Stress Smoking and Heat
- I've had tinnitus for close to twenty years. I've found a significant reduction in ring intensity when I stop smoking for prolonged periods. The relief usually happens the same or next day after stopping. I've noticed a significant increase in the "default" ring intensity a few months ago and am hoping these permanent intensity increases don't happen too frequently. Does anyone know if tinnitus is a continually degrading condition? I'm 57 and am a Blues musician. At times the ringing really alienates me from my love of music. Quite depressing.. Not news but after two weeks off, my second day back at a very stressful job and the ringing has definitely increased. Not much I can do about that situation, but validation of the association between stress and tinnitus. Oddly enough, I've never had any problems falling or staying asleep. One last thought, I've found a heating pad on the back of my head helps, as does applying tiger balm to my earlobes, temple and behind my ears.
- —Guest Danny B
Steam vapour
- I've been suffering on and off for 10 years, recently brought on through giving birth and i'ts worse it has ever been! I find inhaling steam regularly helps as it helps to relieve any congestion in the ear. Also, extra sleep seems to help it go altogether. Also going to try Sudafed as I think mine gets worse with colds and mucous build up, going to try drinking more water and meditation/relaxing... hard with 6 month old baby! Due to go to see ent as I get dizzy and heavy feeling across head on left side good luck all and keep.praying, blessings.
- —Guest rara
coping mechanism for tinnitus
- I have had tinnitus for over 30 years. It started as a child after a severe ear infection/ruptured ear drum. It is always present but much louder when I have sinus congestion. I find that I have to sleep with a white noise or the sound in my ears keeps me awake. I use a small ceramic heater that is set to "fan only". The constant smooth humming sound of the fan completely masks my tinnitus and I sleep great.
- —Guest sabatini
Watermelon, sweeteners and salt
- Watermelon is good but sweeteners and salt are bad in my case. This includes ice cream, pie, Coca Cola, Pepsi.
- —Guest Farrokh Sabeti
Constant Hoots
- I've been hearing these constant hoots, like an owl, for about 3yrs now. I sounds like an owl constantly hooting in my ear when I'm trying to relax. I noticed when I lay to one side it eventually stops, or if I put slight pressure in a soft area between my jawbone and the top of my neck stops the sound as well. I just wish it would stop completely.... MissWho??
- —Guest MissWho???
New to it
- I've only had it a short while, but actually concentrating on something else is all I find works. My noisy classroom at work distracts me heaps, and just doing something else to keep my mind off it is what seems to work. I used to love the silence, but now my life is just hectic and that's all I can do.
- —Guest Rod
Medication and Good Music
- I'm 19yrs old, constantly finding myself with a seriously hard to cope with the ringing sound in my ear, similar to cicadas. Usually only mild until I try to work out and get fatigued, then it rings too loud to think straight. I've found anti-anxiety medication and smooth music to ease it until my episode has passed. It's nice to know I'm not alone with this condition.
- —Guest Evan D.
It's the Crickets
- The noise I hear the first thing in the morning and the last thing I hear at night I call Crickets Singing. I use to live in NC and in the summer we would sit on the porch late in the afternoon and the crickets would sing from a slow beginning to very loud and then stop a few moments and begin again for hours. My 'crickets' singing in my ears do not stop! I've read that dental work and misalignment of the jaw can cause this but I haven't found anyone willing to help me, including my dentist who has "fixed" every tooth in my mouth! More research needed. At 69 and having this for at least 10 years, it hinders my hearing more and more and certain sounds I do not hear. It really does sound like a bunch of crickets all the time.
- —Guest GuestAbn
It happened out of nowhere!
- My tinitus appeared about a week after a bad head cold and I've been listening to the emergency broadcast tone ever since! It's the worst at night, as I don't have all the daily noise to block it. It's a trial as I have always been a light sleeper and actually have had to sleep with earplugs to deal with my husbands breathing at night. Now I wrestle between tinnitus and accepting the breathing to help drown out the tone! I really hope that there is hope. Already been to one quack doctor who did nothing but frustrate me further! Any suggestions would be great, but from reading all these comments I wonder if I will have to live with this forever! I'm only 28! It is what it is, and I hope that one day I'll just wake up and it will be gone!
- —Guest AmyfromUtah
tinnitus
- I have had this condition for 2 1/2 months. I don't let it bother me too much. It bothers me mainly at night when it is quiet. The buzzing noise is annoying when I am trying to read at night before bed.
- —Guest julie gavigan
White Noise Helps a Great Deal
- I have had tinnitus all my life. It has been an ever present background noise and having no recall of what silence should sound like, I don't really feel like I "suffer" from it. Although I do sometimes have unusually loud sounds at times and grasp how difficult it must be if you've had silence when you wanted it before. I agree with all others who say that "white noise" - music, fans, ocean waves, fountains, etc, helps a great deal with covering the sounds of tinnitus. My heart goes out to everyone who has this condition, you really are NOT suffering alone.
- —Guest MaryP
Loud tinnitus
- Its constant for 2yrs. I have not had relief. I appreciate reading some of the solutions - I will try them. I feel desperate at times and try to stay distracted most of the time. Bless us all and may there be a solution for all of us!
- —Guest katy
Sister with tinnitus
- My sister has had chronic tinnitus for around 5 years now. It has nearly drove her insane and ruined her creative love of life. She thinks she may of got it from loud samba drums as her husband was in a band at the time. nowadays she copes with focusing her mind on other things but its always there. I wish i new the cure. It's so distressing knowing she and other people have this terrible complaint. I have been reading on latest studies in America that say they might have a breakthrough with high doses of magnesium. It is worth it, really depends on how you got your tinnitus but you would try anything to make your life bearable wouldn't you. I Hope your tinnitus disappears soon. I pray every day for a cure. God bless all you sufferers. Sending absentia healing to you all. x
- —starshine888
Feel like tearing my ears off
- My tinnitus started when I was prescribed Venlafaxine for stress and anxiety following a very traumatic experience. I seem to be stuck with it now, to the point that some nights I feel like tearing my ears off. I have tried weaning off the Venlafaxine, but so far it hasn't helped. So be warned. Venlafaxine/Effexor can cause tinnitus.
- —Guest kernewickgirl
Snack therapy
- I've had an ear infection and the whistling for about 1 week. Last nght the noise was intense. I ate a handful of pretzels with a mug of hot chocolate. The ringing diminished and I slept like a baby. Good Luck and God Bless.
- —matt1957
