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Hello all,

I suffer from tinnitus. I do have very mild hearing loss, as shown on a hearing test. Sometimes the 'whooshing' is so loud and rythmic (with my heartbeat) and other times I hardly notice it...it's more like background static.

Thanks to this WOE, my blood pressure has dropped from 120/85 steadily lowering to 102/72 (this morning). I have found my ears are better with a limited salt intake, so I have reduced my sodium considerably.

Has anyone else who lives with this found any other ways of reducing it?


BB

I have tinnitus in my right ear ever since an ear infection at 10 years old. The first 48 hours after having caffeine makes the ringing noticeable worse, and I can say that too much salt does in fact make it worse as well, so you've got that right.

I've just learned to forget the sound is there until I'm somewhere without background noise, then it's extremely annoying.

Just and update: Doc feels that the reduction in a med that I've been on for over fifteen years for a benign irregular heartbeat (also a HBP med) could be causing the pulsing in my tinnitus. Apparently my body was used to a lower push to my blood because of this small dose of meds, now with my blood coursing a little more vigorously, my ears are picking up the sound and transmitting it quite loudly. I also have a small amount of fluid in my ear (cracking and popping when I yawn). So, it's back up on the heart/bp med as a temporary test to see if that's what is doing it. Also a small dose of decongestant to dry out the fluid in my ears.
If those don't help, then it's off to an MRI to visualize the bones and structures of my ears.

Very happy though that my carotid arteries sounded 'perfect'!!

BB

Well, it wasn't the reduction in my beta blocker that did it, because re-starting the dose made no difference at all. Now I'll start to wean back down again. MRI was clear. I thought for sure my brain would look like a sweet potatoe or garbanzo bean!

I have an appointment to see a specialist but not 'till January..but...drumroll please:

On a whim, I started a B-12 liquid supplement. I have been eating low fat, plant based since March of this year. I have been very close to Dr. M's prescribed course of eating except for a few occasions in September. I wasn't sure if it would be needed, and I haven't had my levels taken, but I thought I'd try it as I had some oral b-12 here at home. The first day my 'whooshing' was probably about 20% quieter. Second day..quieter still. Third day......loud again. (blech!) Today...even a little more quiet than day two. On doing a little internet research I found an interesting factoid: 47% of all pulsatile tinnitus sufferers in one study (I can get the name if anyone would like it) were found to be b-12 deficient. Now, I might have that deficiency more pronounced because I suffered from ulcerative colitis for many many years. It's now in remission and has been for quite a while, but the damage is done to my large intestine. Every time I go for a colonoscopy the doc sees the extensive scarring.

Perhaps there is some hope for all of us tinnitus sufferers!

I will keep you posted as to my progress!

BB

I hope so. I can't remember what quiet sounds like. Well, maybe I'll up the b12 and see if it makes any difference. I've been taking liquid b12, but only 3x a week.
Hope your tinnitus gets better.

Make sure it's methylcobalamin. I have read it is the easiest for our bodies to use.

BB

Hi Bean,Tinnitus can be a terrible thing.There are many drugs that are ototoxic that are not even listed in pdrs.here is a web-site that may help,Neil has a lot of info.Hope this helps.
www.hearinglosshelp.com His name is Neil Bauman Best to you RAS

I found that I have tinnitus in my left ear. I purchased a neti pot and it helped my sinus. I also use a scenar device and hand reflexology. At night I listen beach sounds on my ipod, the whooshing sounds like the ocean:)

Aloha, patty

I have pulsatile tinnitus where I hear the pulse of my heart 24/7. On days where I also suffer from sinusitis it reaches the volume of castanets inside my head.
It started sometime in 2007. When I realised I had this contant noise in my head I went to the emergency department, was in a panic that I had a tumor.
My GP said it was hypertension...BP was ok.
I have had nose surgery, take antihistamines, had ct scans of my head and neck twice and now just live with it.
It doesn't appear to be caused by any physical problem and now it fades away into the background until someone says tinnitus..then it is back.
Reading this thread has bought it back...
The doctor I saw at the emergency dept told me that he has a siren sound that he lives with that had faded away until I arrived with my complaint and then it was back bells and whistles.
I sympathise with you. Pulsatile tinnitus is very stressful.

BTW I am in remission with ulcerative colitis which runs in my family and do take medication to keep it that way.

Thanks Glenn50 and all,

Somehow it's comforting to know there are others that suffer with this.

I have done so much reading on this. Like your testing, my MRI was fine. BP is fine. No 'bruits' (noise of restricted blood flow) in my carotids. I'm fine, good, healthy and unremarkable. But I have a noise like a pulsating garden hose squeezed too tight in my head.

I'm going to try a few things on my own, that are used to treat different causes of pulsatile tinnitus. I already limit my salt, but I'm going to cut it back even more. I am actualy going to add back one cup of coffee, as sometimes I've read the diuretic effect can help. (I'll do this on a trial basis, as coffee in general is not good for my anxiety.)

You are right. When I'm distracted it's wayyyyy in the background. But as soon as I recall it to mind *BOOM* it's thunderous. And at night, or trying to watch TV, it's very loud. I think that's because I expect it to be. I also have pressure in my neck/head, but I wonder if it's caused by tension. (sigh).

Ok, enough about that.

I wish you the best! Congrats about your UC being in remission. I know that feeling and have been enjoying it for years! I was on maintanance dose of Asacol, but have been weaned off that as well and am now UC meds free.

I'm going to go distract myself now. Oatmeal and banana will help!

BB

Exciting news! (Read on ) My pulsatile tinnitus has been relentless. Doc now wants an MRA. I just didn't think it was arterial and I didn't want to go have another expensive test and have dye injected yet again in my body. My tinnitus can be louder in one ear, or the other, and sometimes I feel as though it's in my entire head. I have spent hours, and hours researching. I found this fanastic abstract.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... MuIM9IBVFg

Do a little reasearch on the sternocleomastoid muscle and it's role in tinnitus, both pulsatile and common. Then go to YouTube and look for the video on how to stretch that muscle. I've done it several times today and had success in my tinnitus just disappearing for several minutes at a time! And find out how to improve your posture if you have a habit of being round shouldered and extending your neck forward.

This works!

BB

Dear BB,

I, too, have a daily "hissing" or high pitched sounds or a fuzziness in my left ear and such. I have also lost hearing and was diagnosed with Menere's disease. I was told to lower the salt intake as well. I changed the kind of salt I use to a less refined sea salt (celtic).Himalyan salt is good too. So now it's about how refined the product is and what additives have been added to it. In addition, Caffeine is one of the triggers for me, moreso than salt is. The cleaner my diet is the less the hissing becomes...that is the big picture for me.

Rawfoodelectric

Did you know they have now connected Menieres desease to celiac/gluten intollerance.

and removing the caffeinnne for me including decafe coffee made a huge difference, actually more of a difference than the salt.
Having always suffered from celiac but not knowing it i now often wonder if I had not been eating gluten stuffes my whole life, if I would have my hearing and balance still.

It is an annoying desease to have.

Hi Kitty,I also have Menieres,hearing loss and tinnitus.I didn't know that it might be related to celiac,gluten intolerance. Thanks for the info.I know that the brain tries to hear when the sounds aren't there.Like phantom pain for amputees. again thanks. RAS