Echinacea Increased My Tinnitus

Hello all. I have been fighting a cold for the past few days and today I had the brilliant idea to use some echinacea to combat it. It was something I used in my childhood a lot and it was also recommended by my mom (dr. Vogel echinaforce). To make a long story short, because I trusted her and it from when I was a child I took it without checking for a tinnitus reaction (stupid I know).

I have now noticed a MAJOR tinnitus reaction after taking it this evening (I also took 600mg NAC). I am petrified that I have just caused (another) permanent increase in my tinnitus. Does anyone have any experience or know if this could be a temporary or permanent spike? I am slowly starting to feel like I am that guy that serves as an example for everyone as what not to do. And that is the One purpose I serve in this life!

Also, I am noticing a pressure / slight pain right behind both of my ears. Kind of right behind my ears at that bony part. Is that indicative of something going on?

 

I've never taken Echinacea. However, when I've had a reaction to something that I have taken orally, the spike has been temporary. There are possible side-effects listed for Echinacea. It's good for those that take it or are planning to, to be aware of them:

https://www.drugs.com/sfx/echinacea-side-effects.html

 

Don't worry I am sure that it will not stay like this...

But maybe this is due to an accumulation of things, and not only this Echinacea supplement...

 

@Christophe_85 what could this accumulation be? Do you think it could be the major cold in combination with the Echinacea supplement, cold flu pack and NAC that I all took yesterday together? Stupid, Stupid I know. If I could have just waited a day or more not to take anything. I am STUPID!

 

@jer ...You're not stupid, you're just human, like the rest of us. Don't be so hard on yourself!

You took the combination of that stuff only yesterday. So, it's more than likely just a temporary spike. You'll probably be back to your normal baseline in another 24 - 48 hours. Believe me, it's way too soon for you to believe that you've caused a permanent increase in your T. However, anxiety can exacerbate a spike. So, try to calm yourself down by reassuring yourself that it's more than likely temporary and will pass.

 

Thank you so much for your kind words @jimH. I really would be lost and in a much worse state without all of you here on this support forum. I'll try and calm down and just let it ride out. I think the spike is a little less worse now than it was last night, so that gives me some hope. I just need to try and sleep as I basically only have had like 8 hours in the last 3 days!

 

I think it's likely that your illness is the culprit here. Having a cold and the week or two after tends to send my tinnitus up a level.

We all react to these things differently, but I've taken this supplement a number of times with no effect on my tinnitus. The only things that really seem to interact with it at all are stimulants and GABAergic drugs and alcohol, and major psychoactives like cannabis.

 

@linearb you mean the echinacea supplement I mentioned right? Or did you mean NAC? After you get better, does it go back down a level too, or does it stay at that new level?

 

I agree with linearb, it's most likely the cold. I have been unwell this week also and T is always worse when you have a virus. I have taken echinacea without problems.
When I'm ill, although the T gets worse I care less about it, as I am distracted by feeling ill. In a strange way my anxiety goes away. If I am stuck indoors, feeling well, my T drives me nuts. If I am stuck indoors ill, I kinda get used to the T, as I feel ill and dont care about what it is doing. Proves distraction of any kind helps with coping with T.

 

Thank you very much for your reply @Tweaker. That is really good to know that you took echinacea without any problems.

 

Quick update: The ear pressure behind my ears had gone but my tinnitus is still up a level or two. But it seems to at least be fluctuating today. I have had a few hours it had not been so bad, and then just now where it has been going absolutely through the roof giving me a major panick attack!