Tinnitus Increases the Risk of Getting Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease

I do think this post is unnecessarily negative. There's definitely plenty of studies about things you can do to prevent Alzheimer's. Things like sports, social interaction, healthy food. Stuff we all should do more of. If you really want to see if you're predisposed to Alzheimer's you can get tests like Bill Bauer said. Whichever is the case this is not a lost battle. @ajc you suggest people to leave like it's nothing. You should stop that.

We have way more important stuff to concentrate on on this forum, like FX-322, Hough Ear Institute, helping sustain Tinnitus Talk itself and most importantly supporting each other!

 

There is a causal link between acoustic trauma, hearing impairment, tinnitus and other neurological conditions.

This article is anything but pointless.

 

You are spot on Tanni, Dave is what I call the epitome of compassion and gentleness on this support forum and “There is nothing stronger than gentleness.”

I am very saddened to hear about your diagnosis Dave, I admire your "stating of the facts" in all your posts, You tell it like it is, you don't pussy foot around.

I am so glad you have a loving supportive family around you, so I know you will be getting plenty of hugs, but I am sending more your way

 

“WOW” - you just touched me so deeply Star.
I know sensitivity can come unexpectedly with this illness, but I have always known that ‘kindness’ is the greatest thing that we can offer each other.

I remind myself not to dwell on the lovely life that I had - but to appreciate those lovely people that truly know me, and surround me still.
(Then of course there are my three adorable pussycats.)
Thank you @Star64 & @Tanni
love to you both
Dave xx
Jazzer

 

@Jazzer so sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. It seems like life really has a way of taking things out of you, but your kindness and strength amaze me. I hope that FX-322 works and comes out soon enough for you to at least see some improvement in your hearing and tinnitus.

As for these articles, while important, I think we should look at them with some nuance and look at the bigger picture. Perhaps we're more at risk, but is that risk big overall? Etc. And as Bill said, there are possible tests.

I don't think sharing everything with a doom and gloom view, or talking down any promising research, is beneficial to anyone. We do need hope with this condition, and shattering that really makes me go toward the big S word again, when those thoughts are finally calming down a little bit.

What I do appreciate them for is much like @TheDanishGirl. Maybe it'll finally make people realise tinnitus is more than just a harmless noise.

 

Sorry to hear about your diagnoses @Jazzer and hope you are able to get some treatment to help manage the Parkinson's

Take care
Michael

 

I understand just where you are coming from ASilverLight.
I don’t wish to overstate anything here, but like many of us, I have had to cope with untold problems.
I am a realist.
I always have to look problems squarely in the ‘belly button’ before I can come up with a course of action - and then I can get up and get on with it.
Facts are facts - adjustment is a work in progress.

My daily meditation still sets me up for the day.
Dave x

 

In Ozzy's case there are a lot of other reasons why he might have developed brain disorders.

 

I'm a monkey at medicine, but my takeaway from the small p-values is that the evidence is, in fact, strong that there's a link, which is bad news (I'm so sorry @Jazzer , you're a strong person).

The main question is how much causation versus correlation. Certainly the mental health impact probably plays a role, but I'm sure the kind of brains that are prone to develop tinnitus also are prone to AD and PD.

I seem to have a rather reactive brain to this stuff, and my grandmother passed away from AD. She developed auditory hallucinations. I don't find this study super shocking.

 

I'm so sorry to hear about your Parkinson's diagnosis. Your such a sweet man, you don't deserve this. I'm crossing my fingers that the Parkinson's will show mercy on you. Take care Jazz.

 

Dave, hang on in there! It's crap news, for sure, but you have many more years left in you.
Keep active and keep socialising. Learn something new.

All the best.

 

Definitely.

Here are the normal vs stressed (both coping and uncoping) neuroautonomic profiles in the brain. Even when you have good coping, prolonged stress you cope with can produce abnormalities (just less so than uncoping stress). It's easy to see why stress would predispose you to neurodegenerative conditions, unfortunately.

Sorry about the photo quality, I'm sick in bed with a stomach thing while I'm taking these. The dashed lines are reduced output.

5HT = Serotonin
DA = Dopamine
Ach = Acetylcholine
Alpha = Alpha adrenergic
Beta = Beta adrenergic
CRF = Corticotrophin releasing factor
Na= Noradrenaline
Ad = adrenaline

I do have a PDF of the book this came from ("Neurocircuitry and Neuroautonomic Disorders" by Fuad Lechin).

 

@Jazzer, here are some promising biotechs addressing Parkinson's. I will add them to my watch list and see if i can find more info for you (if you are interested).

https://xtalks.com/six-biotech-companies-for-parkinsons-disease-research-1867/

In the meantime, (hug). As others have said, you are a voice of positivity and friendship to all on the forum. You definitely don't deserve the trials you have been put through lately.

 

I am saddened to hear that.

I believe rTMS has been used to treat tinnitus. I remember seeing posts on this forum where they describe the actual rTMS protocols that are used to treat tinnitus. I might be wrong, but rTMS might be similar to the deep brain stimulation that is being used to treat Parkinson's...

 

Jazzer and myself have been communicating for two years. We are close in age. I also have Parkinson's caused by (either or all) tinnitus, pulsatile tinnitus, severe mouth nerve pain, abdominal aortic aneurysm, severe vascular vein and artery problems, kidney disease, optic nerve and eye diseases, hypertension, heart medications or/and too much radiation from CT exams.

My medication for Parkinson's completely controls it. Dave - Jazzer has started with the same medication and it should have control for him too. Don't worry buddy @Jazzer. Focus on good past memories.

 

My Grandfather has had tinnitus since his 20s. He's 90 this year and the sharpest person I know. He's amazing. I hold on to the fact that he's lived an amazing life and doesn't let his tinnitus bother him.

 

I'm so sorry to hear this. My dad was officially diagnosed in 2016. Though I think his fear put off diagnosing earlier.

I hope it goes well and I urge you to do all the therapy. Speech to physical. My aunt doesn't slack at it, got diagnosed way earlier and is doing so much better than my dad.

 

Jesus .

 

I am so sorry, Greg...

Have you considered getting that deep brain stimulation treatment for your Parkinson's and seeing whether it can also be used to improve your tinnitus?

 

@FGG
My first tinnitus: At the hospital we had two medical transport helicopters landing on the roof of the ER. I went to get one arrival thru an unused roof access. Air was blowing from a helicopter and stirred up pigeon dust that was within an inlet. I soon became very ill and had to get my ears syringed to remove the pigeon dust. The emergency syringing gave me 80 decibel hearing loss and severe tinnitus. After four years, with some eardrum and nerve healing and self treatments, I was able to lower the pitch and went on to live almost a normal life.

Two years later, I started to clench my teeth one night when my mother was dying. That loosened a lower front tooth. I had the tooth removed and decided to have an implant place. The dentist broke the cap to the implant stem and it had to be vibrated out. This loosen all my surrounding teeth and caused nerve damage. While this was happening, I was lifting my head off the headrest and muscles spasms straighten my c-spine and damaged my vertebral artery causing severe somatic tinnitus.

From the stress of all this, I started to have hypertension crisis- quick rises in blood pressure. This caused a abdominal aortic aneurysm, kidney damage and my retina detached. Also from this with having some arteriosclerosis from a intense employment life, plaque from heart or legs traveled to my carotid causing pulsatile tinnitus.

So much more has happened. I can't clean or dress myself. My pain is too severe. All I can do is use the computer.

 

It's so damn awesome how @Greg Sacramento is helping others here with their problems while himself having so many conditions I would have killed myself for already.

Greg is the king of altruism.

 

Thanks for sharing your story. "I'm so sorry" doesn't even touch this series of tragedies. I hope you have comforting people or at least animals around (my cat is curled up next to me as I write this, she's what I have).

Also, (hug).

 

@Jazzer and @Greg Sacramento
Sending you love right now and always.
You are in my heart and all of us here at the forum.

 

@FGG Thank you. My wife takes good care of me. I had adopted a cute female stray calico cat about 8 years ago. She developed hypothyroidism. She got i-131 treatment at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, but became deaf. Later one day she started vomiting. My wife was in a seminar and I could not reach her. When I was able to reach her, she came home and we took the cat to UC Davis. She was admitted, but died 1o days later. I feel guilty because I could not take her to the vets myself.

 

I also feel guilty for letting my cat outside, which led to his death at the age of 7. We should remind ourselves that we gave those cats many years of a wonderful life of a pet, that they wouldn't have if not for us.

 

So sorry to hear this Greg. You are one of life's good guys, the ones we need more of.
I always appreciate your input on medical matters.

Keep strong Greg.

 

@Jazzer

Have you ever thought about writing a book about your life? Even if it is just for you and your loved ones, it would be a good way to keep the grey matter working. Or maybe you feel there is too much pain in your past to want to write about it...

Just an idea.

 

There is nothing I could mention about @Greg Sacramento that would do him justice.
Most of you, I believe, have discovered this for yourselves.
Despite his truly awful dilemma,
he is the friend we all need.
Thank you for being here for us Greg.
You are the reason I am still here.

 

That's astonishing to me. All of your posts seem so sharp and insightful. I always thought you were a healthier young person. I wish you well with those many issues.