Hair Washing Gives a Tinnitus Spike?

Hi there,

this might sound a little odd but whenever I wash my hair it seems to worsen my tinnitus.

I don't know if it is due to the change in the blood pressure (warm shower), the noise or something else. My head is afterwards pulsating and my tinnitus just gets worse. It could also be just me stressing over it. Idk tbh.

Anyone else with a similar experience?

Also, how do you clean your ears now and/or do you wear silicone earplugs during your showers?

Damn, this used to be a pleasent experience for me. Would love it if it could become pleasent once again.

 

Ears are self cleaning: they will generate & "push" the wax out, and you can pick it up when it appears towards the opening of the ear canal. There is no need to insert cotton swabs or wash, flush, irrigate, etc. If your ear does not perform this process normally, you should probably ask a doctor about ways to help.

I don't use ear plugs during my shower.

 

My bathroom has light and fan tied to same electric switch. Thus I shower as usual but with the light/fan off to keep noise lower. This has helped with my spikes from showering (yes I get them.)
If I do get a spike then it is brief. Usually anywhere from 30 minutes to a number of hours. (Yeah a spike lasting less than a day is short for me) Bill Bauer recommends baths but I do not because I live in an apartment and the bathtub is not super great...

 

It seems that your ears/mind/emotions are very sensitive right now. Any noise makes you feel that you are damaging your ears. This is kinda normal for those that just get tinnitus. As time passes by and your understand grows about tinnitus....things can slowly fall into place.

Showers are not supposed to be loud and they should be relaxing and not creating a spike

 

Try taking baths.

 

Very true.

As times goes by I hope my tinnitus will slowly fade away.

Still need to wash your hair and it's kinda like you're bathing in your own dirt.

 

Still better than listening to louder T. At the end, use the water from the tap to get that stuff off of you.

 

It could be that those of us who get spikes from taking a shower should look into adjusting the pressure on our showerheads. Or getting new showerheads entirely.

 

showers are one thing that consistently brings my tinnitus down, sorry to hear this is happening for you

 

Perhaps it's just all in my head and I'm stressing too much over it - than bang a spike. Or it could be my hyperacusis too. I'm gonna go to my barber soon and let her wash my hair after I get it cut. Idk I'm still new to all this.

I believed showers will make me feel better, instead my head's pounding afterwords and my T just worsens.

Or getting rid of tinnitus.

 

if your head is pounding, i wonder if you have some bp issues or heat intolerance that has an effect on your cerebral bp?

 

Or, perhaps getting a new shower head with lower water pressure could help get rid of that tinnitus.

 

Yes, that's true. Some shower heads are much better than others.

 

What does it mean?

 

I don't understand how hair washing could spike anyone... it must be imagination.

 

bp = blood pressure

 

Right, that's what I think my problem is. My blood pressure changes and as a result my tinnitus gets worse. Hope my body will adjust with time.

 

e.g. if i lean forward, i can induce a whooshing sound.

 

I'm sorry to hear that. I noticed that you have got tinnitus since 2013. Has it got any better over the time?

 

Ok, guys. I'm gonna have a bath now. This time I'll try Bill Bauer's method without having swimming earplugs in. I'll do it the raw style. Wish me luck..

 

Yip same with me. Whenever i take a hot shower the tinnitus gets louder for a few minutes and i have pressure in my head. When i keep moving i dont hear the spike. Its only when i stand still. My tinnitus has a muscular origin so it would make sense.
But i dont worry its only for a few minutes.

Ps: i dont think earplugs are necesarry like everyone else says

 

Have you tried just turning the shower down when your wash your hair? The lower pressure would be a lot quieter. There's also adjustable shower heads with a setting that kind of just lets the water drip out instead of spray, that would also be quieter.

 

Showers used to always spike my tinnitus. This went on for a long period of time. I don't think it had anything to do with the sound of the shower. It simply seemed to be my brain reacting to an outside stimulus. Think about it, the water hits you and your nerves get enervated and hence the tinnitus spikes. It has nothing to do with the decibel level of the water coming out of the shower.

Look, the thing that worked for me was to learn to calm the f*** down. I learned meditation and relaxation techniques. I even had biofeedback therapy sessions. The problem isn't our auditory nerves as much as it is our brain's overreaction to outside stimuli. Learn how to relax and calm down your Limbic system (Sympathetic nervous system) and you should find your tinnitus anxiety quieting down and going away.

Read up on how to stimulate the Vagus nerve (the Para-sympathetic nervous system) and learn how to take control of this monster. Trust me, it will be worth your while.

 

Hi @Jiri
I had the same problem too... I think first few months I was obsessing about the sound and was always was listening to it.. so any slight change in the sound... I used to freak out... also hair dryers increased my pulsatile T. I am 8 months into my T and I don’t listen to it anymore. I have learnt to avoid it. The process will take some months but soon you will go back to good old days. Keeping calm helps and try not to constantly listen to the sound.

 

Mine is always worse after a shower or a car drive, which sucks because i would love to have a shower before bedtime to relax.

Interesting to read that more people with muscular T have issues with this, i read somewhere that vibrations are causing the spike.

 

Showers spike mine to, interesting!

 

Hello @Riya
I know this question is a litlle off topic.. but you said you're 8 months in. Would you say your T faded away over the time or you just habituated to it?

And yes a slight change in any sound freaks me out too. That's why I got my dB meter always on me.

Yep, agreed. I think it's the car vibrations that make our T aggravated.

 

My T dosent flare up when i take a shower or have a card ride..thank god.

 

Hi @Jiri

There are some good days and bad days with my T. Plus the main reason I feel sometimes it’s low because I stopped listening to it. I tired to focus on any other sound except my T. I started with listening to music, it was initially tough at work where it’s all quiet but now most days I am not distracted or irritated. I would suggest focus on what makes you comfortable and relaxed.. and try tuning ur brain to not to listen to it.. The reason for my T was never noise induced...I have TMJ and some inner ear problems that resulted in my tinnitus. Since I am not sure how yours was caused, I don’t know if I am giving you the right advise. But keeping calm works. Good luck!

 

I only get it when I wash my hair in the shower, but not with normal showering. Tinnitus stays at "normal" during regular showering. I wear a shower cap during showering so maybe the water hitting the ears has something to do with it? It is very annoying and I actually dread washing my hair. Thank heavens my hair is really long and I only have to suffer this every two weeks.