Defense Line Broken...? Tinnitus Keeps Getting Worse

Hi all,

Been lurking here for a year now, but never posted. Saw some interesting topics so I wanted to join...

I'm 38.
Got tinnitus in both ears when I was 17 due to playing in bands and going to concerts. Immense shock at the time, but boy do I wish I had that tinnitus loudness now...

So around 19, I got custom made earplugs and wore them wherever there was music. It helped a lot and saved me from a lot of trauma. But slowly over time, the ringing got louder, and louder. But I could always get used to it, and never bothered me that much. Could still focus on work, sleep pleasantly, etc.

In December 2018, it did get a lot louder after I came back from a 10h airplane trip. I thought Ugh this is it. I will never get used to this volume. I still was able to manage it somehow.

But my threshold of acceptance broke in April this year. I was in a loud bar with a friend. Had my earplugs in, but he was talking very loud in my ear. I could feel the pain in my ears.

Next morning the tinnitus was very loud. 50/60 dB I'd say. I could not ignore this anymore, got anxious, depressed but also rebellious. I'm gonna fight this asshole, and did heavy research to find a solution (even though I know there is no proven one).

What I have done since April 2019:
- got my earwax cleaned.
- saw Julian Cowan Hill - after the session he said he couldn't help me because my body was way too tight. He recommended seeing a rolfing masseuse.
- did 8 rolfing massages. That guy also said he'd never experienced such a tight body, especially my back.
- followed Liam Boehm's tinnitus course, so I went on this keto diet, did 4 hard dry fasts (80 hours each) in April and May. No alcohol, sugar, etc. I lived like a monk.
- got all these supplements (vitamin B, ginkgo, curcumin).
- in June/July went on carnivore diet and some more fasts.

---
Basically, no improvement at all.
---
In fact, my tinnitus is getting worse since April. After 20 years of being pretty stable, now it seems to be increasing randomly (?). The ringing went up after:
- After 3 airplane rides
- Drinking some alcohol
- Smoking weed
- Drinking coffee
- Listening to white noise

---
Three weeks ago I went to a ENT and had a hearing test. Result
- left ear has hear damage (40 dB loss between 4000 and 8000 Hz)
- right ear is still perfect

My tinnitus is a lot worse on the left side by the way (the ear my friend yelled in), but right is pretty bad as well...

Because of this result, my insurance will cover a hearing aid. I got one here in Holland. It helps with the loss in hearing, but the white noise seems to have changed my ringing sound. Could that be true? Also my tinnitus got louder again this week, and am not hearing the white noise anymore.

I've also started microdosing truffles, and taking lion's mane and niacin.

----
My main question is: could it be that I have broken a certain threshold and that my nervous system or whatever is now so weak/sensitive that anything can affect my tinnitus?

 

To JohnAdams:

Isn't it curious that a large part of JCH's "therapy" consists in using his massage/relaxation
techniques for thawing out "a body that is way too tight"?

Why did he conclude that his self-congratulatory, highly touted techniques would be useless for mklant?

I was led to believe that he "cured" about 800 patients.

This is the second reported instance where a patient who saw him derived absolutely no benefit
from his allegedly guaranteed methods.

 

Your story sounds a lot like other stories in here. "A lot like",...meaning that your tinnitus is unique to you, and only you can go on to try and discover a path forward. I have read hundreds of personal stories in here of all different types and levels of tinnitus, and all different causes. One thing I come away with is that time is your friend. Tinnitus can be a very disruptive shocking thing for us to get our heads around. We are so programed to be able to get medical help for things that we are afflicted with, but in the case of tinnitus, sometimes the only real treatment is within your own ability to learn to cope. I truly believe that some people are able to develop a coping mechanism more effectively than others. You obviously have some ear/hearing damage. Unfortunately it may be irreversible. Everyone's tinnitus is like our fingerprints. Somewhat similar, but really all unique to ourselves. I have had my tinnitus for about a year now, and I can just tell you the intensity has not gotten any better. But through the passing of time, I have gone from total panic, to finding a regular quality of living again, albeit not quite the same as before. It is what it is. I decided months ago that "Well hey, I'm not ready to go and jump off a bridge, so I may as well get on with living again." That's me. Your tinnitus is not mine. It's all yours, and your handling of it has to be yours. Good luck, and hope time is your friend as well.

 

The keto diet does not work for noise induced T. I tried many times. Keto is good for loosing weight fast and not feel hungry, but it removes the much needed glucose that your brain uses to be able to ignore T..

 

I have lost hearing in a similar way, airplane rides, noise at work, the odd noise around when I go for a walk, etc... these are activities everyone can do without hearing protection. Even though I was very cautious things got worse, so basically I have the same question as you. My feeling is that our ears and our bodies are more sensitive than normal when it comes to hearing issues, and we have somehow lost a "protective filter" in our ears, so from time to time things get worse... hearing loss, tinnitus, etc...

The only option to try to prevent our hearing from deteriorating further is just being too cautious, or basically live secluded at home, or restrict our lives to very specific spaces without no noise (although there may be nasty surprises). I know this is very downlifting but for me this has been the reality for many years. Every time I try to do new things, travel, or just have to fly (because sometimes it is just unavoidable) things are not really ok, I feel uncomfortable and my hearing notices it... we live in a very noisy world, every day noisier...

 

I’m confused. If the Keto diet removes glucose that in turn helps
your brain ignore tinnitus, then why do you say it doesn’t work, even with noise induced tinnitus?

 

Well it doesn't work for me, that's all I can say.

And over the last 3 weeks, my T has gotten worse and worse. Even though I'm extremely cautious of noises and eat super healthy (carnivore).

Like the increase I got yesterday. I did have some sugar and milk whilst babysitting on my niece and nephew, and they screamed a little but not direclty in my ear. Not sure if it's due to that. If it is, i can't live like this anymore. I'm getting paranoid.

 

OF COURSE ITS BECAUSE OF THAT. "Screamed a little"... it's like I'd tell you how about I "beat you up a little"...
Getting beat up is getting beat up... it's gonna hurt!