Why isn't tinnitus settling down yet?

Discussion in 'Support' started by Asian, Jul 26, 2014.

    1. Asian

      Asian Member

      Tinnitus Since:
      4 weeks
      Ok so I am having a really nasty spike today probably because of anxiety due to some personal stuff. It's come back roaring and my hearing feels muffled. The anxiety episode was some 6 hours ago but T hasn't settled yet. I know it will go away once I get a good night's sleep but shouldn't it just settle down once the anxiety event is over hours ago and I am chilling and relaxing! Why is it still exploding hours after the anxiety episode? Sorry probably it's a vague question but just curious to know..any similar experiences?
       
      Asian, Jul 26, 2014
      #1
    2. I who love music
      Cheerful

      I who love music Member

      Location:
      Michigan
      Tinnitus Since:
      mid seventies
      In my 40 years of living with T, I've found there's one thing I can be sure of ... it's unpredictable.
      It'll help if you quit measuring it, and instead, measure your response.
      I noticed in your post you described your T six times. You described your response once.
      Turn that around and most likely you'll have a change.
      Good luck.
       
      • Like Like x 3
      • Helpful Helpful x 1
      I who love music, Jul 26, 2014
      #2
    3. billie48
      Sunshine

      billie48 Member Benefactor Hall of Fame Ambassador

      Location:
      Canada
      Tinnitus Since:
      03/2009
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      not sure
      So true by I Who Love Music. Don't waste your emotional energy to monitor T, a total unpredictable alien. I used to tip-toe around my T only to have my life consumed and controlled by this beast. The less you care about T, the more it tends to fade in loudness. Most spikes will sette down to baseline anyway.
       
      billie48, Jul 26, 2014
      #3
    4. Karen
      Talkative

      Karen Manager Staff Benefactor Hall of Fame Ambassador

      Location:
      U.S.
      Tinnitus Since:
      05/2010
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      First time: Noise 2nd Time: Ototoxic drug
      Asian,

      IWLM has given you some great advice! It takes time, but he is correct that it's all about the way you respond to tinnitus. Right at first, it's very hard not to let it totally take over your life, but in time, you'll be able to tune it out a lot more than you can right now.

      From my experience, when I have a spike, it doesn't just go away right after the event. It takes awhile for it to settle down, and usually a good night's sleep will return it back to baseline level (the level it was before the spike).

      Good luck -- please be patient, and find ways to distract yourself from the tinnitus when it is at its worst. In time, things will improve. I promise!

      Best wishes and hugs,
      Karen
       
      Karen, Jul 26, 2014
      #4
    5. Telis

      Telis Member Hall of Fame

      Tinnitus Since:
      11/2013
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      Drugs barotrauma
      I thought you were having a withdrawal spike from ADs? Is that done with?
       
      Telis, Jul 27, 2014
      #5
    6. jazz
      No Mood

      jazz Member Benefactor

      Location:
      US
      Tinnitus Since:
      8/2012
      Cause of Tinnitus:
      eardrum rupture from virus; barotrauma from ETD
      @Asian Whenever something triggers a spike in my tinnitus, I always need a good night's sleep to reset. This is not true for everyone; but it true for some people. To speculate why your tinnitus won't settle down sooner, my guess is that anxiety and other triggers greatly increase the maladaptive spiking of your neurons. They are all worked up; they need a chemical reset.

      Just be glad that your tinnitus resets.:) That thought has helped me through many a nasty spike!

      The real question is why does sleep reset some people's tinnitus and not others?
       
      jazz, Jul 27, 2014
      #6
    7. russiancarl

      russiancarl Member

      Well, anxiety is kind of a funny thing. You could still be feeling the physical effects of it and not even be aware after the major attack you suffered. It takes your body time to get back to it's normal way of functioning. If this has happened in the past and you recover quickly I wouldn't worry too much.

      Give it a night's rest for your body to heal itself and maybe half a day after that. Sleep is a miraculous thing. I know that when I used to get spikes from being too tired or too much alcohol some extra sleep always did the trick.
       
      russiancarl, Jul 27, 2014
      #7

Share This Page

If you have ringing ears then you've come to the right place. We are a friendly tinnitus support board, dedicated to helping you discuss and understand what tinnitus treatments may work for you.