Tinnitus Began First Week of June 2020 After Wim Hof Breathing

Hi Lukee, the initial tinnitus occurred after the breath holds. My retentions were around 2 to 3 minutes, which in hindsight was possibly over doing it. Although I've always been able to hold my breath pretty comfortably for 3 minutes so I didn't think I would be putting myself at some kind of risk... so I don't know really.

And I hear you about trying to stay positive though it all. It's so brutal. I do try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and I know that Wim really is helping a lot of people. But I think it's pretty effed up that they don't clearly warn people that there is actually a pretty high risk of chronic tinnitus happening from the method.

They do talk about the connection between tinnitus and the WHM in the FAQ of his website under the subject "my ears are ringing - is this normal?" but, I don't know, not really enough of a heads up there if you ask me.

 

I think the holds are what did it for me too. Like you I could comfortably hold my breath for a little while but I think the hyperventilating messed up our internal alarms and allowed damage to happen. It’s likely that we should’ve maybe passed out and started to breath again but that didn’t happen and the lack of oxygen did damage. The other theories are increased blood pressure and the re-oxygenation of tissues. Apparently, the rush of oxygen back into those sensitive tissues and organs can cause the issue.

What I can say is count your blessings if “all” that you have is tinnitus.

 

Update on me. So I tried Reiki the past two weeks and without telling the Reiki Master anything we conducted a remote distance healing and I swear I felt heat in my left ear and the tinnitus dropped down to nearly zero during the session and a bit after it.

After the session she said she felt blockages of energy in my left ear, back of my head, and kidneys. What it felt like to me when we started the session was pins and needles sort of energy and then a warm energy that was pulsating in my left ear. Fast forward about a week and my left ear feels a bit clogged as if I have water in it (but I don't feel any water) and it crackles, or makes a sound like it's trying to open but can't, when I open my jaw all the way or when I yawn. The right ear doesn't feel as clogged as the left which is odd. Anyway... I'm trying everything at this point. But for what it's worth, the Reiki did help a lot during the session.

As for my Ayurvedic drops that I've been taking. I'm experimenting between a few of them: Ashwagandha, Shankhpushpi, and Jatamansi. All of them are supposed to tame the CNS and get the body out of fight or flight.

Have any of you tried the Saraswati Churna with any luck? Ayurvedic supposedly does work but it's not something that happens overnight like Western medicine. It heals the underlying causes and takes a much longer time.

I'm not giving up and am in this with all of you.

 

Welcome and I'm very sorry you've joined us here. I think all of us share the same symptoms. It it my sincere hope that we can figure out these symptoms and get healed. It's all trial and error experimentation unfortunately. Hang in there. If you need a board to come to, this is the place.

 

I don’t know how much I’m into the Reiki healing and whatnot but your story is freaky. Did I understand correctly that your ear is more clogged after the session than before?

What have your symptoms been? I thought everything mostly resolved with the exception of the tinnitus?

 

@Csani90, I have been thinking about our issues (obviously). I have an idea of what might be happening but I wanted to see if it was happening to anyone else. Prior to this whole thing, I used to grind my teeth some nights, not severely but the odd morning I would wake up with some discomfort. It never caused ear issues and usually came and went with general stress.

I notice now that my jaw is more sore, that movements of my jaw greatly affect my ears (I feel like they are inflamed and by moving my jaw I can “feel” the inflammation) and that on occasion I have been getting TMJ type pops and cracks in my jaw. Some of the soreness, pressure and headaches I have been getting seem like they stem from clenching my teeth. We know that obviously ear issues (tinnitus, ETD, etc.) can be caused by TMJ; what I’m wondering is whether or not tinnitus, and the stress surrounding it, has caused me (us) to develop other ear symptoms due to TMJ and clenching.

Does this sound like something that is happening to you? I just feel like this constant strain in my jaw was never there and maybe it’s now causing all these other ear problems.

 

My left ear has been problematic since the beginning and was unable to unclog. It hadn't bothered me much but after the Reiki treatment I'm noticing the feeling of it trying to unclog itself. So that's more of what I meant. When I was yawning before my left ear did nothing. Now I'm at least noticing crackling and a sensation like it's trying to open up. Not there yet...

Regarding Reiki, I totally understand where you're coming from. I've tried qigong before and am familiar with the "feeling of energy" in certain parts of the body so that aspect of it doesn't freak me out. Other healing practices that utilize Qi/Chi/Prana have similar sensations.

Traditional Japanese Reiki AKA Usui Reiki (which is what this Reiki Master was using) is energy healing along the lines of Tai Chi (Chinese), Pranic healing (Indian Ayurveda), and Qigong (Chinese). I'm not advocating that everyone try it as each person has to be comfortable with whatever healing modality they use. I guess for me, since I'd already been exposed to Eastern traditional medicine and healing methods, I felt comfortable trying it. And quite honestly, I'm leery of going on steroids again and my body is super-sensitive to a lot of drugs. So what may work for many others, I have to avoid or take in micro doses. It's a bummer.

Have you or anyone else had any luck with Ayurveda?

How have those other pills been doing for you that you were taking?

 

If it’s working, keep at it. I’ve always been skeptical about these healing methods but more and more I find that there is something to it. Even if it’s placebo, we’ll who cares, as long as it works.

I haven’t tried the Saraswati but I have it in my cupboard, ready to go. I’ll tell you my current stack and what I think has been working for me. As you might remember, I have a feeling of fluid in my ears and it was very bothersome while swallowing. I would a lot of the cracking while yawning and overall I just felt like crap. I have tried a few supplements now that seem to be helping overall, for sure the fluid is has pretty much resolved.

Here’s the stack:
- Magnesium
- Resveratrol
- Nicotinamide Riboside
- Niacin (more recently)
- Ambroxol (seems to have cleared up the issue of fluid in ears)
- Lion’s Mane
- MSM

I have to say that I think the MSM might be helping out significantly as well. I figured it’s great for overall health so couldn’t hurt. In a little bit I’m going to add Psilocybin to the stack and try the full Stamet Protocol with Lion’s Mane, Psilocybin and Niacin.

I still feel like we are dealing with an issue of heavy inflammation in the ears. I would suggest you try Ambroxol and see if it can help unclog your ear. But I know the feeling as both my ears now feel a bit clogged all the time and they didn’t initially.

I am also going to try AC-11 (Cat’s Claw Extract) as it’s supposedly a very potent anti-inflammatory.

Before that I might jump on the Saraswati first and see if it helps. You said your results were noticeable within a first few days, right?

 

With the Saraswati I noticed results in the first day. It was that immediate. It had more of a benefit to the nervous system in my case. It made me feel extremely relaxed, acted as mood booster, and I didn't notice the high-pitched ringing as much. The only discomfort was the raise in blood pressure. I might give it another whirl in the future though if these other new treatments don't have the desired effect.

What does MSM stand for?

How do you feel on the Magnesium? When do you take it? I purchased a 2g Magnesium Chloride roll-on bar that I'm going to try today. You can roll it on your spine or the base of your feet very similar to a deodorant roll-on etc.

I've heard good things about Lion's Mane. Let me know how you make out with that. I'll check out Ambroxol. I don't have fluid in my ears, just this "stuck" feeling as if they're clogged from being in a high altitude and unable to rebalance. In particular, the left ear. But the right has not cleared up either. That major culprit at this point is the left ear. When I do the nasal cleanse with the XLear, both ears squeak (proof that the eustachian tubes are being targeted) so I'm hoping it's helping.

I'd love to really figure out what the hell happened to us from the breath hold. Is it physical damage (i.e. ETD) or is it nerve damage, or both?

 

MSM = Methylsulfonylmethane, it’s used for pretty much general health but I am interested in tissue healing and regeneration of the middle ear.

I will let you know once I try out the Saraswati Churna and see if I get results.

Magnesium seems to help overall. I think it relaxes the muscles throughout and might be helping with the “stiffness” I have been feeling in my ears. I can say for sure that there is some ETD and inflammation but I don’t know if that’s “all” there is. I still have lots of pressure when bending over or straining myself so I’m trying to stay away form any type of that exertion if possible.

 

Got it. MSM sounds very interesting. So you have inner ear pressure when you bend over to tie shoes etc? That's what I was experiencing last year and it went away after I had used the Prednisone. But now this left ear issue is starting with some pressure. It feels like an ear ache to be honest.

Yea the Saraswati Churna is meant for proper brain function. I hope it gives you some relief without the raise in blood pressure that I experienced. Most people have no issue with it. I'm just super sensitive to a lot of medications.

 

The thing that sucks is our healthcare system is crap up here. Took me over a month to see an ENT and no doctor would help me with Prednisone. I don’t know why but I feel like if I had taken it, my symptoms would be much milder. I am making some plans to see a neurotologist somewhere in the US hopefully sooner than later.

 

If i remember correctly i did the breathing exercise 3 times as normal and then i did it one more time.When i held my breath i think the buzzing in my ear started but i thought it was normal and kept doint it for like 10-15 seconds.When i finished i started to get worried about it because it didnt stop. 5 months have gone by and i still got it.i think its mostly on my left ear.Plus some sounds really annoy me.For example, non stop bird sounds or air conditioning constant buzzing i dont know if any of you also get bothered

 

What's up, Lukee.

Did you ever try going to Urgent Care or Emergency? After I made my first and only ENT appointment (and which took a few weeks for me to finally see him), I went to Urgent Care the day after I made the ENT appointment. I walked right in and saw a doctor in Urgent Care with no waiting at all.

And ironically, the ENT never prescribed me anything. It was the Urgent Care doctors who prescribed my Prednisone, steroid injection, Neomycin, and Amoxicillin. Actually, I went to Urgent Care twice before even seeing the ENT. The first Urgent Care visit, the doctor prescribed Amoxicillin and Neomycin. When that stuff failed to do anything, I went back again and got the Prednisone and steroid injection.

I'm not saying that the stuff they prescribed helped at all - maybe it did for a little while. Just saying that there seems to be quicker action in Urgent Care or Emergency. I think it would be even quicker overall if someone knowledgeable about their condition, like you, went there and reasoned and discussed specific drugs and treatments with the doctors.

 

Ya thanks for the lookout but up here it works a little different. They will prescribe antibiotics but not so much steroids and other stuff. They will refer you to emergency and emergency probably wouldn’t prescribe either unless you had sudden hearing loss.

To top it off, the hospitals were turning away people with “non emergency” conditions because of COVID-19. Bloody healthcare system up here is a disaster. I have an appointment with another ENT on Friday and going to see where it goes from there. These headaches I’ve been getting are unreal.

 

Roger that. I'm hoping and praying that with all the knowledge and experience you've been acquiring lately, combined with that of your ENT, good things will happen.

 

Your lips to God’s ears for all of us man.

 

Has anyone considered what the effect of using medical-grade oxygen might have on our particular breath holding/hypoxic induced tinnitus?

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a can of Boost Oxygen (95% aviator grade) to experiment with. The feelings of it were as expected, but were too short-lived. The way it's administered isn't constant and efficient enough to make any tangible or lasting difference. It's like taking oxygen one hit at a time. It's supposedly geared more for sports performance and recovery.

But what about using 99% medical-grade oxygen with a constant administration flow, with a much bigger tank? Or even an oxygen concentrator device?

If there was a way I could get a prescription for any of that without any hassle, I would test drive it all in a heartbeat.

 

Well that’s basically the purpose of HBOT except it’s delivered at about twice the atmospheric pressure. I was thinking the same thing. Maybe over some time it could help restore our issue.

 

HBOT seems a little impractical and expensive though.

I think it would be much easier and cheaper to have your own tank or concentrator and be able to kick back in your own home with your mask on for as long as you want.

There's got to be a way to get those goodies without a bloody prescription, ay?

Or maybe you could discuss oxygen with your ENT when you see him and possibly get a script for it?

 

Seeing an ENT on Thursday, I’ll let you know what he says.

As for breathing pure oxygen, it’s ok in short blast but too long will actually hurt you. I would think 20 minutes here and there would be beneficial. In terms of getting it without a script, I think you have the best bet being on the coast. You can get scuba mixes of high oxygen or even Trimix which is helium, nitrogen and oxygen. The purpose of the helium is so that you don’t get nitrogen buildup in your blood when diving, which is actually the limiting factor of diving. I would assume sucking back on some Trimix couldn’t hurt.

 

I'll be counting the moments, bruddah.

Diving oxygen... of course! That sounds like a good idea. I never thought of that one.

Yeah, I'm aware that breathing pure oxygen for too long, and for someone who has really no respiratory need for it, can be bad for you. But I think there should be a way to have the oxygen trickle out into the mask and mix with the ambient air, via the air vents on the mask. I think that's how it's usually done with hospital oxygen masks anyway. And I think the duration times would be something that could be explored and experimented with.

But I also imagine, without looking anything up yet, that you would need some sort of diving certification to purchase any of that stuff. Either way though, I think it would be a much easier route than going to a doctor and trying to get a prescription.

And I like the idea of those bigger fatter scuba tanks. They look much bigger and better than those skinny medical ones. I think the whole thing might be a good investment, not just for tinnitus issues, but also for overall health, well-being, and emergencies. I wonder what the highest percentage of oxygen-only mixes they have, or even if they have oxygen-only mixes.

 

Yes, typically for low dose of oxygen they use a nasal cannula to deliver. This just increases the amount of oxygen you get into your lungs.

In terms of legality of buying scuba air, I don’t know what the laws are in the US.

Also, the air usually comes pre-mixed so I think it would be already air (nitrogen and oxygen) or Trimix (nitrogen, oxygen and helium). Come to think of it, I think it would be hard to get just oxygen from dive shop but might as well ask. Unfortunately, you will also need to buy a tank and a regulator to use the air. The scuba regulators aren’t cheap but I guess you can buy a crappy one since you are not using it for diving.

Anyway, best thing is to call up a dive shop and see what they say.

 

If you have Pranotherapy in your area, you can try it yourself.

 

Yeah, exactly. After looking things up and thinking about it more, there doesn't seem to be any real need for divers to use pure oxygen. It appears that all they really deal with is compressed purified air. Like you were saying, it's a mix of different gases.

Oh well, it was a nice try.

 

I’m sure I’ll be able to find it somewhere but we are still in the middle of lockdown so maybe in June.

Have you tried it yourself? Any success?

 

A brief CBD update:

I stopped taking CBD about a week ago, mainly because I ran out, as well as due to the insane cost of it. But also because I wanted to clear my head more and be ready for the inevitable drug testing at work.

Overall, it was a good run. I never noticed any worsening of tinnitus. I don't know if it actually helped heal anything specifically, but I can say for sure that it helped with relaxation and sleep at night.

 

Did anyone use ear drops? Did they help?

 

At my first visit to Urgent Care, the doctor prescribed Augmentin and Neomycin ear drops. I took them both for about a week, but had no change. I stopped taking them because they didn't help, and because I started learning about the possible ototoxicity of them.

I also bought some homeopathic ear drops called Ring Relief. But for some reason I never got around to even opening up the package and trying them. I guess one reason may be that I've become aware that this condition is not such an easy fix.

What kind of ear drops did you have in mind?

 

On a diving forum, there are people experiencing the exact same symptoms. One person experienced this while performing a shallow dive for a longer period of time.

So the question is still, is this hypoxia or barotrauma? I don't see a similar mechanism for hypoxia in a diver who is diving at shallow depths with no contradictions, it doesn't make sense, but then again, neither does barotrauma though it much, much more likely.