New to Tinnitus — Possible Causes: Hearing Loss, Wim Hof Method, Stimulants (Adderall)

Hi everyone! I've been following Tinnitus Talk for a few months now since I developed tinnitus and decided after a spike to finally post here. It's very nice this resource exists and has given me strength knowing I am not alone in this struggle.

My tinnitus developed about two or three hours after taking a moderate dose of Adderall (not prescribed, I would take them recreationally once a week or so to get really focused on my art as a metal engraver). I had also been doing the Wim Hof method for months before this and had done a really intense session that morning. Anyway, my ears started ringing with a really high pitch "eeeeeeeee" and also had hyperacusis where any sound would make the ringing much louder. I figured this was just some kind of drug induced psychosis, so I held out till the next day. The hyperacusis went away but the ringing never did. I went to an ENT that week and that's when I found out I had pretty severe hearing loss (most likely from headphones) from 3 kHz to 8 kHz frequencies. So, I can't really be sure who the main culprit was - the hearing loss, Wim Hof, or Adderall. Probably a combination of all of them...

So, at that point I realized I just had to live with it so I started eating healthy, exercising 5 days a week, quit using Adderall and generally just did the best I could. Over a few weeks I got habituated to it quite well to the point that it no longer caused me anxiety and was just kind of in the background quietly.

That went on for a month or so until this week when I got a bad flu and doctor put me on prednisone and an antibiotic. Volume immediately doubled within hours of first dose. I immediately quit the medication and just rode out the cold. Cold is over now but the ringing is still quite loud compared to how it was before. Wondering if I will habituate it down like before...

It's been frustrating... hell of a way to start the new year and I've also got other physical maladies kind of mixing in with this making me a bit of a mess at the moment. Luckily, I've got an amazing girlfriend who takes care of me, and I have found this group.

Many of you all's stories sound almost identical to mine... I hope they find a cure soon. Love you all.

 

Hi. It is good you have a supportive partner.

I have mild hearing loss in the 3 kHz to 8 kHz range but my high pitched tone is 9.5 kHz.

Maybe your new level is just a spike and it will settle back to what is was before.

But if not, then yes, you will habituate to the new level. I have some tricks to keep my level reasonable and if I do not use them for more than a few days, it starts to become uncomfortable.

Michael Leigh has some good advice for newbies on here so hopefully he will reply to your post. In the meantime stay positive - you are not powerless against this condition.

 

Thank you for you kind reply. Do you have any advice, or can you direct me to the best way to find what my tinnitus frequency is? And what's the point of knowing it? Can it help to play this frequency back to myself or what?

 

If you type tinnitus frequency finder into Google - there are a few you can try.

I will say that when you are trying out these frequencies - if you try one and find you can't hear anything - that is most likely your frequency. You can't hear it because your own tinnitus is masking it.

There are many tinnitus sound videos on YouTube which can mask or even reduce your tinnitus - I use one when I am desperate - it takes the edge off sharp tones.

I use this one:

4 Hours of High Pitched Tinnitus Neuromodulation Therapy That Works - YouTube

Very fierce - you listen at a lower level than your own tinnitus for about 15 minutes. It works for me.

You will go down the road of trying many things to make it better just like the rest of us.

 

@tylerpoor73, it's likely the Wim Hof. I had the same exact reaction, as did many others who tried the Wim Hof breathing method. I even started a post about it 2 years ago. High-pitched "eeeeee" tinnitus, ears that won't pop, initial hyperacusis, pressure in ears in the very beginning (which thankfully went away), initial dizziness, initial spike in blood pressure followed by congestion in sinuses, then the onset of the tinnitus. That sounds like Wim Hof. It's both a crime and a tragedy that Wim himself takes no responsibility for the harm he's causing people. In fact, he blames those who get hurt by saying they "overdid it", when all we did was follow his instructions. Please don't get me started... But yea man, unfortunately I think you got it from Wim Hof. At least, that would be my guess.

 

@tylerpoor73, did your symptoms ease at all?

 

Hi @OptimistWarrior! So actually, I eventually habituated to my tinnitus symptoms in only a few months. Now it's only a slight annoyance and I only ever hear it anymore in my left ear when I am in a really quiet environment or if for some reason I am having awful anxiety. Other than that, it's really not an issue. I was so scared and freaked out at first but looks like I may have had an overreaction because it all just went away on its own.

I even started to doing Wim Hof breathing exercises again (although much more cautiously, I never overdo it) and it has not aggravated the issue.

I've come to the conclusion now that what caused it was damaging my hearing (especially in my left ear) using in-ear headphones too loudly and the next day taking a way too high dose of Adderall which I think may have triggered it. I don't think Wim Hof had much to do with it, although I don't completely discount that.

Anyway, I hope this helps!