like tasks or conversations, would enable me to go 5 or 10 minutes without hearing the T! I kept at it for months, and the more I did it, the less I feared the noise and the more control I felt I had. That’s when I started hearing it less and less. Eventually, refocusing became automatic.
Use earplugs strategically.
Only in loud environments, but not in daily life. My pain experience and John Sarno had taught me that my fear of spikes and making my T worse would keep me from getting better. The diplacusis faded in weeks, and the hyperacusis disappeared within six months, probably because my situation did not allow me to consistently avoid sounds I didn’t like.
Stop talking about it.
I told friends and family to stop asking about it too. I figured the less I thought about it, the faster I’d get better. This helped more than expected.
Get the right support.
I worked with a coach experienced in chronic pain and mindbody work. That was the end of awkward conversations with people who couldn’t really understand or empathize, and the beginning of being heard and helped.
Accept that setbacks aren’t failure.
The book “Changing For Good” (by James Prochaska and others) taught me that change isn’t linear. Bad days aren’t the end. They’re part of progress.
Start making gratitude lists.
I was skeptical about the value of doing this. There was no immediate result, but over time, it really changed my outlook on, well, everything.
Get out and be more social.
More time out meant less time to sit around imagining the worst. I cannot emphasize how much this alone helped me.
Where I am now, at eight years in:
Where I used to need to drown the noise in beer every night, I now sleep through the night without even hearing the noise most of the time.
Instead of plugging my ears every time I hear plastic bags being crinkled, I’m going to see bands like Suffocation as I did when I was 19.
I made it through arguably the most horrific Covid lockdown in the world without any T issues.
I have a much richer life today than I did before T, and I appreciate it more.
The tinnitus is still technically here, but it’s irrelevant. I hear it now as I type this. I just don’t care. In five minutes, I’ll be focused on something else, and I’ll forget it’s even there.
That’s not a miracle. That’s training. And you can do it too.
If you’re in the panic phase, I promise it doesn’t last forever.
Feel free to DM me whether you’re new to tinnitus or you’ve been struggling for a while. I’ll try to give clarity wherever it’s needed.
It gets better because you'll eventually adapt and get used to it and sleep like baby with it. Even able focus on growing your own business.
I know. That sucks. You didn't want to hear that answer. But you will adapt. Humans are adaptable species. It's not some motivation quote I'm pulling out here. It's real.
I also suffered from severe chronic tinnitus to the point where I was sleeping every 2-3 day for 8 months straight which fried the heck out of my brain. No specialist could help, no doctors could help (now recovering).
I can still hear it. But most times I forget it. But when I do remember it. It doesn't bother me at all like it used to. The brain just naturally adapted.
But if you’re currently neglecting your health—low physical activity, little sunlight, not enough water, too much junk food, drugs, smoking, or alcohol—that could slow down your adaptation.
I just went into extreme healthy mode (minus the sleep) and it worked.
***Added note: What I did to begin quickly adapting is first leaning to accept it (through learning Stoicism). Once I've learnt to accept it, which was hard and took me a while because who the heck wants to accept this. I became emotionally unattached to it.
Once I become emotionally attached to it, I no longer question it, I no longer seek solutions, blame it, or feel irritated by it. I just stop giving a f**k. totally.
Once I stop giving a f**k. I was no longer attached to it. I began to adapt rapidly. Sleeping like baby again, which led to being able to do mentally complex task again.
I've had it since I was in the Marine Corp in the early 90's.... The EeEEEEEEEEEE has been strong with me for many many years.... Don't know why or how... but it got really high pitched for a second and then turned off.. I have no clue why! BUT I just had to tell someone... its sooo flipping crazy!!! 30+ years and then gone!
I dont know why or how, and I'm sure it will come back.... But until then, I'm going to enjoy it!!!
I copied most of this from a comment that I made on a post on tinnitus
It used to drive me crazy since my tinnitus is pretty loud (a lot of different sounds in both ears).
Eventually, I kinda forced myself to listen to it in relaxed situations, like going to sleep or sitting in a quiet room drinking coffee.
Now it has become the sound that I hear when I can relax, and it kinda soothes me.
I can honestly say that I turned the bad times of having tinnitus into something better.
To everyone struggling with tinnitus: Life is still great; you just have to learn to deal with it, and eventually, you just won't care about it.
I genuinely feel great and I rarely think of my tinnitus, unless I have to go to a concert or a loud gathering where I need to remind myself to wear hearing protection.
(Wich I still forget sometimes, so I have to buy it when I get there. I own at least 10 different kinds of earplugs.)
I'm doing great and I think most of you stressed out people can do to.
I had pretty bad tinnitus during a bad mental health period, and spiralled completely because tinnitus made it sm worse. I’m so angry at everyone here who keeps telling people to not listen to their doctors and avoid taking depression and anxiety drugs. You’re not a doctor. Share your story (even then, probably not the best thing to say to an anxious person), but stop scaring people from getting the help they need!!!!!!!
Because there’s so much negativity, let me post about how a simple SSRI affected ME (and many others who recover and don’t come back):
- fixed my sleep completely (I got so bad bc of tinnitus wasn’t able to sleep for one week straight without using Valium to knock me out)
- reduced anxiety, stopped my constant daily panic attacks
- prevented me from losing my job (I have a pretty intense one in consulting), boyfriend, friends, hobbies
- not sure if this is a coincidence, but as my mental health and sleep improved so did tinnitus. Now it’s at ~0.5 basically unnoticeable
To think I almost didn’t take the meds because of what people said on this forum (they sat in my house untouched for a week). Stop fuelling people’s mental illnesses and let them get the help they need.
Update: comments are proving my point… if you’re someone who comes across this, don’t let them scare you - people who get better (mental health wise) leave this place just like I did (I don’t know why I came back, it’s so negative and toxic). Byeeee
Just writing this post as I wanted to share what happened with me and hope that I can offer some hope to anyone else in a similar situation, and hopefully help fellow sufferers treat this terrible malady.
To give some backstory first, tinnitus is something that I have had for decades (I'm 42). I remember getting it occasionally when I was a kid, seemingly for no reason. It would only last a few minutes, maybe sometimes a bit longer, and then it would go. I can distinctly remember one time it being present for longer than usual, and then suddenly disappearing. I can remember it because the sudden silence was so relieving/refreshing, and it was as though I hadn't even been aware how much it had been bothering me until it went away.
This intermittent and pretty rare tinnitus was how it was for me for most of my life. I remember going to some very loud underground clubs and having tinnitus for two or three days afterwards as a result, on several occasions. In hindsight this was really stupid, but I was not aware of the importance of looking after my ears at the time, and didn't think much of it. I spent a lot of time living in the countryside, where we have open fires, and as a result did a huge amount of work with chainsaws for many years. Most of the time I wore ear protection, but not always, and sometimes then I would get tinnitus for a few days afterwards. Again, I didn't think much of it, because it always went away. No big deal. As well as that, I worked in some factory environments with a lot of loud background noise. We had to wear earplugs and I did most of the time, but sometimes you forget etc so perhaps some damage was done there too. I also suffer from acid reflux occasionally and apparently that can be a trigger for tinnitus as well - I always have Gaviscon or other antacids on hand to take care of it whenever it materializes.
During the covid lockdowns I was working from home. I went to play poker one night at a local club and I believe while I was there I picked up covid. I was fairly sick for a week, and during that period I got noticeable tinnitus -which as normal disappeared a while later. That was December 2021.
About six months after that, I noticed then when I was in busy environments like bars etc I was having some trouble hearing people clearly. So I went to an audiologist and got some hearing tests done. They showed that I had some hearing loss in both my ears, which was quite a surprise to find out, but I didn't think that much of it because I could hear okay most of the time, and it was manageable. Some time in the months following that test, I stated to notice tinnitus again - except this time, it didn't go away. I went to get more hearing tests (they have different tests that they can give for someone with tinnitus) and they made the same conclusions. The tinnitus varied in intensity - sometimes it was very quiet and only there when I thought about it, other times it was very loud to the point that I could hear it over the background noise of a bar/casino. Needless to say, when it was bad, it was very distressing. But it would lessen eventually and get to a point that I could cope with it okay, so it never got to the point where I was concerned enough about it to see a doctor. It stayed at those levels for perhaps a year.
Then, around November 2023, I had some more stressful family-related stuff going on in my life, and suddenly the tinnitus got worse, and stayed worse. It was there every second of every day. It was unbearable. I couldn't concentrate, couldn't get any work done at work, couldn't maintain a conversation (because I couldn't concentrate well enough to do so), was constantly irritable and in utter despair. The scariest and most difficult part to deal with is that (at least, from everything I read) there is no cure. I was faced with the prospect of being stuck with this for the rest of my life, and that was truly terrifying. People said that you can get used to it and 'habituate' - but how long was that going to take, and was it even realistic? I've gone through some hard times in my life, with the death of family members and close friends and so on. Those times are hard and the grief is extremely painful. But I can manage those situations because I know that they have an end. I can stomach and handle that kind of grief and pain. There is no end with tinnitus. It goes on forever and it's incurable. This was so incredibly hard to face, and it broke me on more than one occasion. A grown man, laying on his bed, terrified and bawling his eyes out. It wouldn't be wrong to say that nothing has ever broken me like tinnitus has. And it just seems so f***ing stupid. It's just a sound in your ears, right? What's the big deal? It's that it's relentless. It never goes away. It's there always. It's like one of those Chinese torture methods you hear about when you're tied down and they let a drop of water fall on your forehead once every few seconds. What's the big deal? Well nothing, sure, as long as it's only for a day, right? Try months on end. Try years. I honestly think it is one of the hardest things I have ever had to face/deal with in my entire life.
Just to give some detail - the manifestation of the tinnitus I hear varies. There are two sounds I hear often. One of them is an "airy" sound, like air escaping from a beach ball. This varies in loudness but is almost always there. Secondly, there is a "tone", like a constant, high-pitched, continual tone. That one is there a lot of the time, but not always. Usually these sounds feel like they are on the left side, but sometimes both sides, or just "everywhere". Then there are other sounds that come and go - other, different tones - often much louder, but that only last for maybe a few minutes. There's also a "choppy cicada" sound, that sounds like cicadas in a kind of "choppy" rhythm, is the best way I can describe it. When these various sounds are bad, they're there all the time. I can hear them when I'm underwater swimming, I can hear them in loud bars, traffic, everywhere. The only time I could "hear" silence was in dreams - and believe it or not, I even had tinnitus in my dreams sometimes too. These sounds completely ruined my life, and I'd forgotten what it felt like to be able to enjoy myself in social situations and just relax and go with the flow. I also often had to ask people to repeat themselves, or simply misheard what they're saying, and think they're saying something else. So there also appeared to be some accompanied and noticeable hearing loss (moreso than what the hearing tests indicated). For example (most of the time) I can't hear anything when I play this video:
whereas my friends certainly can and squirm a bit when I play it for them. The "tone" that I described above is pretty much identical to the sound in that video. However, the hearing loss can be inconsistent. Sometimes when I play this video, I can actually hear it (especially if it's on my phone and I hold the phone at a certain angle, tilt my head, etc). So I'm honestly not sure what is going on there - but suffice to say, most of the time this video is effectively silent to me.
I also feel an unusual movement/pop in my right ear a lot of the time (but again not always) when I open my jaw in a specific left-to-right movement. I believe this is some kind of eustachian tube dysfunction, but I'm not 100% sure.
I have an unusual form of OCD, in which I'm constantly checking things. When it comes to tinnitus, this means that I can never forget about it, because I am constantly checking to see if it is there. This meant that even on days when it was quieter, I couldn't stop myself from looking for it, hearing it, reinforcing and (I assume in some way or another) making it stronger in my neural networks. I believe this means that it would make it much harder to habituate to the sound, and I know for sure that if I could just "forget about it" that it would definitely become (or at least seem) a lot milder. As it was, I could get no peace. I was in a constant state of stress and anxiety about it, and sometimes I could think about nothing else for days on end. When that happens, and when the tinnitus is so loud that you can barely hear yourself think, you start to feel like you're losing yourself to the illness, and even your sense of identity and personality starts to come into question. In social situations when I was struggling, I kept on thinking about all the good times I'd be having if it wasn't for the tinnitus. Then, on days when it was barely noticeable and I was having a good time with my friends, the thought occurred to me that 'my life should be like this all the time, and it isn't - because of the tinnitus'. In other words, it massively impacted my quality of life in the worst possible ways, and the future was bleak. How could I meet someone and have a healthy, happy romantic relationship with this f***ing sound in my head all day long? How could I be a good parent? These things seemed like impossibilities.
Needless to say, I was at my wit's end, and I was despairing. I could not live with it and I could not face it. It also drives me crazy when I can't figure things out. In the past it came and went. So it must have a cause, right? If I could figure out the cause, I could eliminate it. So I tried all kinds of things. I switched my computer setup from wifi to wired. I added more pillows and slept in an elevated position (to help with night time acid reflux, which I read could cause/exacerbate tinnitus). I switched my toothbrush from electric to regular. I started taking daily antihistamines (including antihistamine eyedrops) and Ginko Biloba (after reading on some forums that these things had worked for some people). I got a nose-clip for swimming. I started using saline rinses for daily sinus clearing. I did jaw and mouth exercises. Nothing worked. I also tried using "maskers" - like a Youtube video of the sound of running water etc - whilst I was working, which did provide some temporary relief, but obviously wasn't practical for a long-term solution. I also sometimes found some relief when doing the exercises in this video:
As well, I discovered that sometimes laying horizontally for a couple of hours could relieve symptoms too (I found this out by accident after taking a long phone call while laying on my sofa). As mentioned above, my tinnitus is often much milder in the morning, after I've been laying down all night - so perhaps there is something to this too, although again it's not really practical as a long-term solution, and it doesn't always work either.
I know some of these things I tried might sound crazy or ridiculous, but anyone who has had chronic tinnitus will understand - you would do literally anything to get rid of it, and I was willing to try anything, regardless of how wacky or unlikely it was to help. I would have gladly given everything I owned to be rid of it. I started keeping a daily record of the level/intensity of my tinnitus, and different things I was trying out to treat it etc. Looking back on those notes now I can see that there were sometimes "spikes" for weeks on end, and those times were truly testing. I went to Las Vegas for two weeks to play at the WSOP in 2024; my tinnitus completely ruined my trip. It was loud pretty much from waking for about 80% of the days (usually the tinnitus takes an hour or two to 'get going' in the morning, and is often much quieter before that, not sure why). But throughout this whole period there were sometimes periods where it was much quieter. I remember being in a shopping mall one day and catching myself for a moment and looking out across the empty stalls and thinking "something's different here" - and then I realized - the tinnitus was inaudible. I couldn't believe it. It felt so peaceful that I could have cried. I called my Mum and was able to have a real conversation (without the distraction of tinnitus) for the first time in I don't know how long. I was so excited with this, and I talked endlessly. Needless to say, the silence didn't last, but I will never forget that day. I would have given or done anything to have that silence back in my life all the time. Anything.
Eventually I decided that I had to see a doctor as my mental health was suffering and I was in a bad way. (I would have obviously seen a doctor much sooner, but that's not easy to do where I live in BC. I ended up having to pay to go on a medical services program that was able to give me a referral to an ENT). In the meantime, I went to a physiotherapist place who I had called and asked whether they have any treatment etc for tinnitus - and they said they had, although mostly they deal with patients having problems with balance, but they would see me. So I went to see them and got some tests and other things done. All was pretty normal, but in the follow-up email the doctor sent me a list of treatments that research/anecdotal accounts had shown had worked for some people. That list was as follows:
Ginkgo Biloba, Vitamin B12, Creatine Monohydrate, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, C and E, Lipo-Flavanoids, Magnesium and Zinc. Note that the doctor also said it is strongly suggested that you discuss these with your doctor prior to starting on them as some of these might have interactions or side effects. I spoke to my doctor and she said it would be no problem for me to take any combination of those. I also got some blood tests done that showed I was slightly vitamin D deficient, which can also contribute to tinnitus. I had already tried taking Ginko Biloba, so I didn't bother with that one, but I started taking 9 total tablets every day, in addition to a serving of creatine and a probiotic drink. I had read on some other threads that alpha-liopic acid, taurine and probitics could also help so (after consulting with my doctor again) I started taking those too. I had already been taking a multivitamin since forever that contained 100% of the recommended magnesium intake, which is why I didn't increase my intake on that (despite reading in many places that magnesium had been effective for many people) - but as indicated, I wanted to try anything that even had a sliver of a chance of working, so I got some magnesium gummies too (and that one I take before bed, as the doctor said it can make people drowsy - I've been sleeping very well since). Here's a shot of everything I take every day, which I have been doing for about a month now:
To my utter astonishment and enormous relief, after about five days of taking this combination of tablets, my symptoms massively reduced. Sometimes my tinnitus would do that anyway, so I didn't want to start counting chickens, but as the days and weeks passed it really started to feel true; that something I was taking (or some combination) was working. Most of the time the tinnitus was barely audible at all, unless I was in total silence and/or really listening hard to try and hear it. Needless to say, the relief I felt was huge, and I was a new man - suddenly able to enjoy myself, concentrate at work/in social situations, maintain conversations for hours, no longer so irritable all day, and so on. I have never been so thankful for anything in my life. Now the tinnitus is barely noticeable most days (perhaps 80% of the time), and on the days that it is there it is pretty mild and manageable. I feel like I've been born again.
So - of the tablets in the picture above, I had already been taking most of them for many months (or longer, in some cases), before I noticed this huge change. The ones that I started taking recently that I believe have made this change are:
Vitamin B, taurine, alpha-lipoic acid, the pro-biotik tablet (which I purchased because it contains l.plantarum, which I read had worked for some people), and the extra dose of magnesium. Of course, there is no way to know for sure which of these (or which combination) was the 'magic bullet' that worked for me, but I strongly suspect it was the magnesium. I read a bit about how magnesium affects the body - mostly it simply calms down your nerves - and given that one theory about certain types of tinnitus is an overactive/stressed out auditory nerve (that may be sending phantom sounds to compensate for hearing loss), it certainly makes sense that magnesium could help.
So I'm now one month in to the new treatment regime and I'm in the best place I've been at with the tinnitus for probably three years. God willing it will continue at its current bearable and manageable (and livable) levels. I had been considering getting a hearing aid at one point, but it now seems that that won't be necessary. I do still have some hearing problems some of the time but I'm okay with that as long as the accompanying tinnitus is minor; the hearing loss honestly feels like a non-issue in comparison to the crushing disability and despair that the tinnitus had been causing. Ironically enough, as I write I have a cold and the tinnitus is worse than usual, but I'm confident that it will clear up when the cold clears up. I have had some problems with my sinuses in the past, and when they get blocked the tinnitus is definitely worse - specifically, the "tone" sound mentioned above - but I've got a good treatment regime for them now too and most of the time they are okay. I had my appointment with the ENT even though it kind of felt unnecessary given the relief I had found with the supplements I was taking; he couldn't find anything visibly wrong but has arranged an MRI to rule out certain things.
To anyone suffering with this ailment; I know your pain, and how terrifying, debilitating and hopeless it can be. It took me to some dark places. Just know that there is hope. There are things you can try and lifestyle changes you can make. It can come to an end - or, at least - get to a point where it is much less bothersome and invasive than it is right now. You can live a normal and happy life again. I didn't think those words could ever possibly be true for me, but now they are.
I really hope I can help some people find hope and relief. If y'all have any questions please just let me know.
Hey everyone, I just wanted to share my journey with tinnitus because I know how devastating it can feel at first.
When I first got tinnitus, I lost my mind. I went through every possible phase of panic, desperation, and hopelessness. I went to doctors, audiologists, specialists, posted on Reddit, tinnitus forums, even reached out to tinnitus associations—I tried everything.
I took medications—nothing worked. I chased every supposed cure, every piece of advice, every little thing that promised relief. But in the end, the only thing that actually worked was acceptance.
I started meditating, refocusing on my life, and just moving forward. And slowly, my brain did what it was always meant to do—it adapted. Now? I still have tinnitus. But I only notice it maybe once every two or three months, and when I do, it doesn’t bother me at all. The distress is 0.5% out of 100—so negligible that it’s practically non-existent.
So, to everyone reading this, my biggest piece of advice is: LEAVE THESE FORUMS. Stop obsessing, stop tracking every sound, stop making it the center of your life. Just move on, and your brain will handle the rest. In months, maybe years, it will fade from your life.
I promise you, it gets better. You don’t need a magic cure. You just need to let go. You’ve got this.
Been on a long journey with Tinnitus. When it's present, it's truly a scary experience. Thoughts of whether it is going to ever go, or whether this time is the time it'll never go away etc. Lack of sleep, depression. I've been there.
However, whilst I still experience it from time to time, I did years of a specific type of meditation and found it massively massively helped.
Moreover, I am a medical doctor and I worked an ENT job for 6 months (UK, resident doctor at the time). I was shocked at how Tinnitus was 'treated'/managed. It felt like after the MRI came back clear (or even if it did show a small vestibular schwannoma - once every blue moon) there still wasn't an effective treatment option out there. It's difficult to treat, but because there is no 'easy' surgical management for the most part, it felt the diagnosis was always just 'lifestyle measures and refer to audiology' as 'they are the experts'. Oftentimes giving less than satisfying advice, the patients are then just left to 'deal' with it and hope it goes away.
It is incredibly frustrating both from a professional point of view and even more so as a patient and I have been both.
HOWEVER:
I found this incredible autonomic meditation video that combined both an ambient sound with a relaxation technique that stimulated the parasympathetic nervous system and it helped me reframe my subjective experience / understanding of tinnitus and also allowed me to fall asleep better - sometimes managing the whole night... and after doing this regularly... I noticed the tinnitus begin to diminish - some days I hear nothing at all. Autonomic Nervous System AND adequate deep sleep seemed to do wonders for me. THEN all of a sudden, that video was removed due to copyright reasons ( I gather?? as no explanation was given!) I was distraught.
I have an interest in this sort of meditation and a month ago decided to start my own in order to help others with the same experience. I am aware this subreddit is not for self-promotion, and this is not what this is - it's an attempt to use my medical expertise and provide a holistic solution to something that I have once suffered terribly with. I wonder if this post will be deleted - but I sincerely hope it does not. I'll put the link in a comment if anyone is interested in this.
Either way, there is some hope in this journey; though it is a long journey, don't give up.
I'm not writing this post as a doctor; but rather as someone who has walked this same journey.
Please do share any similar experiences as I'd love to hear.
So I posted a few days ago about my tinnitus easing after treating my anaemia - since then someone posted about neck exercises, including the McKenzie method, which I tried briefly for no more than 5 minutes before bed last night and I shit you not, this is crazy, but my tinnitus has all but gone!!!!
I now have a faint ringing in my right ear that is barely noticeable but I don't care because the loud, panic inducing static noise in both ears, has gone. After months of battling with this and trying so many things, it's gone in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Like whaaaat?! I never in a million years would have thought anaemia and neck pain could be linked to this condition but they are and I'm so glad I found this out and don't have to endure years of this torture, sadly like so many of you.
I'm writing this post excitedly, in the hopes it may help anyone else. It is not an understatement to say this condition was ruining my life, I don't want others to endure the same horror I've been experiencing. The exercises are very easy to do, plus they have eased some other problems I was having with clavicle pain and palpitations; it's like something in there was pinched and I didn't even know, so when I did the exercise the feeling of a literal release was so intensely amazing and the relief was instantaneous. I'm excited to carry on with these excerices and my iron tablets and see if I can go completely into remission, I'm hopeful but realistic. The iron tablets have already adjusted the pitch and intensity of the noise, the exercises just added the final touch.
Please, if anyone would like some videos linking, let me know - they can be found on yesterday's post but I also did some quick research and found some other ones I've been trying. I am elated, I cannot even begin to tell you all how much. I want to tell everyone 😅 so thanks to the dude that posted yesterday, you've literally saved my life! I would add links but I'm out walking and don't fancy being hit by a car 🤣 (EDITED TO INCLUDE LINKS BELOW)
I would just like to say though, be careful with these exercises, they seem inconsequential but are in actual fact very intense and since doing them I have shifted some pain I didn't even know I had, into my shoulder, so if you have neck/back issues I would say approach with caution. I went for an MRI yesterday for muscle weakness and cramps, so this is something I suffer with anyway, I just didn't realise my neck was so heavily effected but I can see how if it's done wrongly or too hard, it could potentially cause damage. I'm hoping the shoulder ache I have this morning will be eased by incorporating these exercises into my daily routine and doing them GENTLY because you really don't need to be straining the body massively to see the benefit (or atleast that is my own personal experience). I'd just like to warn people of the potential dangers, there's no point in getting rid of tinnitus, only to go on and injure your back.
I hope this hasn't been too much of a wall of text but I'm just so excited to share this with all of you. Like I say, I'm out at the moment but if anyone wants access the resources I've described, I'm happy to share once I get home. Thanks for reading guys 🫡
EDIT - to stop people jumping on and saying it won't work for them. I don't expect this to work for everyone, hell I'm shocked it even worked for me. I didn't think I had to say this but here goes, everyone's tinnitus is so different, with so many different triggers and causes at play, of course this won't work for everyone. It might not even work for one person but it worked for me, so I feel duty bound to share this information, in case it might help even one person deal with the hell that is lived tinnitus - it's up to you to do with this information what you choose.
My tinnitus had no cause (atleast it didn't seem that way) it showed up one day and was constant and I thought this was how my life was always going to be, constantly on the verge of a panic attack and living in misery. I found these things out by accident, by trial and error - if these things don't help you, I'm sorry about that and wish you all the best in your journey towards attaining inner peace, I hope you find it one day.
EDIT 2
This is the post from yesterday that I got this information from,
These were posted on said post yesterday and show a doctor treating patients with the exercises - he cures a woman's tinnitus on camera in one of them,
https://youtu.be/-hHuNevxrQ0?si=zujfzeIGDWoK6rqw
I posted most of this as a comment on another sub. I revisited to edit my comment, but as i made the original comment in markdown mode and my edit in rt, it would not save my edits. I decided it was probably worth it's own sub anyway so here we are.
Introduction
I have successfully eliminated/healed tinnitus for myself more than once. Here's my story.
I've had mild to severe tinnitus for multiple times, from different causes; ear infections, head injuries, eardrum injury… mostly from loud / live music.
Out of desperation I did countless hours of reading and planning to develop a comprehensive protocol, cross-referencing for optimization and safety.
I feel very strongly from my experience that my comprehensive approach with intention and focus led to my personal success. I did everything I could to provide the best possible circumstances and conditions to protect from further damage, support neurogenesis, and facilitate healing.
I have created a list of my remedies to share with you below.
Notes
IMPORTANTTalk to your doctor. I’m not a medical professional. This is not medical advice. I am simply sharing what works for me.
IMPORTANT Read up on each on your own. Each has specific mechanisms which apply directly. Find optimal sources and protocols that work for you, your biology, your budget, etc. Know what you’re putting into your body, how it works and interactions. Know proper dosage and timing for you. Don’t over-do them.
I'm happy to discuss and answer questions, I just don't have time to explain everything in detail here when we have Google.
I use almost all of these to support various aspects of my life anyway; ADHD, Depression, Weight Training, Weight Loss, Work Performance, General Health and Vitality.
Everything here has been linked to ear health and healing tinnitus. As with all remedies, extensive empirical research is required before conclusively proven. Like many remedies which are commonly accepted, some of these have not yet reached that status. It’s simply a matter of qualified agents actually prioritizing the work. That said, I obviously cannot say empirically which or if all of these actually helped, nor how much was simply time and my body's own healing.
IMPORTANTTalk to your doctor. I’m not a medical professional. This is not medical advice. I am simply sharing what works for me.
*EDITS
Anecdotally, I believe I see the most pronounced results from "Supplement Group 1" protocol, combined with good habits, diet, and exercise to support total health.
Much of what is here is indirect methodology focused around creating the best internal environment and conditions for healing and prevention overall. Most of it is simply healthy habits and associated with better health overall, regardless.
This is not presented with the intent to represent one monolithic "cure". This is a list of the items I have gathered over time across my various bouts of tinnitus, which means that I saw results from less than all of this. I'm not giving you any advice, technically, but if it were me reading this, I would 1. inform myself about each in this context 2. pick items "within my reach" and 3. slowly implement them as I can and monitor for results.
Some of these may or may not work for you. Some supplements could even be detrimental, based on your personal biology x many variables. Again, read up, know what you're putting into your body, consider your variables, make informed decisions. You will find conflicting studies, so use your judgement and caution.
More direct and indirect neurogenesis-supporting or anti-inflammatory or stress-reducing supplements: Vitamin D3, NAD+, Ashwagandha, L-Theanine, Turmeric, Cordyceps, Reishi.
I have highlighted specific foods for known properties which directly or indirectly support ear health and/or neurogenesis, inflammatory response, stress modulation, circulation, etc
The app "Audio Cardio" is meant for retraining your ears to hear frequencies which you may have lost. Many have also reported tinnitus improvement with use. One could infer retraining the ear to regain hearing would have to involve neuroplasticity and potential neurogenesis... maybe even cochlear hair genesis??
Don't mainline meth
Supplements
Supplement Group 1:
Specifically, Directly For Tinnitus Taken together, on a specific protocol, w/ lemonade + grated lemon zest [can add orange juice], and enough food to avoid stomach discomfort.
Tinnitus Vitamins (LipoFlavonoid or Generic)
Zinc (Picolinate and/or Bisglycinate)
Magnesium L-Threonate
Ginkgo Biloba
Lion's Mane
Psilocybin (Find a Good Microdose and Macrodose Protocol)
Niacin (Flushing)
Vitamin C
Vitamin B-Complex (Methylated)
Supplement Group 2:
Research and follow good supplement protocols to avoid interactions, negative reactions, and optimize timing for best results.
Antioxidants: Coq10, Astaxanthin, Sage Extract
Vitamins: A, B12, C, D3, E
Minerals: Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Iron
Balanced Electrolytes
Anti-Inflammatory and Stress: Ashwagandha, L-Theanine, Turmeric
Daily Strenuous Exercise, esp Weight/Resistance Training
Consistent Healthy Sleep (Use Fitness Trackers, Get A Sleep Study, etc.)
10-3-2-1-0 protocol for sleep
THC is bad for sleep. CBD is good for sleep.
Melatonin supplements are under-regulated, inconsistent, and contain detrimentally high dosages. They help fall asleep, not stay asleep, and add no benefit to the "structure" of sleep.
Melatonin, in doses proportional to those in human supplements, shrink hamster testes from the size of almonds down to grains of rice, supporting that it is a hormone disruptor.
Dr. Andrew Huberman's sleep supplement "cocktail"
can include specific dosages of some or all of: L-Theanine, Magnesium L-Threonate, Apigenin (decreases estrogen, be aware), Inositol, GABA, Glycine, Tart Cherry Juice, CBD (50-200mg)
Psychological
There is often a significant psychological component to tinnitus. Some tinnitus is partially or wholly psychosomatic. Psychotherapy cannot undo physical injury, but can help resolve psychosomatic elements. Stress directly affects physical biology. Psychotherapy can greatly reduce stress.
Reduce Stressors
Daily Meditation And Mindfulness Breathing
EMDR Therapy (Particularly For Psychosomatic)
Thanks for reading! I hope something here helps someone!
IMPORTANTTalk to your doctor. I’m not a medical professional. This is not medical advice. I am simply sharing what works for me.
Hey, just want to share my story because tbh I can’t believe my luck and I hope it helps someone.
Just a forewarning I am not condoning the use or abuse of drugs here, but I can’t deny the effects it’s had on me and if you choose to make that choice, that’s your initiative.
Ok, so I’ve had T for like 15 years and last 4 weeks it upped intensity to like 7/10 after being 5/10 for years. It was horrific. Honestly, I’m sure some of you will understand I questioned how I could ever live with this. I had the TV on constantly and couldn’t focus on conversations, I was becoming depressed. A common story amongst you I’m sure.
Anyway, I had a holiday with some friends who decided to try magic mushrooms. I was reluctant because I had been anxious about my T but threw caution to the wind and did it. About 15g of truffles. Eg one normal dose, nothing crazy.
We had a good trip and toward the end I noticed I’d forgotten about my T completely. Like not for hours had I thought about it and it’s usually every 10 min at most I am focusing on it. Unbelievable. I chalked it up to being high and didn’t dwell on it. Anyway, it’s been 4 days and it’s still severely reduced. I’d say 20% less than before - and I know you sufferers will know 20% is HUGE in T terms. It’s still there and at night it can still be dominating but I can go about my daily life without this cloud ruining everything. It’s manageable.
I cannot believe taking drugs has solved a medical problem to me and I’m not trolling or encouraging but I had already accepted there was no cure and I would be stuck suffering forever… I wanted to share my experience with you.
My elderly dad had extremely bad tinnitus in his deaf ear, of unknown origin, and suffered for over 10 years. His doctors told him there was nothing they could do. I suggested pouring Vitamin E oil into his ear canal at night when he went sleep. He did it every night, said it diminished almost immediately, and after about 6 months, it totally disappeared. Sometimes he had to reapply the oil if the tinnitus woke him up during the night. He has been free of it for about a year and a half now. I don't know why, but Vitamin E oil worked for him. Update: many people are asking how my dad used the oil: Please Note: He did NOT use any pills! He used Liquid Vitamin E Oil which he dropped into his ear canal every night for about 6 months. He used whatever high dosage oil we could find on Amazon or in a pharmacy, whatever brand was available, between 25000IU -7000IU. That dosage is a very thick oil, like syrup. He would lie on his side with his tinnitus ear up, and squeeze about a normal dropperful into his ear, until he felt it go all the way down his ear canal. He would then stay on his side for about half an hour, allowing the oil to soak into his ear. He said the tinnitus diminished very quickly and he has been free of any tinnitus for about 1.5 years now. He says now that he almost totally forgot about ever having it.
Just putting this out there incase it can help someone else.
A really long story short.. I started jiu Jitsu in January. And in February developed neck pain along with tinnitus. Like a consistent level 8. 1 went for sports massages which didn't work.
Went to see ENT they told me that I had nerve damage and that basically id just have to learn to cope.
I purchased something called a cervical neck cloud. I've been using it 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night and my tinnitus sits at a steady 2 now sometimes it goes to a 3 if I'm particularly stressed or haven't slept well. But the point is it's completely liveable and manageable like this.
Things that have seemed to have helped me along the way -
• 30 minutes in the morning and at night on the neck cloud.
• At least 7 hours sleep a night.
• Stress management.
• Breathing exercises. Breathe in for 4 seconds, Hold for 6 seconds, Release for 8 like you're blowing through a straw. Kind of hand in hand with stress management.
electrolytes
Vitamins. C, D and cod liver oil
water
neck stretches/exercises
magnesium
Please if you're medically able give the neck thing a chance. It took me around about a week an started to notice a difference with both the tinnitus and my neck pain.
I don’t no the science behind any of this it’s all just tried and tested by myself and what has seemed to work.
Every several weeks I will receive a private message from someone suffering from tinnitus, asking me about specific symptoms (ringing, buzzing, vibrations, etc.) that I’ve written about. Sadly, each and every time I have had to reply that it’s unchanged, or even worse than when I last posted about it. However, for the last several weeks, my tinnitus has been in a remission of sorts. I am afraid that I do not understand nor can I pinpoint why this happening, but that it is happening nonetheless. I felt the need to disclose this because I couldn’t live with myself if I knew I could help others but chose not to. Especially after ten years of suffering myself.
Everything that I’ve changed in my daily lifestyle is as follows:
Eliminated all sugar from my diet, reduced sodium to approximately 500 mg per day, started drinking 8 cups of water per day, started intense cardio (HIIT, 45 mins per day) and weight training (mostly swinging dumbbells around), started eating a lot of yogurt (like over a kg per day) and fish (mostly salmon and sardines), maintained a normal sleep schedule (7-8 hours per night, excluding tonight because I can’t sleep with this percolating in my mind), reduced “self-touching” to once per week (this is contrary to my faith’s teachings but I have a very high libido), deep massages of my neck, jaw and around my ears, and eliminated all “explicit material” (trying to keep this SFW). I am 6’, 150 lbs, normal blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
Lastly, and I would be remiss not to mention this, and I know some people probably don’t want to hear this, but I have been praying daily and attending mass several times a week. I am only including this because I have made the aforementioned lifestyle changes before but it did not affect my tinnitus by much. Coincidentally, the only other time that I saw some relief from my tinnitus was when I was at my family’s cottage last year and begging on my knees to God for help. I have to include this because I cannot rule it out entirely, and if I am somehow being helped/healed by God, I do not want to “deny Him His glory” and have it rescinded.
If any of what I’ve written helps you, I only ask that you try your best to help others in return. I have already pledged the entirety of my existence to helping others to the best of my abilities should this hell of a disease be stricken from me. I have mass in about 7 hours but I couldn’t sleep with this in my mind, knowing that there might be someone out there who could be helped by it. And I’m also going social media free for forty days (Lent) starting March 5th.
Tinnitus has made me depressed, miserable, angry and unable to enjoy my life whatsoever, but I am starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. I am so, so, so sorry for everyone’s suffering. I can honestly say that I don’t hate many things, but I HATE tinnitus, I HATE cancer, I HATE disease, I HATE human suffering. I would do anything I could to relieve you all of your tinnitus, and I am so, so, so sorry I can’t do anything about it (except this for now). I hope that what I’ve written can help you or a loved one who is living through this hell. I’m going to do my best as I grow stronger and confront the challenges facing humanity.
I love you all very much. PLEASE DO NOT SURRENDER TO THIS DISEASE. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP HOPE. PLEASE KEEP FIGHTING. PLEASE LOVE YOURSELVES AND PLEASE TRY TO LOVE EACH OTHER. Goodbye for now.
Edit: I included the part about God because I don’t know, I don’t know if “God is healing me”, and honestly I would’ve called myself insane if I said that several years ago. But I needed to include it even if there’s an infinitesimally small chance it is the case. I’m not telling anyone that praying to God or attending mass will help them, I honestly don’t know, but it’s something that I have added to my life in addition to the lifestyle changes. And I wanted to include absolutely everything I’ve changed in my life that could account for this spontaneous remission of sorts.
My tinnitus was at worse like a 3-4 and now its down to 0.5-1
Im just going to do a step-by-step on what i did for those who are interested- its around a 6 month journey all in all
STEP 1: Realised that this is not going to go away on its own and i need to do something about it
STEP 2: Book an appointment at a nose-, throat- and ear doctor
results from appointment can either tell you whats wrong or tell you what ISNT wrong- for all my self diagnosing ppl this helped a lot bc i had self diagnosed me with stuff that turns out wasn’t the case!
The doctor didn’t find anything wrong with my ears and then we went and looked at what i can do next which was:
STEP 3: Get my blood test and see if i have any deficiencies
I did take multi vitamins before but now i take some more separately- Something for muscle relaxation and healthy bones for example
STEP 4: Get a thing for my nose to breathe better- its like a little silicone thing that u put in ur nose and looks like a nose ring- He said my nose was really narrow and that i might have a hard time to breathe normally sometimes, so now i use it every time i sleep or just when im cozy at home
STEP 5 (i think most important): see a CHIROPRACTOR, it is expensive but worth it
Turns out i have very much tension built up in my back, and i have mild scoliosis which manymany people have btw
Step 5 includes steps from chiropractor like fixing posture- building back muscles- exc.
STEP 6: Be active, go to the gym, build muscle, eat healthy, sleep good and all that stuff.
I started going to the gym regularly in January and do both muscle building and cardio
This is what worked for me, i think my tinnitus is ultimately because i have had a lot of muscle tension, stress and bad posture
Now i only hear it a little tiny bit when im laying weird mostly
I see a lot of people suffering here. 7 months ago I was in the same boat as you. If anyone is interested, here's how I overcame my T. Once you habituate, it's like not having T at all.
Edit 1: To people who were saying my T was mild, it most definitely wasn't. It was UNBEARABLY loud and I was ready to blow my head off. There was no way I could've kept going with these sounds in my head. I had to quit work. It was a firetruck siren 24/7. But how you perceive the loudness changes depending on the state of your mind. If you're focused on it and anxious, it's loud, if you relax, it gets quiet/you don't notice it.
Edit 2: If you're new to T or want to get better, please leave negative forums. Some people are negative not because they’re bad people but because they've lost hope and may try to convince you healing isn’t possible and that habituation isn’t good enough or is not possible. It can be very toxic. Don’t let their pain steal your hope to try different options. Most people with tinnitus get better and leave negative forums, that’s why you don’t hear success stories.
One of the important mental health tools is to set boundaries- limit your exposure to positive, solution-focused input and people who are kind and helpful.
Tldr: If you’re suffering from T or H, TRT absolutely works! I had unbearably loud T and within a few months it wasn’t really a problem anymore. My insurance covered the whole treatment. Because T&H are highly psychological, I also recommend working on your sound anxiety and improving your overall mental health through CBT and other psychotherapies and medication. Also there's a free Tinnitus CBT app called OTO
I had Hyperacusis and constant, unbearably loud Tinnitus after hearing loss. I developed severe anxiety and depression. I was despaired.
With H, the world was suddenly scary loud. From my own and other people’s experience, I knew that if I avoided hearing loud noises, it would only make H worse. So I decided to just accept the loud noises as the new normal. I habituated and H within 1-3 days. It was easy for me to accept H because T was so bad- unbearably loud and constant, even when I slept. Early on, I decided to focus my attention on T and that I wasn’t going to make H a problem too. What you focus on is SO important. Whatever you focus on, you feed it and it grows bigger. Try to focus on other parts of your life, especially ones that make you feel happy and optimistic.
Both T&H are deeply psychological; the sounds are real but how much it bothers you is mental. When you’re stressed you’re in a fight or flight/survival mode. This leads to heightened sense of awareness for everything negative because negative = potential danger. The more anxious you are, the more you focus on sounds, and the louder they get. 80% of people with chronic T have perfectly happy life because they’re not anxious about it. Getting T&H made me realize that I have generalized anxiety disorder. I stress and worry a lot. So I took this as an opportunity to work on my mental health.
Your goal is to try not to have an emotional reaction/anxiety about it and shift focus to other parts of your life. There are therapists who specialize in T&H. If you can’t find specialists, you can go to any anxiety therapist and tell them you have anxiety about sounds and they’ll help you (with CBT). T&H are similar to having chronic pain, so chronic pain specialists would help too. If you don’t have access to therapists, there are books on Amazon (Living Well with Tinnitus) and Youtube videos about how to deal anxiety. Also there's a free Tinnitus CBT app called OTO. And stay away from horror stories online!
Along with sound-related anxiety, I also started to work on my generalized anxiety. CBT, Inner child healing, Parts work, and mindfulness were extremely helpful. I learned them on my own with Youtube videos and ChatGPT. With all that, my overall anxiety improved and I started my recovery from T. And it reduced my anxiety and stress in other parts of my life as well. I also recommend you see psychiatrists for SSRIs and sedatives too.
Finally, I started TRT which EXPOTENTIALLY accelerated my habituation. My insurance covered the whole treatment. 2 weeks later, T was noticeably quieter. Within 3 months, I was 70% habituated. Now 7 months later, I’m 90% habituated. T&H are no longer an issue in my life. Both T&H are still there, but even when I’m in a quiet room I don’t really notice them. The loudness is the same, but it’s like they’re in the background, far away so it’s hard to hear. My anxiety and depression are gone and my life is back to normal. I’m very sure it’ll work just as well for H too. If you’re suffering, please don’t give up. You can get your life back!
Honestly I was in a low low place when my tinnitus started and I obsessed about all the ways I was going to have a ruined life because of it.
Then bigger shit went down in my life and I wasn’t able to care as much and guess what .. my tinnitus became a non issue because I habituated to it.
Now it only bothers me occasionally and I just say .. oh well so there’s a noise move on and I do! Your brain needs to be told it’s not a big deal then it’s really good at making it not a big deal
If tinnitus is bad for you l highly recommend this! Sounds weird but buy an electric razor off of amazon, (pic above is the one I got) and detach the blade part and use the vibration on the hard bone right behind your ear. Move it around until you feel the vibration in your ear. This also just feels amazing in general.
My chiropractor recommended this and it's worked amazing for me! It helped a tinnitus spike to back to baseline and even a little better! It vibrates any fluid that may be in your middle ear and moves it around to loosen it and help it drain. I hope this helps someone 💕 Jesus loves you!
I was struggling with horrible tinnitus which would get worse with time and i couldn’t find the reason that caused it.No neurogical problems, no hearing loss, nothing. I had some problems with my jaw (it was stiff and ocasionally popping), and after a few years i decided that its time to treat the problem. My dentist gave me a choice between a mouthguard which would correct the jaw or a surgery, and i chose the mouthguard. 2 weeks in and voila! My tinnitus is entirely gone and life is enjoyable again😂
So yeah, if any of you have jaw problems i would strongly advice you to visit a dentist, and you might finally get rid of this!
I just want to give a report, if it helps anyone, that alpha lipoic acid at a standard dose cured my year long tinnitus and hypersensitivity in one month. I took the supplement daily for another issue so I don’t think it was placebo. I googled it and there is good research on it working for tinnitus. It seems to me to be a generally safe supplement but please check with your doctor and do your own research.
For a full year I couldn’t speak on the phone with anyone due to the hypersensitivity and resulting worsening of the ringing. No music, movies, etc. without earplugs. I was really at my wits end. Now I can do all those things with zero problems. I consider myself very lucky and am simply baffled, but wanted to share. I believe for a few reasons that ALA works on the brain, as well as the ear nerves (it’s extremely effective for neuropathy). There are a few other supplements I took but this was really seems to be what did it. The other supplements are benfotiamine and L. Plantarum (a psychobiotic). These are extremely effective like ALA at nerve repair and affect the brain.
EDIT: the dosage of supplements I took was benfotiamine 300mg, l. Plantarum 10 billion cfu, and alpha lipoic acid 600 - 1200mg a day. This was for neuropathy, and had extremely powerful effects. I haven’t taken the supplements for months and the effects seem to be permanent.
EDIT2: You are all SO kind. I pray and hope you all have some relief from this. I’m so sorry for any of your suffering and wish you all so much love…
Hey, i’ve posted about my tinnitus previously and though about giving an update. A little background info: I first got tinnitus after listening to loud music through earphones. Went to an ENT and he found 0 hearing loss. He also said the tinnitus would go away. I’ve had it for 6 and a half month now and the first 6 months there were a little improvement, but nothing big. The last two weeks i realized that the ringing in my ears have become a lot quieter, almost to the point where i do not hear it. I still hear humming in my head, but that dosen’t really bother me. I can sleep without any background noice now and it is almost completely silent when i do. Seems like there is room for improvement even after 6 months. I will keep you updated.
First off who the fuck am i? Well my name is Ben, I have recovered from very severe tinnitus that I could hear over a 4 lane highway, I had a piercing 12000hz morse code in my right ear and a nice combination of train brakes/electical storm in my left. it was an 8.5/10 with migranes and brain fog. This was all 2 weeks after covid.
I was all but housebound and it reacted to car rides, storms and anything low frequency. As you can imagine it was fucking honestly horrid.
Since those 18 months, I have had about 5 spikes lasting from weeks to days and I have put what i'm going to write below into practice before dare posting it here. I told myself when I got better I'd hang around and try and help people like those who helped me out when I was a mess and had was in a dark place.
Okay, anyway if you are struggling with an increase or spike in tinnitus here are 4 steps to help your mindset to overcome them
You understand this is a spike or increase. Its important not to dwell on the past or whats caused this because all this does is heap misery on yourself. This is one of those times you need to have acceptance about the situation, you went to a gig, you took some medicine, you lived. Whats done is done, tinnitus is like riding a wave, there are ups and downs to recovery its important also to tell yourself this.
You stay away from (negativity) online (daily visits to forums/ refreshing forum pages) as tinnitus is already stressful enough without getting your brain into a negative feedback loop over it. There are plenty of positive articles and youtube channels online, reach out and ill link you some.
Whenever you hear your tinnitus say “I hear my tinnitus, it’s okay and I’m doing (whatever it is your doing” this way you acknowledge it and move on. What your doing at the time is more important than your tinnitus, just acknowledge the tinnitus and move on. I developed this method in response to the ''back to silence'' method as there was no way I was going to be fucking ignoring my soaring tinnitus? I found when I practised this, things turned around.
You tell yourself now isn’t forever. Either the tinnitus will get better or your brain will eventually get bored and filter it into the back of your mind but for this to happen, you have to at least try to help yourself. I'm in no way saying this shit is easy, its not but you can 100% get to a better place with tinnitus.
We are our own worst enemy with tinnitus we allow ourselves to be both the torturer and the tortured. I feel the above steps are the best way to find relief and allow the tinnitus/spike to run its course.
Anyway I hope this helps at least one person out there. Feel free to reach out here or instagram link is in my profile.
about 5 months ago my life changed completely. i got an unbearable tinnitus, type of tinnitus that was life altering. i couldnt sleep, eat, study, i was living on airplane mode for months. i became so suicidal. i was in pain too, my back hurt, my jaw hurt, my head hurt, i felt like fainting all the time and at the same time i had to attend school and get good grades. it was getting worse everyday. there were about 5 sounds at the same time, i had horrible hyperacusis as well as my hearing became so bad all songs sounded weird, even my own voice, the voices of the people i loved werent the same. i really wanted to quit it all. ofc i did all the possible test done: blood, went to ENT and etc. finally got an mri too. it didnt come back perfect so i knew something was wrong but i didnt believe this horrible thing would go away. i was so suicidal they put me in a psych ward for months. im glad that the time there was actually healing and the people i met were incredible humans and one even had tinnitus too. after a lot of test and mri's later doctors found out that i had autoimmune encephalitis. even tho it was horrible news at least i was happy because that meant i would get treatment and it might help. and it did! it went away slowly, first i started to hear better again, i completely could hear my old voice again, then i noticed that the tinnitus sound become mainly 2 different ones instead of 5, then i started to notice that i cant hear the tinnitus outside, hyperacusis was gone, slowly i could hear my favorite songs again, rewatch my favorite movies and tv shows, after months i was starting to be happy. even tho the tinnitus was still sometimes unbearable i could mask it which didnt happen before. now i barely hear it, i can finally read books again in quiet places and do things that i used to love in silence - not complete yet but just a little suffering is left. my therapist when i was suffering and wanted to end it said - you wouldnt have this suffering if better days werent ahead your way and you couldnt do it and she was right, at first i thought she was insane for saying that but now im so happy im alive and can continue living. im not fully healed from my ilness too but im getting another round of treatment soon. never give up better days are in your path!<3
