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Otoxicity/Excitotoxicity, Ibuprofen Tinnitus

July 20, 2017, 11:04 am
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Been going through a very tough time coping with tinnitus (started a little over a month ago) and obsessive research hasn't helped.


My tinnitus started after a week of too much Ibuprofen in late May.

I've read and been told by many that Ibuprofen induced T should go away after stopping medication, but that hasn't been the case for me at all. Maybe my panicked/anxious state has drawn it out, if I calm down and accept it I wonder if it will decrease in volume.

I'm somewhat convinced that my tinnitus is caused by erroneous signal firing of neurons, I also read that NMDA receptor antagonists generally work with cochlear tinnitus where the tinnitus is caused by erroneous signal fire as opposed to hair cell death.

Is there anyone more knowledgeable than me on this? Some of the trials note that it is only effective in the first 3-6 months which is a little concerning as they're only offered/available in Europe, and I'm an American.



Could really use some advice on supplements//doctors//in general, in addition to the important question of: should I just focus on habituating to what my current T level is, or is it healthy to have hope of a reduction/potential elimination as an eventuality?



Thanks again and I hope everyone's tinnitus fades.

Category: Questions and Answers

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First acoustic trauma, tinnitus and other issues

July 20, 2017, 10:55 am
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Hello Dr. Nagler

I'm 28 years old from Calais, in northern France (right in front of the UK) and i recently defended my thesis to get my PhD. 
My friends proposed to celebrate this by going to a concert (not being a music fan, i had never been to one but, well, i accepted to follow them there, probably the biggest mistake of my life). 

It was so loud it made me unconfortable. At some point, after 25-30 minutes, i felt like  the bass hurt my ears so much that i left. That's when i realised i felt i was half deaf. 

Rushing to the hospital, i was told it was normal after a concert and to go home.
48 hours later, i got tinnitus in my right ear, and my GP prescribed cortisone, which did not seem to do much. 

I saw an ENT which told me i only had slight hearing loss (-10dB at 8kHz) so that was fine and things would correct themselves. 

They didn't, and i realised (i work in signal processing), that while i had always been able to hear all signals up to 20KHz perfectly, now, i had a hard time hearing 8-10 K signals and everything higher than 11-12 KHz was absolute silence. 

With that and the tinnitus not passing, went back to the ENT who still told me there was no issue, that everything was in my head and to go to see a psychiatrist. 

Long story short, the psychatrist gave me xanax to calm me down, which somehow lowered T greatly, convincing her and me that everything was in my head.  i ended up for 2 days in a psychiatric hospital and checked myself out with the help of a family member since i didn't know why i was there and was becoming worse and more terrified any minute. 

I went back home, but things got worse and worse. For pretty much every sound i can hear, my tinnitus spikes into a terrible high speech sound that is so high it feels like it hurts. 

Everything spikes it, taking a shower does, a PC fan does, tv spikes it, driving my car does, the sound of the sea, the wind though earplugs even spiked it yesterday.

And spikes usually last for 15-17 hours. 

I had a hard enough time dealing with "normal T" but but with those never ending spikes, i lost my new job (which i was to start early july), moved back with my parents and despair with no idea of what to do or who to turn to (i have a hard time trusting the medical staff after this) and hardly leave the house. 

I found a psychologist who said he managed people with tinnitus. He gave me some white noise generator that would help me and told me to try it out changing frequencies and find something that help.  

Everything i tried makes my tinnitus spike more and more. 

I looked online and thought maybe i should try TRT ?
I'm not sure where to look for that (northern France ? south east england ?)
Or is it too early ? Should i wait and hope for the best ? 

Thanks in advance for any insight. (And sorry for the slighly broken english, i'm not in the best state of mind to write something long in a non native langage right now). 

Category: Questions and Answers

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Jeffrey Karp

July 23, 2017, 11:59 am
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Hello Dr. Nagler,
It's been a long time since I first contacted you about my tinnitus. When I did I was in a very bad way, had serious thoughts of suicide. Since then I went through TRT and have moved away from those dark days. I still find it bothers terribly although there are hours now that go by when I am distracted enough to be able to function almost normally. I've never been able to get close to the point where it doesn't bother me though, it's like I got 75% up the ladder but can never seem to go any higher.
Anyway, that's not why I'm writing, I just read a very promising article about the work of Jeffrey Karp, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-03-20/new-treatment-could-combat-hearing-loss-regenerating-hair-cells-inner-ear

Forgive me if you have already talked about it, I don't, on your recommendation, log in as much as I used to.
Thanks,
Jon

Category: Questions and Answers

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fleeting tinnitus

July 23, 2017, 4:18 pm
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I have had 3 episodes of that high-pitched 10 second "fleeting tinnitus" break through my regular T (same ear). Should I be concerned? It sure is unsettling, even for just those few seconds.

Category: Questions and Answers

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tinnitus and hypercusis,TTTS

July 26, 2017, 3:02 pm
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Hi Dr. Nagler, I've been wearing sound generators for 2 yrs now.Neither are any better. The hypercusis got better about 7 months after I started, but had a set back after 1or 2 mo.  I believe both are worse. I have the symptoms of TTTC. Do I continue with my regime or should I see another ENT?   Thanks

Category: Questions and Answers

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Tinnitus Talk, Effect of Diet, Question about Stem Cells (captain123) ...

July 29, 2017, 8:50 am
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Thank you doctor for the information for us to stay out all the tinnitus talk Forum you seem to be so correct on this form I think I don't want to get on in the more too many negative and positive people assuming this and that about what we not to eat what to drink one out to drink and all these themselves stuff I have you heard of anybody coming back from her stem cell research that they pay thousands of dollars for a comeback successful as far as hair cells growing back the funny thing nobody know where is come from the tinnitus if they could I think they would have figured it out already it's just so sad people spend millions and thousands of dollars to find out how to take care of this problem if the doctor knew if it was in the ear in the brain I wished it would find something now but I don't know what to say about this subject anymore

..............

Edit note:

Captain123's post directly above (including the question about stem cells) originally appeared in the rTMS thread. Since the post really has nothing to do with rTMS, I am moving it here to its own thread.

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D. 

Category: Questions and Answers

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Sensitive ears

July 29, 2017, 4:33 pm
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Hi Dr.Nagler,



I have been a lurker on this forum for some time now and its good to see feedback without negativity compared to other forums.



To give some history have tinnitus for about 10 years now (after ear infection) but also could have been partly due to noise (festivals without ear protection) and most of the time it doesn't effect me greatly.



My question is for the past 2 years I'm noticing that my hearing is more sensitive and I get tinnitus spikes more often, (cinema, pub airplane etc) but it returns to baseline after a week.



During the same time (2 years ago) changed job from an office environment to factory environment and I use hearing protection more often compared to before. So I think this may be the cause.



So I'm wondering how to improve my resistance to noise, do you think TRT,CBT would be useful in this situation or just use earplugs less?

Category: Questions and Answers

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New onset of tinnitus and hypersensitivity

July 31, 2017, 2:53 pm
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Hello Dr. Nagler,

First of all, thank you for providing this wonderful resource for those of us who are struggling. I, like many here I imagine, immediately implored Dr. Google for answers and became incredibly confused, hopeless and scared. I am following your recommendation and avoiding other online tinnitus sites for my own sanity. My ENT and audiologist completely concur with you on that.

Apologies in advance for my lengthy note. My tinnitus and sound hypersensitivity started rather acutely last Thursday afternoon while playing acoustic guitar. I felt some ringing, fullness and hissing sound, with some degree of garbling/distortion mainly from my right ear. The garbling and distortion has resolved some but now my left ear is also ringing. The quality is a very high pitched constant hissing sound in both ears and a sharp ringing in my right ear. This has caused me incredible grief in the short time I have experienced it. I have no prior history of tinnitus other than occasional 1-2 days after a concert 20+ years ago. I am a lover of peace and quiet, and this has ruined that for me. I have been experiencing multiple panic attacks and lack of sleep. Trying to use white noise to mask it which helps but is annoying in it's own right and can even exacerbate my tinnitus. On the flip side, noisy environments also seem to aggravate it. I love music and haven't been able to play or listen to it since this started. The fridge, the shower, the air conditioning, the dishwasher, conversation with others all are painful to hear. I am having a very hard time finding some middle ground here.. feel trapped in this ringing hell. 

I have been on sudafed, nasal steroids and antihistamine since outset with no effect. I saw a very experienced ENT in town (major west coast city) today who said my ears look fine. No fluid in middle ears. Normal pressures. No redness except in my nose and throat. My hearing is "excellent" after an audiogram. I was apparently hearing well above normal in all frequencies. He has put me on a short course of prednisone is see if, in the case this is inflammatory, he can get it to calm down. I feel comforted in being fully evaluated and ruling out the usual suspects. I will follow up with him in 2 weeks. He emphasized how difficult it can be to figure this problem out.

Naturally, as a physician/diagnostician and one who is suffering, I want to figure out the WHY so I can determine WHAT to do. My ENT was really unsure as to the cause. He thought it might be allergic but less likely viral infection or drug ototoxicity. My symptoms came on about 24 h after being around my house during mold remediation. I wasn't in the house but was outside. I also had the indoor air treatment with ozone/hydrogen peroxide while the house was vacated. I had a flare of sinus symptoms and headache the night of, but no ear problems until 24 hrs later. No lung issues. My first instinct was whether this was an allergic response to all the crap that was kicked up during the work. I would expect more fluid in the ears (ETD-type symptoms) which I don't have. Could it be neurotoxin related damage or oxidative damage from air treatment? Possible.. but yet impossible to determine really. There is so much unsubstantiated mold-related information on the internet.. it's frightening. Its clear some molds produce toxins, but it is unclear as to how much exposure would be necessary to develop symptoms. Virtually every house in my part of the country has some degree of mold in it and our house wasn't by any means the worst case. Do you have any experience with allergy-related or mold/environmental toxin-related tinnitus? 

I also wonder if it could be related to my medications -- I have been taking meloxicam (Mobic) 7.5 mg qd daily and gabapentin 1200 mg daily for the past 2 months. These drugs have helped immensely with my reactive arthritis and cervical myelopathy nerve pain, respectively, more so than any other medication or treatment. The mobic has a 20 h half-life, so wondering if my continual use of it over the past few months has led it to build up to levels high enough to produce tinnitus. I stopped taking it 4 days ago, so has been about 4 half lives. I'm really not sure how long to be off it, honestly, to determine whether it is a culprit or not. I imagine it takes time for the hair cells to repair? From what I have read, NSAID toxicity tends to be reversible. Is this your impression as well? My arthritis is flaring back up, crying out for more medication, and making everyday life uncomfortable again. It doesn't seem like there is any good evidence Gabapentin causes injury to ears, but thought i'd just raise that remote consideration with you as well.

Appreciate your time and thoughts on this very early-on case. I pursued treatment as fast as I could as the symptoms were literally driving me crazy and I wanted to try and reverse any damage, if possible.  I am hoping things will calm down and resolve soon as I am trying to maintain my sanity. I certainly can keep you posted if you are interested in follow up.

Best,
Dr. G

Category: Questions and Answers

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Mixed messages about tinnitus duration

August 6, 2017, 4:10 pm
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Dear Dr. Nagler,

Thank you for hosting such an informative and readable website. I expect I am asking one of the most popular questions you get from us with chronic tinnitus. Here's my story.

My horse left the barn six months ago last week. It may be a coincidence, but at the time I was terribly stressed out over a new teaching assignment, something I never taught before, which increased dramatically my insomnia. So, I was prescribed a combination of Rozerem, Hydroxyzine and Ibuprofin. on top of the 150 mg Wellbutrin I was taking for mild depression. After four weeks of that combination, I woke with ringing ears. My nurse, who prescribed all my meds, responded to my question with "it's tinnitus, and once it takes hold you'll never lose it." I immediately stopped the medications. 

I went to see my GP, who referred me to an ENT specialist saying, since my tinnitus isn't the result damage due to some traumatic incident (explosion, blow to the head), it should resolve itself within a year, probably six months. Then, my ENT told me I have moderate deafness in my upper ranges, and so my tinnitus is very likely permanent.

I know the best answer regarding the duration of my tinnitus is "it will do what it will do, so stop thinking about it." But I just can't help but ask. Grasping at straws, I guess. Thank you for listening.

On another topic, I spent a wonderful week with friends in Atlanta. They took me to "Fat Matt's Rib Shack" on Piedmont. Pure heaven.

Best regards,
Jim

Category: Questions and Answers

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dental work

August 9, 2017, 6:02 pm
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Hi Dr. Nagler,

It's now about a year and a half that I've been experiencing intrusive tinnitus and, occasionally, periods of decreased sound tolerance. Over the last six months I've made a fair amount of progress—meaning that there has been a gradual reduction in the amount of time I find myself reacting negatively to my tinnitus, as well as a general decrease in the emotional intensity of my negative reactions.

In any case, I saw my dentist for a routine cleaning yesterday and left the office feeling more agitated and anxious than I've felt for some time. The issues are two:

1) The dentist used an ultrasonic scaler, which now and again caused a relatively loud, high frequency whine that made me wince and ask her to stop. Though the sound did not cause any appreciable change in my tinnitus, I can't shake the idea that I allowed damage to be done and that I am now some degree closer to a major setback.

2) The dentist found problems that will have to be fixed over the coming months, and fixing them will require drilling or tooth-shaping. Since there is no way to shield the inner ear from sound waves originating in the mouth, I'm feeling quite anxious about it all.

So, besides avoiding prolonged drilling (using the "5 seconds on/10 seconds off" approach, which I've already discussed with my dentist) is there anything else that can be done to minimize risk?

Thank you.

Category: Questions and Answers

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It just gets worse and worse.

August 14, 2017, 10:06 am
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Hello Dr. Nagler,

I'm sorry to post here again. I'm lost, TRT recommendations I have followed have not helped me and I don't know how much longer I can go on. You might remember me from this thread - I understand if you don't, as you have a lot of people posting here. Things have escalated. My tinnitus seemed to stabilise a few weeks after I posted this - it was uncomfortable and annoying, but the sound sensitivity has decreased markedly and I was mostly able to return to my normal life, after some adjustments. I lost the headphones with the blaring music, started using hearing protection in places that were loud enough that I'd have to yell if someone was talking to me but otherwise not overprotecting. 

Then it all came crashing down. I don't know how or why - maybe it's the antibiotic I had after my eye surgery, maybe it was just a freak accident, but the hyperacusis has returned with a vengeance and so has the tinnitus. I have gained multiple new tones since then - I've stopped counting as they fluctuate a lot and I can't even tell them apart anymore, it's like a constant multi-voice cacophony in my head, loud enough that it covers up environmental noise sometimes. The hyperacusis - so many sounds hurt now. I've lost my ability to go out as public transport hurts too much and spikes my tinnitus so hard that my head is screaming by the end of a day. I manage to make it to work and back but being there and doing my job takes everything out of me. By the end of the day I'm stumbling from the exhaustion of the constant pain and pretending that I'm okay while I'm desperately trying to get my job done and make it through. When I get home, I'm too tired to do anything, I just collapse and wait for the day to end so I can take my meds (a cocktail of 0.5 clonazepam, 10 mg of melatonin and 3.75/7.5g of mirtazapine usually knocks me out so I can sleep despite the tinnitus and the godawful, painful head pressure that comes with it).

This has destroyed my life. I can no longer go out, I cannot play music, I cannot watch a movie, I can't play video games, I can't listen to music because it all hurts and exhausts my tolerance for noise, spiking both my hyperacusis and tinnitus. It starts so much lower at the beginning of a day and then gets progressively worse as I'm exposed to completely safe levels of noise. Then a new noise shows up and after a few days of coming and going, becomes a permanent guest. I give up, I just really give up. I have tried getting help - psych professionals are no help because I'm not depressed - I'm grieving and no matter how hard I try, I just cannot, absolutely *cannot* accept this as life quality. Jason DiEmilio's suicide note comes to mind:

I want to live and be happy. I did not want to die. But hyperacusis has completely destroyed my life. It is the sole reason as to my decision. I cannot continue to live with this. What happened to me doesn't happen to people. The irony and the cruel joke of it all is completely unbelievable. I have spent the last six years in complete disbelief. All the things that made me happy now kill me. I suffer all the time. I'm tired. I'm tired of pain, and medication, and side effects and head pain and ear pain. I am tired of being trapped and imprisoned in my body.

I do not want to die. I had plans - GamesCom, Europe's biggest gaming convention starts next week in Cologne and I was in the process of finding a nice little AirBnb to stay at when this started. Now my friends go without me. I had to deactivate Facebook because I couldn't bear watching everyone go on vacation while I'm locked up in my house where I can't even do anything without pain. 

I don't know how to go on. My country's doctors who supposedly do TRT have failed me hard - I bought the book and had to find out the hard way that they do not uphold the TRT protocols. I am seeing Jacqui Sheldrake soon (will travel to the UK for a week, probably next month). I don't see how she can help me as even the sound generators I got spike my tinnitus even at a barely audible level but I have no other choice. As you like to say - I have tinnitus and my tinnitus has totally, completely, permanently, and irrevocably destroyed my life. It is completely unacceptable to think that after struggling through various life-threatening mental illnesses through my teenage and young adult years, I'm stuck with this screaming, painful prison inside my own auditory system. I cannot forgive my parents for forcing me into this joyless mockery of an existence, and I'm considering making them come with me when I finally snap and go. 

I hate everything. Every day is pain, in a very literal way. I have seen multiple psychologists and psychiatrists - they can't do anything. All they can do is give me sedatives as I can't stop crying long enough to be able to have a conversation so I don't go anymore. All they do is make me feel guilty - some people have SM! Some people have brain tumors! ALS! Some people die young! - and I'm not sure how that's supposed to console me.

Nothing helps. Everything I've loved now hurts me and I'm locked indoors unless I want pain and screaming tinnitus that feels like electricity running through my head. I can't believe this is my last year on Earth, I was only 32 and then this happened

Category: Questions and Answers

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Louder ringing

August 15, 2017, 2:45 am
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Hello Dr Nagler,

My tinnitus hadbeen steady for months now, the ringing was fading and I even did not need maskers at all for sleeping after almost 3 years, it did not bother me at all and was barely worth the tought.

So far for the good news unfortanatly.

This weekend I took a single 10mg Levitra pill (ed drug) , and that evenig of the same day I noticed my ringing was significantly worse, I tought this might have been temporary from the Levitra but now  4 days later the ringing is still significantly worse.

I can not think of any other reason than the drug because I did not do anything differently from what I have been doing the last 6 months, besides taking the drug, now the ringing is back in full force and bothering me, I am starting to get worried that I made a big mistake by taking this drug.

I did not come all this way after 3 years only to get worser ringing from some medication, do you think this spike will be permament or just as my wife says, a temporary setback ?

It just has me wiorried because I was doing fine for such a long time and only after I took the pill the ringning got worse, please can you share your tought on the matter.

Thanks !

Category: Questions and Answers

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MRI and decreased sound tolerance

August 17, 2017, 7:05 pm
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Hello Dr. Nagler,

I searched through your previous Q&As and did not find this topic so thought I would pose it, after a quick update.

I had my 3 week ENT F/U since onset of tinnitus. Have been having a rough go of it -- the last week or so have had a string migraines (every other day) when I usually only have 1 or 2 per year, tops. One necessitated a visit to the ED it was so severe. I am trying to live my life as usual but struggling. I find myself reacting to the tinnitus with panic attack and overall anxiety/depression. I am in the process of credentialing for a new job and really having a rough time proceeding with these health issues. Will be seeing my GP this next week to discuss SSRIs, therapy options. As of now, Xanax has been the most helpful treatment. I downloaded the Henry and Wilson book and will start working through it when my headache allows. 

My ENT ordered a brain MRI, with and without contrast, and is referring me to a neuro-otologist. Given that I have bilateral tinnitus without hearing loss, the pre-test probability is pretty low for finding anything abnormal (tumor, vascular abnormality, etc) though the combination of severe migraine with tinnitus drove the equation. I am a curious person by nature and do wonder if there may be some inflammatory process behind this, however unlikely. I think it will be reassuring to know there is nothing sinister. As we discussed in my prior thread, I have tinnitus that is sound-sensitive and decreased sound tolerance. I have had many MRIs in past, including brain, yet none while having hearing problems. I do recall the brain scan being the loudest of the lot. I am nervous about making my already miserable situation worse with this MRI. I have NRR 33 rated earplugs that I plan to wear during the scan and am curious to know your opinion as to whether the ear plugs, properly fitted, will be sufficient to prevent any noise-related damage and exacerbate the tinnitus/DST?

Best,

Dr. G

Category: Questions and Answers

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Damned if I do and damned if I don't...

August 20, 2017, 6:56 am
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Hey Dr. Nagler,

I have been diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer and will start receiving the platinum drugs cisplatin and carboplatin.on Thursday as my chemo regimen.  My doc is doing 18 weekly treatments--very aggressive.  I am trying to be brave but I am very afraid that my tinnitus will become intolerable.  I have no choice--these are the best drugs for my situation.  My gyno-oncologyst said he can keep me around another few years (maybe even more) if they can get the cancer to go into remission in six months.

There is no reliable screening for OC --it's also usually missed on yearly exams-- that's why it's so deadly--it's usually advanced by the time symptoms appear. Please remind all the women in your circle.

take care,
kat

Category: Questions and Answers

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Increased Tinnitus or Hyper focused

August 21, 2017, 8:08 am
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Hi Dr. Nagler, first and foremost I wanted to thank you like most members on here for your solid knowledge and understanding of us tinnitus sufferers. You really do provide a place to come to for sound advise, unlike Tinnitus Talk, which literally is probably why I obsess and can't get over my current situation as easily.

Over the weekend I went to an outside music festival wearing 33db reduction foam earplugs. I did use a db meter on my iphone that showed the loudest it reached was 111db leaving me to be exposed to 78db but not taking into account the time spent there and the bass frequencies. As soon as I put on my earplugs I immediately heard my tinnitus louder since there were no outside sounds. You should know that I hear it almost all the time anyways, but after reading some questions here I decided my risk was low that I would experience any more damage. I didn't think about it aggravating my T though. I did try to keep a good distance but one set in particular had very loud drumming when I happened to be closer, and I think they may have caused some damage. After I left the venue I took out my earplugs and could hear my T, not necessarily louder, but I felt like I was focusing on it more.

I was so exhausted I managed to sleep 3.5 hours uninterrupted, which is rare. I can't help but think my T has worsened though now that I can hear the same type of frequency just louder and mostly over everything. This did happen right after the concert, so am I being too anxious in thinking it's connected? You've stated before that you have gone to concerts and been fine. I was only trying to enjoy myself which I thought was enough protection, was it the amount of time? Should I go to urgent care for a round of prednisone as it's helped before about 3.5 weeks ago upon onset?

I know you can't answer most of these question matter of factually, but I do need some reassurance to know that I will be okay. This condition is so frightening. I'm only 27 and need to attend school and haven't been sleeping right in almost a month. Thank you for any knowledge regarding this.

Category: Questions and Answers

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possible permanet damage?

August 23, 2017, 3:50 am
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Dr Nagler, Im so afraid of the answer, but here goes. Im 82, and this past May is when I got tinnitus.It just came on {old age} Im assuming. Anyway, mY Tinnitus is pretty loud, and in just the left ear, But it would come on and sort of settle down after I been up awhile, and I would have maybe 2 days in a week time when I would have a quiet day. So, when answering the phone last week, the person on the other end, screamed into the phone with an hello, that was so loud, that my ear hurt for a short time, and it been almost a week now, and my ringing is constant. So, my Q. is it possible that one incident has done permanent damage? I had MRI prior to this for a brain scan that was negative. thanks  hope  I get good news,

Category: Questions and Answers

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My Retirement Plans

August 25, 2017, 9:06 pm
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Hello Friends -

As of the end of this year (2017) I will no longer be accepting new patients. I will be available as always to my established patients for telephone follow-up until December 2018, when I turn 70 and plan to fully retire.

I am currently booked well into November - so if you wish to speak with me about becoming my patient, please do so sooner rather than later by submitting the form at CLICK HERE.

Here's to quieter days ahead for all!

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.
Atlanta Tinnitus Consultants, LLC

Category: My Retirement Plans

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How to get rid of my obsession?

September 3, 2017, 10:19 am
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Dear Dr Nagler,

Two months ago I went to the cinema to see the movie Babydriver. The lead player has tinnitus and after watching the movie I was lying in bed and wondering what that would be like. And then all of the sudden I heard a high pitched tone. It hasn't left me ever since. Although now it has become more of a high pitched hiss. I can hear it everywhere I go.

I could say that it absolutely terrified me and since that day I spend my days reading and reading about tinnitus. After a month I thought I had a pretty good concept of tinnitus and what I would strive for: habituation. I went on two holidays and tried to enjoy it as much as possible, but my thoughts were almost 24/7 with tinnitus. So far for distraction.

My greatest fear is that I won't be able to overcome my obsession (and forget about tinnitus) and thus will be bothered by tinnitus forever. This because of an obsession I had in the past with a globus feeling in my throat. That obsession faded within time (2 years approx). But 2 years (or maybe even many more) for tinnitus suffering feels so exhaustingly long. Cause I already feel like I can't live like this for much longer. I already made an appointment with a special tinnitus psychologist where I live (Netherlands), but I know this won't be some quick fix. What are your insights to this? I am so scared.

Kind regards,

Isabelle

Category: Questions and Answers

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Tinnitus caused by abnormal auditory cortex neuronal activity?

September 5, 2017, 3:37 pm
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Hi Dr. Nagler, 

I've been reading about notch therapy (which from a previous post I know you are dubious about). In my research I've seen some opinion that it is possible for tinnitus to be caused by abnormal neuronal activity in the auditory cortex; this is the basis for claims that notch therapy can be beneficial. However this seems counter to what I'd previously understood, which is that tinnitus is caused by inner ear and/or neuronal network generated signals, which an "innocent" auditory cortex then receives. Any "abnormality" is in the inner ear and/or neuronal networks, not in the auditory cortex.  

Do you have a view on the above? If it is possible for tinnitus to be caused by some oddity in how the auditory cortex neurons are working, I can't see how habituation is possible in this circumstance, since my understanding is that habituation happens as the neuronal networks between ear and cortex gradually stop amplifying and start blocking the problem signals.  thanks, Andrew.

Category: Questions and Answers

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Ear plugs for flying

September 6, 2017, 11:24 am
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Hey, I'm planning my first air travel trip in a few weeks.  What earplugs are OK for flying?  Are my Westone customs OK?  I want to be sure there are no pressure issues, etc.

Thanks!

Category: Questions and Answers

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