New Here

Hi all,
I'm Dori. I'm 22. I developed tinnitus in June during a research trip to Costa Rica, but I'm not sure what caused it directly. I could have been exposed to some tropical virus, but I think it was more likely brought on by my OCD. I used to obsess over the thought of getting tinnitus, and during that time frame I had quit taking Prozac cold-turkey (NOT a good idea!)--the mind is truly a powerful thing! Unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever know for sure why I got T exactly.

My tinnitus used to sound like bird calls or truck horns, but it's changed to a high-pitched ringing since then. It alternates in my ears. I don't experience hearing loss, but it varies in intensity. I've been able to handle it better since I first got it, but I still have trouble falling asleep because of it.

 

When tinnitus is new or at a new irritating level, and the ringing is causing much anxiety and panic and may affect our sleep, it is advisable to get masking going so you won’t be so anxious and fearful. Stress and anxiety are toxic to T. So try masking if you haven’t done so. I used to mask all day just to prevent panic attacks from hearing my ultra high pitch loud dog whistle T. Try these if you haven't yet:

1) Mask at bed time so you can sleep better. Find whatever sounds/music that are soothing to you. You can use a sound machine or sound pillow for this, or a computer with speakers.

2) If you need masking on the go, try load an ipod with nature sounds or music using itune. If you have a smart phone, you can download free APPs for soothing or T-masking sounds.

3) If you have computer and speakers, you can try these excellent masking sounds too:

TT's audio player: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/audioplayer/

or this online sound library, particularly the self-mix nature sounds: http://mynoise.net/

or download free sound generator ‘aire freshener’: http://www.peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html

or search youtube with words like 'tinnitus masking sounds', 'white noise', 'rain sound' etc.

Besides masking, if you still find it hard to sleep and don't want to use prescription drugs, you can try natural alternatives,
such as Malatonin, Lemon Balm, Valerian, Hops, Catnips, Passion Flower, Chamomile, Lavender, Kava, etc. You can google search each of them to know their use and see if you can take them as a supplement. Check out this site on using natural herbs for helping to sleep or to calm the nerves.

http://www.christopherhobbs.com/lib...ealth/herbs-and-natural-remedies-for-insomnia

 

Why were you thinking about T....were you exposed to loud music when you were a Teenager?

 

Hi @Dori

@billie48 is correct. You can use those websites provided or another option is to search on youtube for "white noise" videos. Some of the ones I've encountered run for 6+ hours continuously. Have you tried sleeping with a fan on? Or maybe even sleeping with your window open (so you can hear ambient sounds)?

I too like @Hopeful1 are curious to know why you were thinking about T?

Aside from taking herbals like melatonin etc. have you spoken to your doctor about perhaps taking corticosteroids? You said you probably got T during your trip to Costa Rica through a virus? That is something your health care provider can help you with?

Welcome to the forum and I sincerely hope your T will fade with time! Best of luck

Gian Penola

 

@Hopeful1 @heartohelp @billie48

Thanks for the tips, everyone! I think I'll try melatonin. I also downloaded a sleep app onto my phone with rain sounds on it.

The thing about OCD is that the intrusive thoughts don't have to make sense. The thoughts will pop up in my head so intensely that even if the scenarios they cook up can't be true, my brain will do everything in its power to convince me that the scenario can still happen! Basically, as long as I know something exists, it can trigger my OCD. I did listen to loud music when I was younger, though (gotta love that post-punk!), but I think if that was the cause then I would have hearing loss as well. I've also read that some antidepressants can cause tinnitus, so maybe the withdrawal shocked my body into it.

The ENT diagnosed me with benign tinnitus, so again, I don't think I'll ever really know the cause. I was absolutely ravaged by mosquitoes in Costa Rica (even with repellent... they just don't care) and was feeling a little under the weather as I went back to America.

Either way, I've got it, so I do hope it goes away eventually. And thank you for the welcome!

 

Welcome to the forum!

I also got my T due to SSRI withdrawal and most likely will be the cause in yours as well as it can be ototoxic for some people. It wiped out my high frequency hearing in my right ear.

You said you dont experience hearing loss but it might be in the higher frequencies (which are not measured in audiograms) or even hidden hearing loss.

Best advice: protect your ears.