Why Does Sleep Reset Tinnitus in No Particular Direction?

I know this is not true for everyone, but there seems to be a subset of us with tinnitus that have this experience.

Sleep resets my tinnitus in no particular direction. Pretty much every time I sleep, even for the shortest of naps, my T will change-up in no particular direction. I've gone to bed without T, only to have it return the next morning. The opposite is also true: I've fallen asleep with my T active, only to have it quiet down the next morning.

My T occurred just after whiplash. I used to suspect that the position of my sleep may be affecting my neck muscles. But even a short nap will change this up. Now I'm wondering if something related to the process of sleep is having an affect.

When we sleep, our muscles relax, blood pressure drops, blood supply to muscles increase, and tissue growth and repair occur. Also, during REM sleep, our muscles are turned off. I think something about this process of relaxing and turning off the muscles is affecting my T.

I can understand why my T might be better the next morning, but why does it often get worse? I wish I understood the science behind it all.

 

Hi MikeS,

Same with me, one or two times a week my T stops and I go to bed without T. Pure silence (very nice). But it's always back the next morning.

I don't think muscles or blood pressure or position of sleep/neck does not matter.

It is a brain-issure. T is al about the brain.
And chooses his own way.

 

I don't believe T is all about the brain. The muscles in the neck are in close proximity to the auditory system. I am able to modulate my T by moving my neck. I have seen research that suggests there is a connection between T and muscles in the neck.

 

Tinnitus is caused by abnormal activity in the auditory cortex, the part of the big brains where sound is detected.

 

Trauma related to the muscles in the neck are related to tinnitus.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686891/

Somatic tinnitus is a type of subjective tinnitus in which the frequency or intensity is altered by body movements such as clenching the jaw, turning the eyes, or applying pressure to the head and neck.15 Reports that tinnitus is louder upon awakening suggest the involvement of somatic factors, such as bruxism. Reports that tinnitus vanishes during sleep but returns within a few hours further suggest that psychosomatic factors, such as neck muscle contractions occurring in an upright position or jaw clenching, play etiological roles.16

Massage and stretching
Massage and stretching of the neck and masticatory muscles have been associated with significant improvement in tinnitus.59 Patients with somatic tinnitus can have symptoms of cervical spine disorders, including head, neck, and shoulder pain as well as limitations in sideways bending and rotation. Treating jaw and neck disorders has beneficial effects on tinnitus. Injecting lidocaine into jaw muscles, such as the lateral pterygoid, also reduces tinnitus.76

http://bmb.oxfordjournals.org/content/63/1/195.full.html

Somatic modulation
The modulation of tinnitus by somatosensory input was considered by Levine70. Patients were first interviewed about their experiences of somatic modulation of their tinnitus, such as changes in pitch or intensity associated with face stroking or head movements. They were then asked to perform manoeuvres of a few seconds' duration to test for somatic effects, including teeth clenching, pressure on the occiput, forehead, vertex and temples, head turning and shoulder abductions. In the interview, 16 of 70 patients reported that they could somatically modulate their tinnitus (23%). On testing, however, 48 patients (68%) reported modulation of their tinnitus with at least one of the manoeuvres. The pattern of modulation reported was highly variable involving changes in intensity (both increase and decrease) and pitch. In all cases, these changes were transient. The results led Levine to conclude that ‘somatic modulation appears to be a fundamental attribute of tinnitus’, and to propose interactions between auditory perception and somatosensory input at the dorsal cochlear nucleus.

 

I do find that for some people (me included) that if you have tension in your neck or jaw that it can make a difference and make your T temporarily louder.

My TRT clinician got me to see a TMJ specialist and it made a difference

 

If I have a good sleep, then when I wake, up at any time 3.30, 6.00. or any other time , often my T is low almost noticeable If I get up then it stays quiet all day long. If I try to get even an extra 5 minutes of sleep instead, it starts ringing again.The same happens when I take a five minute nap in the afternoon.Very peculiar situation.I wish I knew the answer.I manage for 3 days running to get up as soon as I woke up and I had a good day.On the fourth day I woke up at 2 am and could not possibly get up so early. So the answer is to find a way to sleep for 6 hours or longer continually.

 

If I have a good sleep, then when I wake, up at any time 3.30, 6.00. or any other time , often my T is low almost noticeable If I get up then it stays quiet all day long. If I try to get even an extra 5 minutes of sleep instead, it starts ringing again.The same happens when I take a five minute nap in the afternoon.Very peculiar situation.I wish I knew the answer.I manage for 3 days running to get up as soon as I woke up and I had a good day.On the fourth day I woke up at 2 am and could not possibly get up so early. So the answer is to find a way to sleep for 6 hours or longer continually.

 

Even I believe neck muscles play a role in modulating T. There is something going on in the base of the skull (C1,C2) which causes our type of T (concussion induced, whiplash induced ) . I suspect it's either subluxation of atlas and axis bone or some kind of inflammation in there which makes us feel our ears are plugged . My neck muscles are constantly in spasm mode which may be due to above reasons plus some anxiety. Don't know. It's complicated. A physiotherapist may help in such cases. And yes, it may be true that during wrong sleeping positions and tensed neck muscles out T increases upon waking up