Can Herpes Cause Tinnitus?

[Raindance74]

Hi everyone I've had tinnitus for over 4 years now which I believe was caused by loud noise exspoure and/or possibly an antibiotic. Around the same time I aquired tinnitus I also began having crackeling mucus sounds in my ear when I swallow. I recently stumbled upon an article where someone with these exact same symptoms went to their ENT and was told that a virus was causing it and was prescribe Valtex. I myself have never taken this med but I was diagonsed with Herpes type 2 over ten years ago. Has anyone taken an antivirula for tinnitus or noise crackeling when they swallow?

 

[linearb]

Hi,

I think the short answer is "no one really knows", but here are a couple things I do know:
* two different studies that performed autopsies on people who'd had Meneire's disease found herpes viral RNA in 100% of subjects. But, these were very small studies: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12972911

If you'll look at that, you'll note that they found it in the ears 100% of Meneire's people.. and in the brains of 82% of controls. So, herpes is very very common, but it may invade the inner ear in some cases and cause problems?

Anecdotally, I've read reports from people who claim success treating tinnitus with stuff that kills viruses (drugs, or even lysine/garlic/etc). Also anecdotally, I have definitely experienced worse ringing when I'm also having a cold sore break out.

Something like 70% of the adult population of the US carries HSV; it is everywhere. I am fairly certain I first contracted it when I was 18, and that was several months before I first noticed my visual snow and tinnitus problems. So, there may be a connection there for me, I wonder about it, but until someone comes up with a technology that will allow them to visualize the RNA present in my inner ear without killing me or making me deaf, I won't know