Tinnitus Won't Leave Me Alone — Tried Relaxing, Meditating, Breathing Quietly, Herbal Remedies

I did everything people suggested me to - I tried relaxing, meditating, breathing quietly, I took a herbal tea to help with sleeping, melatonin 3mg, and still, it is just continuing with the constant noise - this 'kettle boiling/fire alarm tinkering sound' - I can't take it anymore. I had relief before and now virtually none. At least for bed time, I think I am relaxed enough but nothing changed...

I just want to end this torture. I have reacted as best I could... I hope society realizes people are killing themselves because a phantom sound 'in their head' is ruing their lives. I guess society doesn't care since doctors and the 'hearing' community just tell you to live with it and everyone is just out for profit.

 

You're still so early in, Pete. I know it seems hard, but give it the chance to fade. Deep breaths. Do you have anything to distract yourself with?

 

I tried. I had my phone app going - but, it seems to aggravate it more or it seems it 'tries to be louder.' I had a crickets/stream sound going - I went for a walk tonight, trying to calm myself down, taking deep breaths outside.... I thought it would help. But, I got back inside and it was as haywire as ever. It's like I didn't do anything.

I am so scared. Everything is speculation. I am crying and it does nothing. Everyone says you will learn to live with it and I think that is only true for some people. I just want some way of rewiring my brain so it will stop this phantom sound. I am scared of the idea of sucide but I don't see any other way to stop it.

 

This is insane. I tried methods for sleeping but nothing is working. Then, you/I'm told that sleep deprivation makes it worse or causes spikes. So, either way, I'm screwed. Why go on with this?

 

Hi @PeteJ Don't lose hope. Many people's tinnitus goes away or lessens. Just go easy on your ears and avoid loud places, listening to loud music and headphones.
Even if it doesn't go away by itself, there's a bimodal neuromodulation treatment that has been developed that may help. It's going to be released at some stage, hopefully this year, maybe next.

 

You don't have any white noise, pink noise, or the tv to block it out at all?

 

Hey @PeteJ, at least here you will be able to communicate with people that can relate to what you're going through. There are people here that have been in your shoes for years and years. They can help you/us and we can help each other. Believe me, life can go on. Also there may be a cure on the way so have hope in that.

 

Hey man, we almost all know what it's like at the beginning. Because there's no reprieve it's impossible to think it will get better, but in almost all cases it does. The beginning is also the time where your tinnitus can fluctuate the most. Melatonin, 3mg a night for 30 days was a game changer for me. It takes time to build up in your system, I believe. But it made me realize I could sleep again.

I remember reading all of these "it gets better" posts and thinking "how, is this going to get any better?" But listen to everyone here, the beginning is a nightmare - you must persevere. We're closer than we've ever been to getting help. Stay strong, eat well, avoid alcohol and caffeine, protect your ears from loud noises, keep meditating daily, exercise daily and you'll get there.

 

Nobody gives a shit because it’s not happening to them and they cannot even begin to imagine how terrifying and soul destroying it is. No doubt we are going through something way beyond what say Mandela on Robin island or John McCain went through when he was POW.......This is Aushwitz horror level shit. But nobody will ever see that.

You can survive this Pete for several years as other members have proved. You just have to make the mental leap to accepting constant noise and a decreased level of happiness and contentment....for now.

It’s almost impossible to accept I know, but as John pointed out seeing it as maybe for another five or maximum 10 years or so before silence is restored, rather than a life or a death sentence may be the key here.

 

Really Bam? I know loud tinnitus can be grim beyond belief but we are not the only suffering humans in the history of the world.

 

If you have truly Severe Tinnitus (and I think Pete might) I don’t think any of these things are going to reduce the noise. What do you think I’m throwing KFC down my throat all day and lying in bed? I have tried all these things and more and the truth is they have made no difference to the severity.....nor has the passage of time.

It seems I have complex brain damage. I will have to live with this until someone finds a cure for this malfunction or I end my life.

I’m sorry that’s the stark truth and promoting lifestyle changes as some form of ‘cure’ is hampering us getting an actual treatment that works and condemning severe sufferers to an isolated and belittled hell with all our family and friends questioning wether we ‘want to get better’ and deserting us in droves with a shrug of ‘he didn’t try hard enough’....... This is the point where suicide becomes the only option left.

 

I consider mine severe. I think the only way to live/cope with this is if you perceive gradual improvement, at least, or have moments of relief. But, those are too few for me now. All there is speculation and words of encouragement and hope which is nice, don't get me wrong but without some relief felt, it's agony.

Yours is severe, too, I assume correctly? You think you got yours from stress and neck problems, though? I think I have minor TMJ but if I move my neck and jaw muscles, it doesn't modify or change the T. I sometimes, think it pauses for a second but then I can't find that point when trying again. So, I don't think it's somatic. I think mine is from acoustic trauma and hearing loss (combined?). I think it is probably one of the more common causes so how are the cures going to target this? It makes sense that hair cell generation could possibly rewire the signals as the brain would have the repaired nerves and wouldn't the 'communication' be restored properly? But, again, this is just so far away and when it would actually work is still unknown.

Regardless, if one can't sleep and they don't get any relief or the T doesn't subside sometimes or enough times, then I think the suffering will be too great (for me). The background noises don't seem to help because I don't know how loud to put the volume at - it seems the T is always louder and the louder I place the background noise, it seems to aggravate the T more - it is a slow fire alarm/kettle boiling right now and too loud. But, it can pick up speed or increase with intensity (I don't know how to describe it) if I play something in the background. But, I can't sleep with having quiet in my bedroom either - I was able to just barely sleep previously because the T would calm down, to almost a white noise/hiss sound but that's not happening now.

I'm scared that the noise event in the store 'changed things' and I'm told maybe it's only temporary but the maybes/temporary T possibilities are speculation to me because waiting for improvement is also stressful and agony - as I don't know what to expect or how long to wait with this. If I can't sleep and I risk spikes or the T being the same because I can't sleep and need sleep for it to heal, presumably, then I am lost either way.

The cures might be arriving soon but soon being years away is way too long for me. I am suffering and complaining now, just day by day. I really hate that our lives can change so drastically in an instant. Things I was depressed or anxious about before doesn't compare to this - this is agony and torture - yet, society/governments don't care about it. I don't know what the solution is. But, I don't know whether I can wait for it. I just don't see being able to do so. :-(

 

I feel so bad for you OP. I can't offer anything the more experienced members of this forum can except my sympathies and hope you can pull through and make this torture subside.. I ended up calling suicide and crisis centres during my first months. This thing is so horrific.

 

Pete you have it bad mate. As do i and some others.

I’m going to give it to you straight here.......

Our lives have become minute by minute torture. The issue is that we are massively in the minority so it’s hard for other people with T to even understand it, let alone people without T who have absolutely no frame of reference unless they’ve been captured by sadists and had their toenails ripped out with pliers for many years day and night.

There is no other equivalent for the suffering. People claiming we don’t have a terminal illness and should appreciate that have no idea whatsoever how awful this can get.

So what do we do?!?

The only thing you can do is accept. As unpalatable as it seems. You have to accept that this noise may never lessen. You have to accept that the freedom and happiness you once enjoyed has gone. You have to accept you’ve lost your life and been imprisoned in noise and may never escape. You have to accept that exhaustion and irritation is your new normal. You have to accept that nobody cares. You have to accept wearing a false smile and pretending you’re okay is what you must do to even have any pleasant and normal human contact at all. You have to accept that suicidal ideation will lurk around constantly and plague you day and night. You have to accept that any faith you once had in a caring and protective God is gone. You have to accept that this may get even worse just by living a normal life.

And finally you have to accept that you need to become the toughest bastard on this earth......because my friend you have been struck with perhaps the worst incurable affliction there is and when all is said and done, nobody cares. They’re too busy with their own lives and all those minor problems that you used to worry about before someone opened the trapdoor to hell and you fell through it.

I make no apologies for the tough love. You need it. As soon as you reset yourself to this plunge downward in life, the sooner you will go from panic, to dire depression and then maybe, just maybe to a place where you can cope and in a strange way accept this awful noise, until a treatment arrives. It may be this year, it maybe ten years from now. And when that does happen you will be one of the strongest, humble and most enlightened souls on earth.

But only you can choose wether or not you can or even want to endure, to make it to that place.

Pete it’s time to get seriously tough mate......Sink or swim.

 

It's almost 10 am here. The T is as before, piercing and no relief. A bit early in the morning, 2 hrs earlier - wasn't as bad and I tried to sleep, but, couldn't. I had a quick dream of driving a car and woke up. Not sure when that was, exactly.

So, there's a chance of fading - but, only a 'chance?'

I have inflammation of wearing ear plugs - the foam kind. How common is that? What can I do about it? Should I order some more comfortable plugs? I don't need any more pain or irritation to my ear(s). This is just so depressing.

 

Bam, I can't accept it. I am not as strong as most on here. I need to be free of this. It has gone to a bearable noise before - before the store incident - I need that at the very least or I can't go on. If I'm hoping for a miracle, then I am.

 

@PeteJ
So sorry you are struggling this bad. You have received good advice in the above posts and like @Bam said, some tough love. I have had tinnitus for 7 years now and it has turned my life upside down. All of me have changed.
Some for bad and some for good. The bad, well, we all know the bad. The tears, the pain, the isolation, sadness, fear, anxiety, loneliness, etc. The good, well, I don't take my love ones for granted, I love more intensely and with intention, I stop to "smell the flowers", I look for the good in everything, I am more compassionate, I have learned new hobbies, made new friends... Have learned to be more creative in finding ways around tinnitus and all the noise around me to try and give my two daughters a "normal" life. It is a different, hard life, but it still has beauty in it...

At the beginning it feels so awful and impossible to accept and live like this.... but as time goes by …. as acceptance sinks in...you find a place where you can cope with the reality that this is, well, your new reality. Of course until a relief or cure comes. It is a big roller coaster ride. You dont know when the ups or downs are coming, just hold on tight.

Looks like you just got tinnitus, and therefore you may have chances for it to go away. Please try to calm down (I know easier said than done) but the stress and anxiety can complicate tinnitus. I pray you may sleep well tonight.

Are you taking any medications at the moment?

Once

 

No. I was prescribed all ototoxic medications - if you know of any that are safe?
I'm taking vitamins including magnesium. I am wondering what the chances are of this fading after my 'store incident' - a loud screeching sound that seemed to change my pattern including a slight difference in how it sounds. I went for a walk with my dog - I wore plugs when near places with loud sounds - machinery. But, ordinary sounds don't bother me. I don't wince or anything like that. Cars, a bus and other sounds didn't bother me. So, I don't have a sensitivity to it, whether physical or mental. But, I believe a loud, high pitched sound could 'do something.' I don't know how I could habituate to it as it is now - if it settled down or preferably became much lower in volume like T is for many people that cope, maybe I could, but not this. This tinkering fire alarm / kettle boiling sound is unbearable at times, most of the time. When it settles down, it's still not good but when it goes haywire, I want to do myself in.

 

Yes, very wise words Once. We must do our best to hold on tight and try to cope, while keeping hope that a cure or at best, relief, will present itself, soon.

 

No, but you can't live in fear. Maybe you can try something just for a few weeks or a month to help you calm down.

I have high pitch hiss with lovely tee kettle eeeee, a horrible head low hum/drone (like some sort of a motor is stuck in your head) and sometimes morse code. The head humming is the worst. That one makes me cry....

Cancel that thought....dont go near it. Hey, maybe a treatment/cure is nearer than we think.

Once

 

Imho, the best treatment is hair cell regeneration. I have read of drugs/pills and lasers being capable of it - plus, inserting the drug in the inner ear - but, these treatments are years away.

The other treatments that are discussed here are in trials and sound like 'temp fixes' that you have to repeat over and over - and there's only limited results being reported - mixed reviews on those. I'm sorry for being such a downer but the state of the treatments is depressing to me as well.

 

No need to be sorry at all, you are not a downer, you are a tinnitus sufferer.

I do believe a real cure is quite a ways off yet. I would love to be proven wrong though. Staying positive and hopeful of better days ahead is what helps me to cope on a day to day basis.

It has been one full year with tinnitus for me and in the early months I felt many of the same emotions that you are experiencing. Time does help, at least for the greater majority of us. I am in a much better place emotionally, even though I hear the tinnitus just as I did a year ago.

 

This afternoon, the volume or perceived volume went down and/or intensity lessened. It was somewhat of a relief. It's starting up a bit now, though. I have a question, however. My left ear is painful. I saw the dr and he said it is from using ear plugs too much. I was using foam ones but I switched from one brand to a different one. But, my right ear is fine. What should I do now?

The GP said the inner ear canal is a bit inflamed but it's more painful now than yesterday when the Dr. looked at it. I have had ear pain but it's gone away although I don't remember how long it took. I am looking for opinions here because maybe there's way more experience and knowledge with this here - since, an after hrs doc will probably prescribe advil or something. I can't see anyone from my doctor's office until tomorrow and that's if I call early in the morning. Sorry to bring about another crisis but I guess my ears are really sensitive.

 

Spike now. Always at 5 or 6 PM ish. Lasts all night unless there is some way to stop it. Help?