Tinnitus sufferers: ever find anything that helps?

Quite right, and indeed an embarrassing mental lapse of the very counseling information I’ve shared with hundreds of patients. Perhaps good I don’t see patients after a few drinks while watching football lol

And I'll stick to guitar playing and making music...! :)
 
One of many more here.
I researched the ass out of this one being troubled by a sudden uplift in tinnitus level. There seem to be variations of tinnitus and somebody earlier described recruitment from partial and frequency specific hearing loss - medic suggested this my issue but this straight after a good score on a hearing test!! It's undoubtedly a complex condition neural & physical. I find that listening to high gain high harmonic content amps seems to temporarily worsen it which is especially irritating as that's my preference! But I note if I rest my ears it drops back. Can't mask it with music - unfortunately.
I tried so called non drowsy antihistamines - they knock me out. Betahistine is another similar prescribed med that allegedly works for some people. I had same issue - drowsy on 50% effective dose.
However I am still taking zinc and magnesium supplements.
I am also dosing with high strength niacin - it is supposed to open up small blood vessels (in the inner ear) in the same way the antihistamines do - it needs to cause flushing - bit like a menopause side effect if that appeals to anyone?!!! :tearsofjoy:
Genuinely cant tell as a reference point is rather tricky with a subjective noise. And as I am taking all 3 its difficult to say but I possibly have some improvement.
But de-focusing is the key - sometimes easier said than done.
It's worth trying the meds tho.
Maybe a cure one day but it's a bitch.
 
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Hi!

I researched into T as much as I could when I got it. Right now my T is about 5% of what it was last year thanks to supplements, diet and a ton of other stuff I did. Most of the time its not even there anymore unless I really pay attention to it but I can shut it off in a few seconds now.

I'm super busy with work lately and anytime I make a long post to help or educate people about T its always crickets so if people are genuinely interested like this post and I'll make time and post what helped me and what can possibly help you.

I don't have an Axe-Fx anymore but I'll make a note to check back next week.
 
Hi!

I researched into T as much as I could when I got it. Right now my T is about 5% of what it was last year thanks to supplements, diet and a ton of other stuff I did. Most of the time its not even there anymore unless I really pay attention to it but I can shut it off in a few seconds now.

I'm super busy with work lately and anytime I make a long post to help or educate people about T its always crickets so if people are genuinely interested like this post and I'll make time and post what helped me and what can possibly help you.

I don't have an Axe-Fx anymore but I'll make a note to check back next week.

I personally would immensely thank you for those recipes to minimize the shhhhhh, really.
 
Hi!

I researched into T as much as I could when I got it. Right now my T is about 5% of what it was last year thanks to supplements, diet and a ton of other stuff I did. Most of the time its not even there anymore unless I really pay attention to it but I can shut it off in a few seconds now.

I'm super busy with work lately and anytime I make a long post to help or educate people about T its always crickets so if people are genuinely interested like this post and I'll make time and post what helped me and what can possibly help you.

I don't have an Axe-Fx anymore but I'll make a note to check back next week.
Please.
I am all ears....!
 
I personally would immensely thank you for those recipes to minimize the shhhhhh, really.
Please.
I am all ears....!

Tinnitus is very complicated because it's a symptom and not a condition. You can get it from noise damage, poor blood flow, mineral/vitamin deficiency, stress, ear infections, ear wax build-up, muscle tension(TMJ) etc

If you got T from noise damage which I presume a lot of people on a gear forum did there isn't a lot you can do but many people have found various supplements effective at lessening and even silencing T. One of the mechanisms that causes T is when the hairs inside you ear vibrate too much. They produce a neurotransmitter call Glutamate which causes the neves to fire up and even die. The result is constant ringing. For most the ringing goes away shortly after any noise exposure but for some it can last months and even be permanent. One way people have found relief is taking a glutamate-antagonist. The most commonly used one is NAC, N Acetyl Cysteine, which is an amino acid found in countless foods but not in a high enough concentration to achieve the desired affect. You can buy it any health store. It's commonly used in the army and workforces around the world as a way of preventing noise damage. I've read a lot of stories of people getting a lot of relief from taking just 600mg a day. I definitely notice a difference when I take it. Other over the counter glutamate antagonists are NSAIDS like Ibuprofen but these can also cause T by messing with your blood flow. It worth taking a high quality B-complex with NAC. It's worth noting that NAC can mess with anti-depressants if you are on them so its not wise to take them together.

Tumeric/Curcumin is also gaining a lot of popularity as a T treatment. It's not the easiest on the stomach but the results are noticeable quite quickly. I've read a lot of stories of people treating their noise, stress and blood flow caused T with it.

I've read a lot of stories of people getting relief from taking Zinc. to take Zinc properly you have to avoid calcium, magnesium and physic acid rich foods 2 hours before and after to really get the full affect. Otherwise it binds to them and isn't properly absorbed. First time I took Zinc the next day my T was way lower.

Poor blood flow is a major cause of T. It can be a difficult thing to treat because the veins and capillaries around the ear are so small. People have found a lot of success by targeting Nitric Oxide production. NO is a vasodilator that widens veins and allows blood to flow more freely around the body. If you're T goes up when you have a salty meal then it could be because of poor blood flow getting to the ear. There are countless ways of increasing NO. The most common one is ginkgo biloba which is one of the most common T treatments. More ways of boosting NO are other bioflavonoids, Tumeric/Curcumin, NAC, Aged Garlic Extract, B-vitamins(low B12 is a very common cause of T and easily fixed by supplementing) etc. The problem here is its not a one way street. You need to really reduce your salt intake, Most people consume way over the RDA.

My recommendation is try NAC 600mg with a B-complex vitamin every morning and then ad in Zinc Picolante in the evening. Drink lots of water and document what you're eating. Many foods can make people's T spike. I know mine spikes with really salty food but I also seem to have trouble with tomatoes and cheese(both are salty but I can consume other salty food without nearly as much affect).
 
Mine doesn’t seem to vary at all. It seems quite loud.. almost as loud as a normal conversation. I may try some of the supplements you mentioned. Thx for taking the time.
 
@drawnacrol - appreciate the reply. And I agree with most if not all of what you say.
It's an illusive symptom and its quite probable in my own case there are multiple causes - I was B12 deficient (not now), I have had some circulatory issues (c/o cholesterol - not high now) and some high BP AND I road a bike for 35 years only discovering ear plugs 20 years in. And I go to loud gigs ( - exceptional "thanks" to Killing Joke for this!!).
I take zinc citrate, and a mag supplement (separately) and am also taking high dose Niacin (>500mg) which is supposed to boost micro-circulation. Its difficult to say whether any or all the above have helped but it does vary and probably as a result of 1, 2 & 3 above.
Doing everything I can to prevent deterioration and awaiting a result on an MRI next week but ultimately taking all the above likely does no harm and might be helping. But with a moving target and no reference point (i.e. variable & subjective) its difficult to say.
Haven't found medics terribly helpful - they don't seem to figure that hearing might be immensely important to musicians and music fans...
I 'll dig into some this NAC stuff...
Thanks tho.
 
Tinnitus is very complicated because it's a symptom and not a condition. You can get it from noise damage, poor blood flow, mineral/vitamin deficiency, stress, ear infections, ear wax build-up, muscle tension(TMJ) etc

If you got T from noise damage which I presume a lot of people on a gear forum did there isn't a lot you can do but many people have found various supplements effective at lessening and even silencing T. One of the mechanisms that causes T is when the hairs inside you ear vibrate too much. They produce a neurotransmitter call Glutamate which causes the neves to fire up and even die. The result is constant ringing. For most the ringing goes away shortly after any noise exposure but for some it can last months and even be permanent. One way people have found relief is taking a glutamate-antagonist. The most commonly used one is NAC, N Acetyl Cysteine, which is an amino acid found in countless foods but not in a high enough concentration to achieve the desired affect. You can buy it any health store. It's commonly used in the army and workforces around the world as a way of preventing noise damage. I've read a lot of stories of people getting a lot of relief from taking just 600mg a day. I definitely notice a difference when I take it. Other over the counter glutamate antagonists are NSAIDS like Ibuprofen but these can also cause T by messing with your blood flow. It worth taking a high quality B-complex with NAC. It's worth noting that NAC can mess with anti-depressants if you are on them so its not wise to take them together.

Tumeric/Curcumin is also gaining a lot of popularity as a T treatment. It's not the easiest on the stomach but the results are noticeable quite quickly. I've read a lot of stories of people treating their noise, stress and blood flow caused T with it.

I've read a lot of stories of people getting relief from taking Zinc. to take Zinc properly you have to avoid calcium, magnesium and physic acid rich foods 2 hours before and after to really get the full affect. Otherwise it binds to them and isn't properly absorbed. First time I took Zinc the next day my T was way lower.

Poor blood flow is a major cause of T. It can be a difficult thing to treat because the veins and capillaries around the ear are so small. People have found a lot of success by targeting Nitric Oxide production. NO is a vasodilator that widens veins and allows blood to flow more freely around the body. If you're T goes up when you have a salty meal then it could be because of poor blood flow getting to the ear. There are countless ways of increasing NO. The most common one is ginkgo biloba which is one of the most common T treatments. More ways of boosting NO are other bioflavonoids, Tumeric/Curcumin, NAC, Aged Garlic Extract, B-vitamins(low B12 is a very common cause of T and easily fixed by supplementing) etc. The problem here is its not a one way street. You need to really reduce your salt intake, Most people consume way over the RDA.

My recommendation is try NAC 600mg with a B-complex vitamin every morning and then ad in Zinc Picolante in the evening. Drink lots of water and document what you're eating. Many foods can make people's T spike. I know mine spikes with really salty food but I also seem to have trouble with tomatoes and cheese(both are salty but I can consume other salty food without nearly as much affect).
Will look into this. Thanks

I most likely have multiple factors, likely including loud noise damage, diet, hydration, and stress.
 
I've had it for quite a few years now, I think it was originally due to some poor pressure equalization while scuba diving. I had pain, bad hearing, and "plugged" feeling in my ears for about a week or two afterwards. May also be due to sound / music like with many other musicians. The weird thing is that sometimes one of my ears will feel like it physically "pops" and then the tone of everything briefly changes or becomes more clear and the ringing goes away for a bit... then things equalize. I also get crackling in my ears when shifting my jaw around or changing the pressure inside my head by holding my breath etc. Not quite sure what's going on there. Fortunately most of the time it is not too severe or even noticeable, and it's near the upper range of my hearing (~12 ~ 14k)
 
@drawnacrol thanks for the comprehensive explanation. I will try some of these.

I also have found that stress and sleep are major factors, I don't know though if they actually contribute to alter the perceived volume or just being more mentally fit helps on managing the burden.

I think mine is also affected by bruxism and some problems in my neck, at least it is what my ENT told me, apparently my audiometry is normal for my age.

Some treatments are on the verge of being approved by FDA, I hope in less than two years we have a solution.
 
Normally I’m all in favor of folks doing research for most things in life, but I almost always advise my patients to stay off the internet. About 99 times out of 100 it makes matters worse, brings an issue people otherwise dealt with to the forefront et al.,

we’ve all been there, reading WebMD at 1am and learning how it may be cancer etc,regardless of what was bothering us. Then we had our existing worries and a dozen new fears we didn’t even consider before.

the more you think about tinnitus, the more situations you’ll start to notice your tinnitus, and then it goes from that annoying thing you used to hear only when laying in bed to the think that keeps you up til 3am searching the internet for. Seen it literally hundreds of times in my practice.

there are folks who certainly can use help, but for a majority of patients sometimes it is best to just leave it alone, as odd as that might sound. With 30-5O million people reporting a disturbance there is a lot of money to be made off it, but of course people making money and doing what is best for the patient often aren’t the same thing.
 
@lqdsnddist You beat me to it. I was going to write something similar. As a medico myself, like you, I'm in favour of people researching for themselves, BUT the Internet is not necessarily the best way. Anyone can write anything on the Internet, and it is not edited, scrutinised, peer reviewed, or clinically tested in trials etc. There is no burden of proof to any claims that people make, many of which are based on completely fallacious "theories".

We know that many cases of tinnitus are the result of noise trauma to the hair cells in the cochlea, and that the most susceptible are the tiny, shortest cilia that respond to the highest frequencies, and these lie up towards the apex of the cochlea. And as you've rightly pointed out in a previous post, the tinnitus itself is due to central misinterpretation of what the brain's auditory centres (in the temporal lobes) "think" is coming in from those nerve endings on the cochlear nerve. The analogy is similar to phantom limb sensations (not always pain) after an amputation.

All the supplements under the sun, along with things like salt intake, BP control, etc would have little if any effect on the pathophysiology of what is actually wrong. It is feasible that dehydration may exacerbate tinnitus to a small degree, but the amount of dehydration would need to be life threatening before it actually affects the ionic concentrations and gradients of the endolymph and perilymph that bathe those damaged hair cells.

If the placebo effect of supplements and other "therapies" works, then fine, BUT it also has to do no harm in itself, and I'd also add that it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg (or an ear). I agree with you that the best way to manage tinnitus is to ignore it. And yes, I do have tinnitus (military exposure in a previous life, long before Workplace Health and Safety insisted on things like hearing protection) plus decades playing in loud bands. I simply ignore it - over time, one can train the brain just to fade it into the background. If I think about it, it becomes very apparent - I call it my Chorus of Crickets. But I simply tell my brain that I'm the boss and most of the time I just don't actively hear it. Bit like living on a main road - after a short time, you just don't hear the traffic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereocilia_(inner_ear)
 
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Just as a point of clarification, the tonotopic organization of the cochlea results in the highest frequency perception in the base and resultingly lower frequencies as it spirals around the the apex.

because the highest frequencies are at the base when have things like the spread of upward masking where a lower frequency can mask a higher frequency since the resulting vibration of the basilar membrane needs to travel over the area “tuned” for the higher tones and the larger displacement of the lower frequency thus masks the highs. Likewise, most ototoxicity, radiation et al damages high frequencies due to proximity, and essentially any sounds, high or low, encountered pass over the base of the cochlea which results in about 95% of people having a high frequency hearing loss with often still normal thresholds for the lower frequencies.

I always have wondered how different things would of been if it was arranged opposite, and we all would lose the lows while still having great hearing for highs. Given that the highest parts of speech are also the softest tones, our language certainly doesn’t favor high frequency hearing loss, or soft spoken female voices. How odd would it be to hear patients complain they can hear their wives easily but can’t hear their other male friends.
 
Just as a point of clarification, the tonotopic organization of the cochlea results in the highest frequency perception in the base and resultingly lower frequencies as it spirals around the the apex.

Yup - my turn for the mea culpa. The way I wrote it sounds wrong. You are correct. The highest frequencies are perceived by the shortest and most fragile cilia at the base of the spiral, closest to the middle ear and the oval window, with the foot of the stapes acting as a vibrating plunger in that window. I should proof-read before hitting "Post"..!
 
Every time this post shows up on my New Posts search I notice that familiar 7.5kHz song. Otherwise, I've become reasonably good at ignoring it except it the most quiet of environments. Of course, I do wish for a quick and easy one-size-fits-all fix or, at the very least, for it to not get worse.
 
I have had Tinnitus for months at a time from one side, with very little hearing from that side (or at least muffle hearing where I don't really hear the mid high frequencies as well).

It's due to my Eustachian tube being block from recurrent sinusitis.

Been waiting for almost a year to see the EAR, NOSE AND THROAT doctor specialist.

Anyhow,some of you guys suffering from tinnitus might be related to something else like Eustachian tube blockage. Worth a talk to your doctor!
I wish that I could get Eustachian Dilation done - and have my insurance cover it! I’ve been dealing with blocked Eustachian tubes going on 10 years. I had tubes put in 6 years ago, but that only worked for a few years. My hearing is basically okay and there is no fluid in my inner ear, but I do have negative pressure in both ears. Tinnitus is moderate, but it’s the pressure differential that messes me up the most.
 
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