Poll: Does Valsalva Maneuver Make Your Tinnitus Disappear Temporarily?

I noticed that several people on Tinnitus Talk can make their tinnitus disappear temporarily when they do the Valsalva manoeuvre (myself included). I wonder is this a sign only for sinus/ETD related tinnitus? As this could perhaps change the pressure in the ear which was causing the tinnitus?

Also, I noticed that several people on this forum can make their tinnitus disappear temporarily when having their tinnitus ear/s full of liquid/oil so that their ear drums are submerged (again, myself included). I wonder what the mechanism is? Would this also change the pressure in the ear somehow?

 

You do know the Vasalva maneuver causes tinnitus for people. But then again I also have heard people say it makes them feel better in terms of volume of tinnitus

 

It doesn't make it disappear but it can change it (for the better). Never lasts long though.

 

Never tried it, I started to one time but I'm scared it could damage my ears further. I don't think it is worth the risk.

 

@Celina Of course I am fully aware of it. But just like nasal rinse/neti-pot, which has significantly helped/reduced some people's T (took me a long time to finally decide to give it a try, and it helped me to reduce my T), please see
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...-after-neilmed-sinus-rinse.31339/#post-369800
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/neti-pot-for-eustachian-tube.16333/#post-458981

while it has even CAUSED some other people's T, please see
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/members/amelia.1843/#profile-post-5879
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/neti-pot-tinnitus.28139/

so whether doing the Valsava/nasal rinse or not is just a personal choice to make, I never forced anyone to do it. My intention was merely to see for people who HAVE DONE the Valsava, what the effect was, and see if we can connect the dots and figure out the underlying mechanisms.

 

Valsalva works for me as well but only while I’m doing it. It’s a nice 30 seconds of relief from my 10 kHz screeching. I’m careful not to apply too much pressure. Hanging upside down doesn’t have any effect for me. I have 30-40 dB hearing loss at mid to high frequencies in both ears.

 

Valsalva makes my Morse code tinnitus rage (continuous loud beep while doing the maneuver instead of beep beeeeep beep). So does plugging my ear with a finger. I think it's the pressure on the eardrum. Here's the kicker, though: these only affect my tinnitus in the mornings or at night. Nothing during the day, I can Valsalva all I want, I can plug my ear, but I only hear a faint beep beep.

I am getting an MRI on Monday, maybe it's blood flow issues. My other, noise-induced tinnitus sounds do not react to Valsalva, but the high-frequency one increases when I clench my neck muscles.