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Brain fog

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Dr. Nagler,



I've had noise-induce tinnitus for about 8 years. I completed TRT in 2013/14 with moderate success, but my tinnitus increased in May 2015 after being exposed to an ambulance siren going off a few feet away without any protection. I was able to somewhat habituate the new T after a few months, but now wear ear plugs whenever I leave my office in the city.



About a month ago, another ambulance drove passed while I was inside a store, with the door open. I had plugs in, and even threw on my noise cancelling headphones, but it still felt loud. Since then, my tinnitus has not been its usual level, and seems to fluctuate. Over the passed week I have also been feeling very "foggy" and unable to focus. I have experienced this foginess before when my T spiked or raised in volume, but this seems a bit more intense. I am unable to concentrate at work or at home. I am a big soccer fan, but I was totally unfocused on the game this weekend, which started to worry me, as it has always given me solace from T.



Do you have any insight into this brain fog phenomenon, and any excercise techniques to combat what seems like a real drop in cognitive functions? I had been listening to audiobooks lately, which I was really enjoying, but now cannot seem to focus.



Many thanks and all the best to you.



Joe

Category: Questions and Answers


Finally a good Dr

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Hello Dr.Nagler,

First or all say sorry for my English, im come from Italy and i can express myself as much as i would like to.

I just read almost all your answers in this forum and it make me very encourage, just your words transmit kind of calm.

I had a very bad time lately and it was more complicated with my tinnitus a few months ago, so i make a decision one month ago and i started with a CBT Theraphy, im getting better little by little.

I did my audiology test las week and it show i lost 15 db in my left ear and 10 in my right in the 4000 hz, this kind of loss is neurosensiorial loss?, can you give to me any tip to keep in mind¿.

Thank very much for your time, best regards from Italy.



Category: Questions and Answers

I'm terrified

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Dear Dr nagler,
I'm so glad I found this site since those others  - as you mention in the 101 - are really depressing.
I'm a 23 year old young man from Hungary and currently I am terrified.
I am a classical musician (clarinetist in a symphonic orchestra) also I am studying to be a teacher. I really don't think my problems are noise-induced since I only have rehearsals 2 or 3 times a week, 90-120 minutes and that doesn't mean constant playing either.
I have just come home from the ENT and hearing test, where they diagnosed me with a very mild hearing loss. They say it is sensorineural and at higher frequencies. According to the doctor, my hair cells are really sensitive, consequently I need to have custom-made earplugs. I also have a very mild tinnitus on both sides but it leaves me almost intact. I have had it since last week, so it is around 10 days now. The day before that was perfect, I had no problems wih my hearing at all. I have Betahistine and magnesium prescribed.
My problem is somehow different. My hearing is weird. Since the day I noticed this wonderful hissing (of witch the pitch they could not locate), I have pressure in my ears. Also they pop all the time, but the pressure stays (or leaves for a few seconds, then returns). It's like when I go uphill and the pressure changes, except there is no real pressure change here. It's not constant - for example yesterday evening my ears were relatively free and my hearing was almost normal except for a little there's-something-in-my-ear feeling, but it was almost completely ignorable. My hearing follows that pattern: everything sounds more high-pitched, and although I can hear lower notes, the kind of "deepness" is almost completely missing. At the ENT they did a tympanogram, and it showed two normal spikes over the 0, although one of the was slightly flatter.
Also, nowadays every noise seems to be louder, and especially higher pitched sounds (clinging of the forks, somene pronouncing the s sound, etc) can bother me. Interestingly, in the mornings it bothers me way less. My own voice is also very loud.
What is very iportant about me is that I am very hypochondriac. I worry about my health all the time and sometimes I can show symptoms of illnesses I certainly do not have. Because of this situation, I am very stressed out now, and I really do not know what to do. Also, a I have just finished a very stressful period of my life - exams. I was stressed constantly for about 1 and a half months. Now it (is supposed to be) much calmer nowadays.
So I am terrified. I want to continue playing music, I want to be a teacher, I want to go to concerts, and I want to enjoy the beautiful sounds of the world. 
My question is: will this weird sensation go away? I can live with slight hearing loss, I don't think I would really notice that anyway, but I cannot live with this weird pressure and this sensitivity.
Thank you for your answer in advance!

Category: Questions and Answers

Your two cents please!

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Dear Dr Nagler, 

First and foremost, I would like to thank you for what you do. You really have (and continue to) inspired me on how I should be living my life. Not just with regards to tinnitus (that too), but due to your selfless nature all these years; giving and not expecting back. I would also like to thank you for being by far the most helpful resource in helping get to a much better place than I was a few weeks ago.

Like most people that are fortunate enough to make it to your website, the journey to getting here was quite rough i.e. via tinnitustalk and other forums which really did depress me before I finally got here. I would really love to donate towards your website with a 'donate now' button where proceeds could be used to raise awareness via sponsored google links etc. Just a thought of course. 

A quick background on my condition - I developed tinnitus 6 and half weeks ago. This came about during a bout of rhinosinusitis (no history of loud sounds or music). I am 30 and based in Kenya where i usually use a 48km bypass to drive back home. The road goes up on an elevation and comes back down. This caused pressure in my head causing blockage in my ears. Once I got home, the pressure eased and my ears unblocked but as soon as they did, an intrusive bilateral ringing began and has been there ever since! The ENT I went to said it was Eustachian Tube Dysfunction after carrying out a hearing test (which was normal) and a tymp and I was told to give it a few days before it went. Needless to say, that didn't  happen! My biggest obstacle to overcoming the cause of my tinnitus was (oddly enough) your mentioning of avoiding azithromax (z pack) which my ENT had prescribed me (500mg x 3, one per day) to fight the sinusitis. However with time, I realized there will never be a definite cause that I can be sure of and more importantly, I realized (with your advice) this was just counter productive. 

I had the below questions which I hope you could clarify - 

1) Does the occurrence of tinnitus always have a correlation to cochlear hair cell damage? And also, does that mean tinnitus nearly always has to do with a hearing loss even if that were a hidden hearing loss?

2) This relates more to my own personal experience. I attended wedding function (the first social event since onset) where the music was fairly loud but no where near the equivalent of a live concert, sporting event etc. However, I took caution where i stayed away from the speakers and where I didn't have to raise my voice in order to be heard. However, on my drive back home, my ears felt quite 'sore' - can't think of any other way to describe. It wasn't painful but a sore feeling that I had not experienced before. The soreness went away in an hour or so and the tinnitus didnt feel or get louder. I just wanted to know whether this was the norm and whether my ears are now just more sensitive to louder sound? Perhaps you could shed some light on that for me. 

3) I am currently using a neilmed sinus rinse and use nasonex 15 minutes later once my sinuses have been cleared. Eustachian tubes are still swollen (i think) from the infection I had those weeks ago but gradually improving with this technique. Just wanted to know if using a sinus rinse was safe with regards to tinnitus and there were no chances it would exacerbate the T in the event I wasn't applying the rinse at the right angle. Sorry if this sounds a bit silly!

many thanks once again Dr. Nagler.

Category: Questions and Answers

Gentamic

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Hi Dr

About 6 weeks ago I had sinus surgery for a chronic sinusitus infection

The surgery went well but 12 days after surgery and 3 x a day sinus rinsesi developed

Tinnitus in my left ear and it's driving me batty. Occasionally it will disappear for hours only to return

As soon as I fall asleep. I was rinsing with gentamicin but after researching it I told my surgeon

I felt it was the cause and reluctantly he allowed me to stop using it however the tinnitus has not stopped

Can I have permanent damage from using it twice a day in a nedi rinse?

I never had tinnitus before the surgery or before the gentamicin

Please help

Category: Questions and Answers

Can silence actually make tinnitus worse?

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Hi Dr. Nagler! I am so happy you are on the mend! This has been a very hard winter for illnesses in my neck of the woods. 

First I want to tell you that you are so inspiring to me! You have taken a less than ideal situation (to put it mildly) and really made the best of it! I really hope I can do the same. I would love to be in the position of helping people as well someday (soon hopefuly!). 

So my tinnitus started last autumn after a bad allergy season caused Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (diagnosed by my ENT) of which I am still having some issues with. My tinnitus comes and goes except for this constant buzzing. I think I was so hyperfocused on my ears that I started focusing in on this buzzing sound (seems to come from back of head but mostly my left ear) that has always been there. But maybe it hasn't? So I am mainly dealing with it by running fans or listening to music all day. It causes me great distress as I am always listening for it. I have really bad anxiety already and this has been most distressing for me. I am seeing a psychologist who has himself habituated to intrusive tinnitus. He is definitely helping although I have my rough moments still. I have read through the forum pretty thoroughly but have a few questions.

I know you say that we should avoid complete silence, but will this be forever? When I habituate will I be able to be in a silent room? I feel like my kind of tinnitus (buzzing in back of head) gets worse in a silent room. I was taking a hike the other day and it was very quiet and I could hear it. It makes me feel like I can never be in the woods again without going nuts. Is it ok to be in an environment like quiet woods for a few hours or will this actually make the tinnitus worse? And by "actually make it worse" what I really want to know is will being in a silent room or place make my tinnitus irreversibly worse? I hope I worded that clearly. 

Second question is of a personal nature so feel free NOT to answer this: If I feel the need to do TRT I would really like to see you at your practice. I am very sensitive to what doctors tell me and have to make sure the doctor that treats me won't leave me feeling worse about my situation. I can tell you would be perfect because you are so knowledgeable about T and very optimistic. I was hoping to wait a year and see if I can habituate naturally before pursuing TRT. I was wondering, are you planning on retiring in the near future? I hope that question doesn't offend. Just trying to put my anxious mind at ease. 

That's all for the questions! I so appreciate this forum. I honestly can't tell you how much this means to me and I am sure everyone else here, that you take all this time to help us out. Your story is comforting to me because I too have young children (I know you mentioned your son was 4 during your onset) and its so hard to feel like their childhood is slipping away while I sit here obsessing over this stupid T. I hope I can have the success you have. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Category: Questions and Answers

Old friend

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Hey Dr.Nagler , I've just recently joined the board. We have a long history from tinnitius talk and honestly the two main people who helped me thorough my tinnitus and hyperacusis haven't been on that site for a long time- that being you and here to help I believe he call d himself. Anyway I have recently had an increase in T and myH us back. The first few days after was back to my scared anxious self from when I origianly had to deal with this bs. But I also have some good news that I don't want to share publicly. I did have your email for a while I'll see if I can find it to let you know. I read the threads of how to deal with increas s in t and will follow your recommendations for others and the tips here2help gave in TT for hypetacusis.



I have also seen in a post on here that you may not be doing great. I hope that things get better for you and I want you to know you are someone who played a huge role in my life when I was at one of my lowest points. Be well and I hope to hear free m you soon. I believe I may have your email on an old email I don't use. Would I be able to find it on the site?

Category: Questions and Answers

Vitamin Deficiency

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Dr. Nagler,



So sorry you're having health issues and I hope you're on the mend soon. It no fun being ill. Please know that your answers to my questions and this whole site have helped me so much and has given me the most important thing I believe...Hope....



I don't know if you remember me but I was rather frazzled when I posted, to say the least, after my tinitus appeared from no where when I awoke last August 11th, thinking some strange alarm was sounding in my home...And then I realized that I was the only one that could hear it. It was that loud to me. The following weeks were filled with fear and a feelings of hopelness when the doctors could not find a cause...and then I found your site after being scared to death reading another popular site; posted some questions here which you graciously took the time to answer never making me feel my fears were silly. (Thankyou) and have been reading here now and again.(not too much I promise!)



After three eye surgeries since that time and slowly recovering, (getting older is definitely not for sissies as my 94 year old father says), I have also been diagnosed with several vitamin deficiencies...especially the B vitamins. Although they do not yet know the root cause of this problem, I have been on a month of weekly B12 injections which will continue and glutithione IVs plus a few suppliments taken sublingually daily. I am also on only one eye drop now that the ingredients are on no ototoxic list I've read which may mean nothing but it does give me peace of mind which I'm finding does wonders when dealing with, what my ENT calls, my sudden onset tinnitus.



The oddest things seems to have happened this last month. I don't want to get my hopes up and it all may be a "in my head" but since the B12 injections and other treatments I have noticed the tinnitus has toned down a wee bit. Now it's not gone completely and far from it but it definitely is quieter although I notice I still react to my trigger foods and stress...but not as much.



In your opinion, is this a coincidence or can vitamin deficiency or better put not being able to absorb vitamins properly "create" tinnitus? I never would have known of this problem but I wasso tired beyond tired but thinking my fatigue was from three very complex and stressful surgeries but my GP thought it was something more and it was... and also said that this must have been happening for a long time.



Again, I'm not getting my hopes up that this will all dissappear when the vitamin levels get normal and /or they find the root of what is causing this but there seems to be a connection between my vitamin deficiency problem being treated and my tinnitus toning down a bit. I'm wondering if this is truly the case and if people with tinnitus should consider being tested for vitamin deficiencies?



I'll keep you posted as to if things continue to improve or not.. and I hope you're feeling better soon.



Jane

Category: Questions and Answers


Dr. Nagler welcome back

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Hello Dr. Nagler,

My name is Antonis. I'm a 32 years old dance instructor, living in Athens Greece. I had been reading many threads of this forum and found many useful information. My initial intention was to seek advice from you for my recent tinnitus onset that began 3 months ago, but i'll hold that a little bit and dedicate this to you, since i was really concerned about your health issues.

Dr. Stephen people like you are super rare. You give all this advice, support and information for nothing in return. So many tinnitus sufferers, from all over the world have been benefited from you. I had been following your posts back from Tinnitus Talk forum. I've been lurking in that place the last two months and that's how i found you.

I don't know exactly how my tinnitus came up. As a man that needs to consider always the worst case scenario, i had been obsessed in searching Tinnitus Talk to track down and get inspired by success stories of people with catastrophic tinnitus that managed to live a normal and happy life, so i could convince myself that this can really happen, in the possibility of things might reach that point for me. This search was pointless. Well if other people read this thread, i want them to know that this was my biggest mistake. I could find nothing more then horror stories, people in denial, people suicidal, former members that might as well committed suicide, people who insulted and underestimated the pain and suffering of the few folks who tried to follow a positive approach. I had been wondering if this is the future for me. On top of that Tinnitus Talk made me numb in following possible treatment approaches. For every treatment practice or/and medicine approach etc. there had been always a thread that filled me with doubts, fear and disappointment.

Is really tinnitus the one unbeatable monster which is invulnerable to every possible weapon?

I tend to sound a bit rhetorical. Maybe my greek blood is the culprit. Just kidding! That said, i think is good to pinpoint the following; For sensitive people like me support forums like TT adds much more pain and distress to the pre-existing anxiety that tinnitus alone provides. It made me lost my hope and my faith. Two necessary factors to trust as life companions. On top of that it made me depressed, gave me panic attacks with cruel posts and horror videos and made me gradually isolated from my social activities. Not the best strategy, indeed.

My tinnitus is 24/7. It never stops. It began as one mild tone unilateral. Now it's bilateral with various sounds. After three months i suppose that it's here to stay. Right now is bearable and maskable. I try to find a diagnosis. Went to many ENTs. Had many medical exams. Audiograms, high frequency audiograms, Otoacoustic Emissions, ABR, MRI, CT, few blood test. Good results.

Anyway, I followed your advice in Tinnitus101 and restricted my TT visits.

Now I ended up working with a neurologist. Got a 24-hour encephalography as well. Maybe ebv virus is the culprit. Nothing is for sure. I surpassed the fear that TT gave me and decide to trust my doctor. He claims that my tinnitus can be gone. Despite that i know from the internet that there is almost zero chance for that, but i hold a hope. Is that bad? I decided to follow his drug therapy. I was so afraid in the first day. After two days there had been moments my T was a bit improved. Then back again to baseline. Maybe it was a coincidence. The good thing for sure? No horror story after intravenous drug. I'll let you know about the progress after i complete my treatment. Who knows?

Four days now i feel a bit more optimistic. What matters is that i have to find a way not to get worried for what future may bring. It's not easy. I want to feel free again. To truly listen again to my friends stories with no worries of my tinnitus in the background. I hope i won't have to quite my dance profession due to the music exposure. I also hope i can play the piano again. I quite the piano due to fear of making things worse. This cost me much and amplified my depression. I want to be myself again. To find my shiny smile that made me adorable.

Dr. Nagler i hope you are getting better. I hope the best for you and your family. When i tried not to expose myself so much to Tinnitus Talk i googled your name (the one of the few good tokens of that dark place) and found this forum. It has been quite soothing reading many of your advices. As i am a resident of a country under economic crisis i'm not sure if i can afford a TRT protocol. However my brother lives with his family in Baltimore. I was thinking if you can refer a specialist there that you trust, just in case. Or even in Greece, although i doubt it there is anyone here. I also have a friend in Atlanta. That also could be a scenario in case she can host me if i manage to find the budget to meet you in flesh for a consultation/treatment.

Now a few questions:

1) Do you think TRT stands for idiopathic/progressive tinnitus? I observed from people stories that this kind of tinnitus is prone to get worst overtime to the point that gets unmanageable compared to noise-induced which tends to stay stable (or even resolve). I hope i am wrong. Couldn't find a good story for this. If tinnitus is progressive, does that mean that TRT isn't suitable?

2) Two months before my tinnitus onset i was prescribed fluconazole as an antifugal drug. Any ototoxicity information about this? Could this drug be the offender?

Dr. Nagler, don't want to consume much of your value time. Sure i have more questions, but i'll try to review your threads ones again. Please get well soon and keep in mind that the sun and sea of Greece is therapeutic for the body and soul. Be my guest with your family to spend a summer in my family's house next to the beach. It would be my pleasure.

PS. Through my statements I didn't mean to insult nobody who is not coping well. It's not easy. People are different. Every tinnitus case is different. I hope the best to everyone out there who fights with this ailment. God bless!

Category: Questions and Answers

Tinnitus and driving

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Dr Nagler welcome back. I hope you are on the mend and feeling better. This is an outstanding board to get accurate information and I appreciate you for doing this. I have had tinnitus for 20 years, i noticed it right after acoustic neuroma surgery. I had tinnitus in my ear that has 0 hearing and I got used to it over time.. Last August I had a problem with my Eustachian tube in my good ear.. After battling in and out hearing I ended up with very loud tinnitus in my good ear and the ear that I can not hear out of. I am now sensitive to noise and driving in my car on trips that last more than about 20 mins is really hard.. I have found wearing ear plugs helps but it does make my hearing more sensitive. I have tried low db musical plugs and the high db foam plugs.. Any suggestions on what I should or should not do to help me survive driving? I bought another car that is quieter but that still did not help me.  Thank You....

Category: Questions and Answers

Vitamin Deficiency

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Dr. Nagler,



So sorry you're having health issues and I hope you're on the mend soon. It no fun being ill. Please know that your answers to my questions and this whole site have helped me so much and has given me the most important thing I believe...Hope....



I don't know if you remember me but I was rather frazzled when I posted, to say the least, after my tinitus appeared from no where when I awoke last August 11th, thinking some strange alarm was sounding in my home...And then I realized that I was the only one that could hear it. It was that loud to me. The following weeks were filled with fear and a feelings of hopelness when the doctors could not find a cause...and then I found your site after being scared to death reading another popular site; posted some questions here which you graciously took the time to answer never making me feel my fears were silly. (Thankyou) and have been reading here now and again.(not too much I promise!)



After three eye surgeries since that time and slowly recovering, (getting older is definitely not for sissies as my 94 year old father says), I have also been diagnosed with several vitamin deficiencies...especially the B vitamins. Although they do not yet know the root cause of this problem, I have been on a month of weekly B12 injections which will continue and glutithione IVs plus a few suppliments taken sublingually daily. I am also on only one eye drop now that the ingredients are on no ototoxic list I've read which may mean nothing but it does give me peace of mind which I'm finding does wonders when dealing with, what my ENT calls, my sudden onset tinnitus.



The oddest things seems to have happened this last month. I don't want to get my hopes up and it all may be a "in my head" but since the B12 injections and other treatments I have noticed the tinnitus has toned down a wee bit. Now it's not gone completely and far from it but it definitely is quieter although I notice I still react to my trigger foods and stress...but not as much.



In your opinion, is this a coincidence or can vitamin deficiency or better put not being able to absorb vitamins properly "create" tinnitus? I never would have known of this problem but I wasso tired beyond tired but thinking my fatigue was from three very complex and stressful surgeries but my GP thought it was something more and it was... and also said that this must have been happening for a long time.



Again, I'm not getting my hopes up that this will all dissappear when the vitamin levels get normal and /or they find the root of what is causing this but there seems to be a connection between my vitamin deficiency problem being treated and my tinnitus toning down a bit. I'm wondering if this is truly the case and if people with tinnitus should consider being tested for vitamin deficiencies?



I'll keep you posted as to if things continue to improve or not.. and I hope you're feeling better soon.



Jane

Category: Questions and Answers

Concert

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Hello again Dr.Nager,
How are you¿, i have a question (sorry for my English), i had loss hearing and i would like to go to the concert next week, i do not if there is any risk because the sounds average in this kind of events  is 110 db 120db, so if i wear my protection 20db im still in the risk line 90 db 95, so i would like to know your opinion , thank very much for your advice, take care.

Category: Questions and Answers

OCD and TInnitus

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Hi! I have severe OCD and it is largely health-centred. I have gone through a successful course of CBT therapy for my "Pure O" (I know, a misnomer – my compulsions are largely internal). I few weeks ago I woke up with a strange ringing in my ear, that now follows me wherever I go. I spend a lot of time googling and catastrophizing (my life is ruined, I'll never hear silence again)) and checking whether I hear it in quiet spaces. 

I know these are compulsions, and it's taken all my willpower to resist these behaviors most of the time. The problem here is, the most of my health-related OCD thoughts (AIDS, cancer, etc) are clearly unfounded, and as such I have been able to rid myself of the distressing thoughts using mindfulness and targeted ERP exercises. With tinnitus, it is ever-present. I wonder: will I never hear silence again? Will I let it ruin my life?. It feels inescapable. 

I know that it may still subside, but I know I am not supposed to reassure myself with that hope/fact. I know most people habituate, but I also know this is a form of unhelpful reassurance. I guess what I'm asking is: am I on the right course in trying to stop "checking" and to stop self-reassuring? Or are there further mental exercises I need to undertake in order help myself habituate without falling into the OCD trap? 

Thank you in advance for any guidance. What I really want to hear is "it will go away" or "you will definitely habituate" but I know given my OCD, that would only help me in the short term. I am in the middle of IVF treatment and I don't have my trusty fallbacks (a glass of wine at the end of the day, Xanax, the odd cigarette) and need to get myself right before I have a baby – a kid who, given my family history of OCD – might need more guidance from me on how to tackle the OCD monster.
 
 

Category: Questions and Answers

Well wishes and new T sounds

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Dear Dr Nagler -

1. In this Dante's Inferno of tinnitus sufferers in terrible psychological pain and medical practitioners offering no hope and no empathy, you're the only credible, rational, optimistic voice. I hope you recover fully from your illness and continue to find personal fulfillment in your great service to the tinnitus community.

2. I'm in my late twenties, had bilateral tinnitus for as long as I can remember. Volume 3/10, distress 0/10, perfect habituation. (Thought this is what "silence" is). ~20-30dB audiogram dip at 4000Hz.
Then 2 months ago I noticed a beeping, Morse-like tinnitus on one side. 1800Hz. ENT found nothing, audiogram remained the same. Volume 1/10 (the new sound is only perceptible if I plug my ears, or in a very quiet room).
I'm coping fairly well with the new sound, but the fact that there was a change terrifies me.

2a. My only theory is that this was caused by low-volume, but almost continuous, headphone use. No ototoxic meds, no noise trauma, no barotrauma, no illness. I ceased headphone use and about 4 weeks later the noise has changed into a noticeably lower, more continuous buzz (although it still beeps), which has then remained about constant.
Do you think the headphone theory holds merit?

2b. My tinnitus was previously totally stable and I had every reason to think that it will remain so. Not knowing the cause of the new sound destroyed this faith. Any time future plans are discussed my excitement is immediately deflated by the ever-present, uncontrollable threat of new tinnitus sounds. I'm still perfectly habituated to my baseline T - but the new sound tortured me exactly like it tortures any new T sufferer.

I read your previous posts citing a study that age-related hearing loss does not make tinnitus worse. This is great - but covers only one thing that might worsen T. As you're someone who knows many T sufferers: what is the typical long-term course for the majority? How realistic is the threat of new T sounds spontaneously emerging, without acoustic trauma, ototoxicity and so on?

2c. My primary resource so far was Tinnitus Talk. Whenever the gnawing anxiety about new T sounds begins to torture me, that's where I go to be with others like me. I usually only get more desperate, of course.
I was shocked to learn that you now have such a low opinion of the site (because I read a lot of your previous posts there). I was also shocked when I linked one of your articles in a post and the link was deleted without explanation - this really shook the credibility of TT in my eyes.
Is TT really so bad?
Besides visiting TT, what could I do to assuage my anxiety that is a bit more productive?

Wishing you well, and hoping I can repay you somehow,
Wolfgang

Category: Questions and Answers

Newbie here

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I'm a 52 yo classical pianist and audiophile.   6 weeks ago I thought I heard a sound similar to a loose fanbelt coming from my right speaker.  In the end, it was coming from my right ear.  I quickly spread to my left ear and has been with my 24/7 ever since: almost inaudible in the morning and at it's height by the drive home.  I call the sound "Patty the Piccolo Player."  Her favorite note hovers around A flat above the staff. 

I love your site, it's one of the few that doesn't freak me out, and I look forward to the day when my brain or body corrects whatever is wrong.  

For all the sobering warnings that nothing can be done, I've discovered that a few beers gives me about 6 hours of blessed peace.  I marvel over the fact that while slightly intoxicated, I can't will the shriek back no matter how hard I try.  This is around blood alcohol level of 1.0.   Is anyone researching this? Obviously I'd rather do no harm, as they say. 

I'm also able to manipulate the sound with my jaw.  My day work is very physical and I wonder if clenching my jaw is the culprit. 

I could care less about "Patty" except that I can't enjoy any music that requires active listening: it's just impossible to ignore the screech.

Category: Questions and Answers


tinnitus and shooting/hunting

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Hi Dr. Nagler,

First, I am glad you are feeling better. Second, I truly want to thank you for the service you provide here.


I woke up with tinnitus four months ago. The first three were a nightmare I couldn't wake from. The insight and guidance you provided are one of the only things that helped me get to this point. I'm starting a CBT course with Dr. Rohe here in Arizona later this week. I seem to be doing better at managing this, and I have every hope he will help me put the worst of it behind me. But, you were so important in the early days.


I have a simple question, through the process of diagnosing my tinnitus I have found I have a mild/moderate hearing loss at 4,000 hz in my left ear. Could be from many things, but the doctor and I suspect it is from previous hunting when I was younger and didn't wear ear protection sometimes.

Until this started...there's a long backstory I won't bore you with...my son and I enjoyed shooting sporting clays and bird hunting a few times a year. Now that I have tinnitus and a confirmed hearing loss (though it is not noticeable to me day-to-day), should I give up both activities and find something else for us to share? Or is there a safe way to continue?


I very much respect your opinion. Again thank you so very much.

 

Category: Questions and Answers

Antiibiotics

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Dear Dr. Nagler,

First I would like to extend my well wishes and hope that my thoughts, along with the others on here, are helping you as you get better. You seem to have devoted your life and career in the service of others and I very much admire and respect you. I believe all of that energy and good will and prayers will come back to you and help as you continue to get better. I m sending you that positive energy for your recovery.

I don't want to be redundant as I know people have asked questions about this in one way or another. But should folks with tinnitus request a certain type of antibiotic when one is needed - barring any individual specific medical issues to them personally, like previous reactions. I know the general rule is that most are not ototoxic. Two weeks ago I got a finger nail infection on my left ring finger - a paronychia - that had to be lanced at the ER. I was perscribed 800 mlg of Bactrim twice a day. They told me to leave bandages on it for a couple of days, then start soaking it, consequently I didn't look underneath the bandages in that time. I should have started soaking it sooner. Anyway, of course it closed up while still infected and abscessed so I had to go back to the ER for another lancing. More drama!!  I did notice a couple of days of elevated tinnitus sound. They sent me to an orthopedic doctor to monitor it and he gave me another round of 1200 mlg of Bactrim once I finished the first round.  I only did that for a couple of days which the doctor said was OK as it was clearing up.

This has all been very stressful and there could be a number of reasons for the louder tinnitus. I have been doing well up until this happening. The louder ringing just started this past weekend. Generally my tinnitus does this from time to time infrequently, but I am wondering if the antibiotics will do this or if there is a certain one I should request. The finger is doing well but healing slowly - very pink and reddish. Doctor sees no other signs of anything, but may end up sending me to a dermatologist if it hasn't started abating by next week, and I am worried about taking more antibiotics. I guess it's normal for all tinnitus patients to get a bit neurotic about taking meds. But I am full of anxiety over this current T increase and the thought of taking additional medication as well as still concerned about the healing of my finger. I have looked at your list of Ototoxic drugs and I know general antibiotics are not on there, but am still worried, which is not helping matters I know. Thank you! 

Category: Questions and Answers

Concentration Loss with Tinnitus

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Hi,Dr. Nagler I am so glad that you are doing better now.I have benefited so much from the insights you have shared online. You are a hero for the tinnitus community! I respect you so much and am glad I get to have a direct contact with you. It has been 10 weeks since the onset of my tinnitus. My T story is kind of an interesting one. I frequently experience sleep paralysis which is quite a common and benign phenomenon wherein one cannnot move his/her body after waking up or upon falling asleep when it happens. I would wake up from the paralyses and hear a ringing in my ear(s?) which would go away completely if my memory doesn't lie to me. I would also hear a very faint ringing in silence in my childhood which I sometimes kept listening to. I don't know if I still heard that prior to the onset of my current T but I remember talking with my brother about how you should hear a noise when in silence. Anyways, one day while doing a research online on the potential relationship between tinnitus and sleep paralysis, I decided to listen for the "sound of silence" in my room somehow knowing for sure I was going to hear something. And I did! And it was kind of loud. I freaked out and tried my best to distract myself in order not to hear it. I don't think it was the noise in particular that scared me but rather the thought of possibly having some underlying pathology. I took to the internet to find an answer and immidiately started being flooded with "reservoirs of negativity". The next day I visited an ENT who told me that I had a very stiffened and red eardrum in my left ear which is the ear the ringing is coming from. She prescribed me an antibiotic and an eardrop. I also did a hearing test which didn't show any hearing loss. A few days later I visited another ENT who said I had otitis media in my left ear but my right ear seemed fine according to her as well. She said there was nothing to worry about and it would go away in a month or so. After a month I visited another ENT out of despair who told me I had Eustachian Tube Dysfunction( I had a crackling sound and still have it and occasional ear fulness) and the ringing was probably due to that. He also prescribed an antibiotic and an eardrop, along with dexamethasone which seemed to help and grately reduce the sound of my T within a few days to the point where i barely heard it in silence on some days which I considered a 90% reduction at the time. But later it got a bit louder and seems to be staying stable.I have been copying with it pretty well but don't consider myself habituated as I can hear T or think about it most of the time. I'll stop boring you with my story here.So here are my questions, Dr. Nagler: 1) I know there is no point in trying to figure out what caused one's tinnitus but can it merely be a coincidence that I heard a noise in my left ear and got diagnosed with an ear infection in that ear right after when no other symtoms were present? 2) I mistakenly took azithromycin 1 gram a day for 3 days which I later found out in your article could cause permanent tinnitus. Although my tinnitus didn't get worse and even tonned down a lot a week after I had taken that antibiotic, could 3 grams of it make it permanent when it might just have disappeared if I hadn't taken that? In general, do ototixic drugs always cause tinnutus or make it worse? 3) I am currently a second year student in university and translate poetry and literary fiction from foreign languages as a hobby. I heard somewhere that tinnitus people have around 20 % attention loss. How true do you think that is? It sure distracts me from time to time but when I get absorbed in somthing I don't think I do it any less atenttively than I would in Pre-T times although it feels different to concentrate on things with T. Dr. Nagler, will I be able to enjoy my stuies and cognitively demanding hobbies with the same level of concentration I had before T once I succesfully habituate? My mom has tinnitus which is not much less louder than mine, but she pretty much only hears it when I bring it up to her whereas I can't help but listen to it 80% of the time. It doesn't cause me any distress now though it can be ocasionally annoying. My problem isn't that I have tinnitus, it is that I can't help but listen to it most of the time which distracts me to a certain extent from daily tasks that I should attend to. What would you advice me in order to "fall out of love" with my tinnitus and habituate? How does one manage not to hear his/her tinnitus? Is it just a matter of time for me at this point? Thanks in advance. I appreciate what you are doing. Much Love.

Category: Questions and Answers

Distinguishing which ear...

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Hello Dr. Nagler.

First, I hope that your recovery continues to go well. 

Second, thank you so much for helping me during a great time of need. You were so kind to speak to me (on a Saturday!) about my issues and reassure me that treatment was available should things not improve. I am happy to report that, while the sound is still ringing away, I have been able to resume most of my normal life. 

My question: Whenever I see a specialist, the first thing I am asked is, "Do you hear the sound in the left or the right ear? Or both?" I am always baffled by the question because I really don't know the answer. It seems as though the sound is coming from the center of my head, but I cannot be positive. Is there a way to tell for sure which ear is "hearing" it? Why is this question important?

Thanks from Sacramento.

Category: Questions and Answers

New guy, glad to have found you

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I'm a 63 year old male with high frequency hearing loss and tinnitus for about 2 years. I wear hearing aids with a masker and after initial misery when it began I learned to live quite will with it until 2 months ago when it intruded on me again.
I've investigated it about as well as possible, can't believe I only just found this site now, glad I did. I've had exhaustive medical investigations and somewhat happy to say it's not a physical issue, MRI, Ultrasound, couple ENT visits, etc. I have had chronic sinus issues most of my life and wonder about eustachian tube problems.
I've used a very small amount of Klonopin to get over the rough times for just a day or two. I know how awful a solution it is and am amazed that just about every doc I have seen offers it up as if there's no long term issues with dependance and withdrawal.
Based on a NIH study I only take Magnesium, mainly because I have a very poor diet. Call it placebo or not I feel it has some positive effect on my feeling well.
I am extremely interested in rTMS and hope a treatment protocol is developed soon.
Finally the question, After all this I am thinking of seeing yet another ENT connected with Cornell in NYC, I am second guessing that since I think I already know there's nothing more to be done.
Would it be worthwhile seeking some off label medication and I would like to hear your thoughts on rTMS. Sorry for rambling on, I'm excited to have a "real" source for good info.





Category: Questions and Answers

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