Hi from Italy..

Hi everybody..

I have had tinnitus since December 2013. In fact in September 2013 I had it just for one day but it disappeared by itself.. I had flown for a wedding in Holland and during the wedding day I started having this noise on both ears, there was no loud music yet and I just thought nothing of it, then I went to sleep feeling a bit scared but tried not to give it too much importance, as it was the typical noise that I used to hear after a night out partying and usually by the morning it was gone. Then the day after I woke up and it was still there and it freaked me out a bit, but by early afternoon it went away by itself and so I didn't give it too much notice. I thought it had to do with some frequent flying I had done in that time and me trying to unblock my ears by blocking my nose and blowing on it.
Then in December I was holidaying in Spain and all of a sudden it came back full on and it hasn't stopped since... I didn't even know about tinnitus and the first few days and nights I was really freaking out thinking I was going crazy.. I was a pot smoker and cigarette smoker and I stopped smoking at once as it was making me way more anxious.
Now I kind of learnt to accept it, and I went back into pot as it seems to help me at night to fall asleep... Not too sure if it is a good thing but I think it is better than meds..
I tried acupuncture and cranio-sacral therapy but didn't help much.. I also tried some sound therapy but it actually used to elevate my noise after the sessions, so I gave that up too... Maybe I didn't give enough time to these therapies, not too sure...
I think my tinnitus is stress related and mind related rather than traumas or infections, as I checked with doctors and I seem to be fine on those aspects..
Two years ago I did a Vipassana meditation course, which consists of 10 days of silent meditation without speaking nor talking to anybody.. I have a feeling that if I would do another 10 days course I might be able to get the noise away, as it is a very relaxing experience, but I am also a bit scared about facing 10 days of complete silence with my tinnitus and not sure how my mind would react..
I would like to hear what you folks would think about the 10 days silent retreat.. Good or bad idea?
Anyway, just a little presentation and I would like to say I find this forum very well done with great people and I am happy to have found it..

Best of luck to all.. Ciao! Lorenzo

 

Hi @Lorenzo74 . Welcome! I am glad you find this forum helpful for you. Do whatever that helps you. I attended a few sessions of Buddhist meditation led by a monk when I first had T. I am not familiar with the process of your silent retreat but if it helps then it is good enough. It would be good if the facilitator is trained.

 

Thank you Shan for your reply.. I also heard that cognitive-behavioral meditation helped a friend of mine with loud tinnitus a great deal.

I think meditation can have a calming effect on T if it is stress related, though it is not as easy to calm the mind when it is buzzing compared to when I didn't have T..

I still feel I will give it a try.. I believe it will go away one day.. Always stay positive

Ciao!