Relationship Between Tinnitus Spikes and Weather Changes? Airplanes?

Hi, first post here. Looks like quite a nice community. I found this place after some google searching.

Has anyone noticed a spike in their tinnitus before or during barometric pressure changes?

I'll explain why I ask: I'm in Wisconsin, where like a lot of the country we are experiencing the type of cold weather we haven't seen in over twenty years...I've noticed my tinnitus seems to spike akin to the sore in the bones people sometimes get with storms coming while these fronts roll through.

has anyone else experienced this?

I'm glad I found this place. I've had T since 1995, still remember vividly sitting my high school classes wondering how on earth I was going to cope with it...thankfully, I have had some years where it's not too bad.

It recently flared up, I had a sinus infection, I was beyond stressed about grad school applications, and then the plane ride to a family reunion a week before x-mas really set it flaring. Let's just say x-mas for me was a lot of wondering how on earth I was going to cope with it.

I'm not sure what the plane ride home did but for a few days afterward I was dizzy and almost felt sea sick (I don't get motion sickness normally), and T was overpowering. It was unbearable. To clarify this was from WI to AZ so not an international flight or anything, 3 hrs flight.

Now of course, I'm hesitant to travel by plane. I'm hoping that it was from being sick, as I've traveled a lot and never had that problem before.

I'm totally rambling, but I did read somebody's post here saying they felt a similar feeling after flying (from Spain I think?)

edit: also one other question. does anyone's T sound change tune briefly like for a moment a knob was turned, then it slowly goes back? Mine does every once and a while and it makes it wonder if it can change like that could it be possible to "turn it off"? If my mind is inventing the T sound, is it also inventing this change?

thank you, I look forward to the comments.

 

At first I thought my T really was weather related, but now I'm not so sure. I check the weather constantly to see if the barometer is going up or down. It does seem worse when the barometer is going down, but not always. Another mystery!! I also experience the "knob turning" effect. It startles me, but usually goes away in a minute or two. Sometimes I push on my earlobe to see if equalizing the pressure will help.

 

It seems like my symptoms get worse before a storm. I have not only tinnitus but visual problems as well thought to be related to migraine somehow. If I'm not mistaken, there is an established connection between migraine and weather changes as well as migraine and tinnitus.

 

Yes, I definitely notice it gets much worse with barometric changes and storms rolling in! Also higher altitudes seem to affect the feelings of fullness and pressure that accompanies it.

 

Besides the tinnitus, does anyone also have a problem with vertigo? Had a major daily bout with severe Vertigo last May that lasted 3 months then disappeared.

 

thank you everyone for your responses, I'm glad people are confirming my assumptions about the effects of pressure changes caused by changing weather.

We have another cold spell coming up here and I'll check and see what my T does.

susan, i've not had vertigo. The sea sick feeling I described is the closet to that i've felt to that.

 

another cold front coming in tomorrow and like clockwork T is louder today...

well if our modern weather system breaks down, maybe this will be considered a gift

 

I think my tinnitus gets worse in the winter and also I seem to get spikes. It might be a coincidence of course, but I definitely don't enjoy winter.

 

How did you get yours in the first place anyway?

 

hi thanks for asking stina

I think it was a combo of an ear infection and exposure to loud noises. testing revealed I do have some high frequency hearing loss and I think my T is my brain's response to those missing frequencies.

I am now much smarter with my protecting my hearing

 

I know it's a little late, but I would like to post my comments: Mild Ear Barotrauma may be what you experienced. If you live in a home that is well-insulated, and air-tight you might experience it by simply opening a door to the outside, especially on days when weather changes occur. It can be caused by air pressure changes related to changes in altitude, and also by entering, or leaving air conditioned, or ventilated spaces. The Eardrum is basically a gas filled sack, and it is affected by pressure change. Internal/external air pressure differentials can cause changes in the sounds you hear, pain, or Vertigo. Yawning can often help to balance the pressures in the Eardrum and ducts leading to your sinuses. Sinus infections, wax build up, and mucus can also contribute to Ear Barotrauma. "Barotrauma" is a separate condition, and can occur whether, or not one has Tinnitus.

In the case of Tinnitus, extreme variations of noises (loud, or high-pitched) have caused damage to the ear, resulting in hearing loss, and/or sounds that often appear as coming from your ears. I personally, have "head noise" not coming from the ears at all. In my case, the fine hairs, called "Cilia", which used to be attached to my Eardrums, and were the sensors for higher frequency tones, have all but fallen off. The loss of Cilia, in most Tinnitus cases, seem to be the factor which changed our hearing.

Cilia are a series of fine hairs that are attached to a system of auditory nerves. High frequency sound waves cause the cilia to oscillate, and their mechanical action is converted into electrical energy which is sent to the brain's auditory nerve center. The brain then converts (re-interprets) the electrical signals into the sounds we hear, appearing to be coming from the ears, but in reality, the brain. The brain is a lot like the "engineer" driving the "train" (which is our body).

Without the connection between the "Cilia", and the Brain, the Brain can only interpret what is now sent to it, which may no longer be a variation of high-frequency sound waves delicately translated into electrical energy, but rather, a fairly steady electrical energy induced by the auditory nerves, which are incapable of translating any variation. However, what they may be interpreting as a steady stream of noise, is perhaps just the various high-frequency/rapid impulse echoes traveling through the atmosphere we occupy.

Perhaps scientists will soon be able to construct a tool that will be able to oscillate as our "Cilia" once did, and which could send the electrical impulses from the high-frequency sound waves, to the auditory nerves, and then to the brain. I believe that a remote signal device perhaps located within a hearing aid could resolve much of the problem. Hopefully it is being done as I write.

 

Thanks for the info regarding weather changes. I live in CO and we have had some funky weather this spring. My tinnitus (and hearing loss in left ear) was likely caused by the shingles vaccine. I do not know if it is permanent as I am in treatment now. This week I felt like my hearing was returning and I could actually hear the person on the phone in my left ear. The weather or something changed overnight. Today I can't hear very well and have ringing in the ear (left). I'll keep you posted on my progress

 

I have the COMPLETE opposite reaction. Cold fronts, storms, low pressure systems, all drastically lower my ringing, while hot weather and high pressure make it incredibly loud!

But it seems all of you are the OTHER way around? Kind of weird....

 

I get severe dizziness coupled with my T does anyone get this and has anyone found out why this occurs? I also get a eye twitch in the affected side as well. It seems to be the onset of a weather change ie low pressure . Has anyone ever had a clear explanation of what's going on in the head to cause this electrical storm.....I find it dibilitating! Thx in advance for your response.

 

Lately I get a little dizzy when turning too quickly or getting up too fast. I also noticed that when it rains the ringing is louder.

 

I noticed that during your trip you traveled to Arizona. I also recently traveled to Arizona, and spent about five days there. During that time, my tinnitus bothered me. The day we left the state it went back to baseline. The part of the state we went to had an altitude of 4800 feet, which is considered high. Many people experience ear problems in high altitude settings. Also I have found during constant weather changes patterns my tinnitus is worst. During stable weather at times, I can go for four or five days without the tinnitus troubling me! So during Winter months here in Connecticut, I have a harder time with my tinnitus. If I was retired, I probably would look for an area more tinnitus friendly; seeing my tinnitus is intermittent. Good luck, as you learn to live with this affliction.

 

I have noticed whenever it is rainy weather, my tinnitus is much louder. It sounds like birds tweeting in my ears, and makes me dizzy and I can't think very well, like my head is in a fog.

 

Now we know the root cause of T....Global Warming!!!

 

So could the weather be the reason for my tinnitus spike out of nowhere? I live in Rio Rancho New Mexico and the spike started on the 23rd it`s really loud I can handle the regular tinnitus during the day and mostly at night but this tinnitus spike ugh!!! It`s my first one I had a few second short ones before but I covered my ears and it went away.