Psychiatrist with Tinnitus: My Goal Is to Try TMS or the Susan Shore Device

[virginiadoc]

Hi, I am a psychiatrist with chronic tinnitus for at least seven years, possibly longer. I have no known ear trauma or exposure to ototoxic substances and no hearing loss. I believe the cause may have been either daily aspirin use or sleep deprivation from working very long hours in hospitals.

My tinnitus is constant and never goes away. It's a very high-pitched whine. No medication has reduced it except Xanax, which helps me sleep.

My tinnitus feels like it is part of the physical structure of my head. However, no amount of pressure, massage, or acupuncture affects it. I do experience some overlapping, similar tones when tensing my jaw, so I'm fairly certain it's structural, possibly involving ligaments or tendons.

My goal is to try TMS or the Susan Shore Device. If those don't work, I'm pretty sure nothing will.

 

[Jupiterman]

I doubt sleep deprivation caused your tinnitus.

 

[momus]

Sounds like my tinnitus. I sometimes forget about it, but it's mostly there 24/7. I would suggest moving to a place with weather that allows you to be outside as much as possible, where ambient noise can help drown it out. That might sound extreme, but I would live almost anywhere for a chance to reduce my tinnitus.

When I moved from Arizona to Arkansas, my tinnitus got louder due to the high humidity. My plan was to move to Corpus Christi because it's really warm there, and I love the water and beaches. Unfortunately, a pit bull almost tore my leg off a week ago while I was on my eBike. Today, they told me it will be a 12- to 18-week recovery, so moving will have to wait.

 

[Ozhe]

Hi @virginiadoc,

We have similar cases, but my tinnitus is more recent—just a little over a year. I have also considered magnetic stimulation and hope the protocols will become safer.

The neurophysiologist told me they would apply an inhibitory frequency, but everything is still under investigation and has not been approved by the FDA.

 

[virginiadoc]

Thank you for the feedback. I have found that weather, along with changes in pressure and temperature, makes absolutely no difference. I do find that pressure points on my scalp can overlap with new tones and slightly change the pitch. That is what makes me think it is structural rather than chemical. But I cannot change the structure of my head.

TMS might hold promise, as it is helpful for many different neurological problems if applied appropriately.

I am so sorry about that pit bull attack. That is horrific. Please take it slow while you heal.

 

[kingsfan]

Thank you for the feedback. I have found that weather, along with changes in pressure and temperature, makes absolutely no difference. I do find that pressure points on my scalp can overlap with new tones and slightly change the pitch. That is what makes me think it is structural rather than chemical. But I cannot change the structure of my head.

TMS might hold promise, as it is helpful for many different neurological problems if applied appropriately.

I am so sorry about that pit bull attack. That is horrific. Please take it slow while you heal.

TMS is too loud. It will just make things worse.

 

[ErnieRo]

I'm also looking forward to the Susan Shore device. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any information or updates about when it will become available. I also suffer from sleep deprivation, and it definitely makes my tinnitus worse.

 

[GregCA]

Hi, I am a psychiatrist with chronic tinnitus for at least seven years, possibly longer. I have no known ear trauma or exposure to ototoxic substances and no hearing loss.

I'm afraid there is no (medical) way, currently, to prove that a person has no hearing loss. When people say that, they often mean that they aced the "hearing test" at the audiologist (PTA, fork tests, tympanometry, etc), and I suspect that's what you mean as well.

Your hearing may be impaired in ways that are not measurable or measured (for example, if your deficiencies are in the high frequency and you only tested up to 8 kHz). Check Tinnitus Talk (or the internet, clinical studies) for "Hidden Hearing Loss" or "synaptopathy" (Liberman).

This flowchart may help you narrow your case down a bit more.

I believe the cause may have been either daily aspirin use or sleep deprivation from working very long hours in hospitals.

I doubt it (only my opinion).

I do experience some overlapping, similar tones when tensing my jaw, so I'm fairly certain it's structural, possibly involving ligaments or tendons.

You may have somatic tinnitus if you can modulate or change the sound as you move your jaw. It is quite common. That's good news if you're interested in trying the Susan Shore device.

Sorry about your predicament. I hope you're doing better than you were at the onset.

It's interesting that your profession is often the first thing tinnitus sufferers are referred to at the onset. Many psych professionals tell tinnitus sufferers that their attitude is what's causing the distress. "Just learn to ignore it, "Make it your friend," and "It can't hurt you!" are common suggestions or statements. Can you leverage your expert psychological toolkit to manage the impact it has on your psyche?

 

[Sonic17]

Hi, I am a psychiatrist with chronic tinnitus for at least seven years, possibly longer. I have no known ear trauma or exposure to ototoxic substances and no hearing loss. I believe the cause may have been either daily aspirin use or sleep deprivation from working very long hours in hospitals.

My tinnitus is constant and never goes away. It's a very high-pitched whine. No medication has reduced it except Xanax, which helps me sleep.

My tinnitus feels like it is part of the physical structure of my head. However, no amount of pressure, massage, or acupuncture affects it. I do experience some overlapping, similar tones when tensing my jaw, so I'm fairly certain it's structural, possibly involving ligaments or tendons.

My goal is to try TMS or the Susan Shore Device. If those don't work, I'm pretty sure nothing will.

Sorry to hear about your tinnitus. Welcome to the group .

I have had chronic tinnitus for about the same amount of time as you, and I cannot sleep without a benzodiazepine. What do you think of the new sleeping pill Quviviq? Would you recommend it for someone with insomnia caused by tinnitus?

 

[Jupiterman]

It's interesting that your profession [psychiatry] is often the first thing tinnitus sufferers are referred to at the onset. Many psych professionals tell tinnitus sufferers that their attitude is what's causing the distress. "Just learn to ignore it, "Make it your friend," and "It can't hurt you!" are common suggestions or statements. Can you leverage your expert psychological toolkit to manage the impact it has on your psyche?

There is definitely an irony here.

I thought you were leading up to encouraging the original poster (the psychiatrist) to tell others in their profession that the standard treatments are not only unsuitable but also patronizing.

As it turns out, you have essentially asked them to take a dose of their own medicine.

If the situation were not so serious, it might actually be funny.

 

[RunningMan]

Sorry to hear about your tinnitus. Welcome to the group .

I have had chronic tinnitus for about the same amount of time as you, and I cannot sleep without a benzodiazepine. What do you think of the new sleeping pill Quviviq? Would you recommend it for someone with insomnia caused by tinnitus?

I took Quviviq for about a year, at the maximum dose. It might have helped a little earlier in the night, when I did not need the sleep aid as much, but I still woke up too early and could not get back to sleep. So I finally stopped taking it about a month ago. I also tried Dayvigo briefly, but it did not work any better for me.

 

[Sonic17]

I took Quviviq for about a year, at the maximum dose. It might have helped a little earlier in the night, when I did not need the sleep aid as much, but I still woke up too early and could not get back to sleep. So I finally stopped taking it about a month ago. I also tried Dayvigo briefly, but it did not work any better for me.

Okay, thank you for sharing your experience.

If Quviviq and Dayvigo did not work for you, what are you currently using to help you sleep?

 

[RunningMan]

Okay, thank you for sharing your experience.

If Quviviq and Dayvigo did not work for you, what are you currently using to help you sleep?

Quviviq helped a little, but not effectively enough. Now I just wait until I wake up during the night. If I cannot get back to sleep, I take a piece of a Zolpidem pill under the tongue, in the range of 1.2 to 1.6 mg. I have never taken the full 10 mg tablet.

 

[Sonic17]

Quviviq helped a little, but not effectively enough. Now I just wait until I wake up during the night. If I cannot get back to sleep, I take a piece of a Zolpidem pill under the tongue, in the range of 1.2 to 1.6 mg. I have never taken the full 10 mg tablet.

Hi, I am a psychiatrist with chronic tinnitus for at least seven years, possibly longer. I have no known ear trauma or exposure to ototoxic substances and no hearing loss. I believe the cause may have been either daily aspirin use or sleep deprivation from working very long hours in hospitals.

My tinnitus is constant and never goes away. It's a very high-pitched whine. No medication has reduced it except Xanax, which helps me sleep.

My tinnitus feels like it is part of the physical structure of my head. However, no amount of pressure, massage, or acupuncture affects it. I do experience some overlapping, similar tones when tensing my jaw, so I'm fairly certain it's structural, possibly involving ligaments or tendons.

My goal is to try TMS or the Susan Shore Device. If those don't work, I'm pretty sure nothing will.

Just curious — why would you choose Xanax over Ativan?

I currently take Ativan, 1 mg every night, to help with sleep. However, I have been on the same dose for eight years, and my doctor will not increase it.

Would Xanax be a better option for me? Since you mentioned that you are a psychiatrist, I suppose I am hoping for your professional opinion.

 

[Kam75]

Hi @virginiadoc, sorry to hear that you are suffering.

I have also been dealing with disabling tinnitus (at least five sounds) and hyperacusis for six years, which prevent me from living fully and sleeping well.

Like you, I am eagerly waiting for Susan Shore's device. However, do not forget that Auricle's CEO said the timelines discussed on Tinnitus Talk are highly unrealistic.

This makes me think it will not be available before 2030, and probably not before 2035 outside the United States, if it is even marketed in the end.

So in the meantime, we might try something else. As a psychiatrist, what do you think about EMDR? According to some recent studies, it can alleviate tinnitus symptoms.

I am considering trying that therapy.