Cause of tinnitus for us

[fla]

I've had tinnitus for several months now and it's extremely annoying and makes it difficult to think about anything else. It's similar to this except mine has a slightly higher pitch.

My neurologist brushed it off and said there are hundreds of causes for tinnutus. I'm inclined to believe that it's related to low blood flow to the inner ear. This theory comes from the fact that my POTS became much more severe, my heart started struggling to beat normally even at rest, frequent chest pain... at the same time my tinnutus started.

Any one else see a correlation between heart function, POTS and their tinnitus?

Google found several papers describing using tinnitus as a predictor for heart problems (non-CFS related papers).

 

[dannybex]

I think you're correct Fla -- that low blood volume could be a cause of tinnitus in CFS. That and perhaps elevated homocysteine or calcium levels. (If it fluctuates quite a bit during the day it may possibly be related to a food intolerance issue as well. Mine seems to get worse after I have milk...???)

I don't have pots (or POTS), but do definitely have low blood volume which has gotten worse this past year, and my tinnitus, which had calmed down somewhat in 2009-2010, has been worse, even pulsing at times, in 2011. Mine is also very high pitched.

 

[Wayne]

Hi Fla,

I recently read the book "Cure Unknown - Inside the Lyme Epidemic" by Pamela Weintraub. I read for the first time in this book that Lyme bacteria can cause tinnitus. Her own tinnitus went away after successfully treating her Lyme. I suspect any number of other pathogens could also cause tinnitus. I hope you can find a good way to treat this for yourself.

Regards, Wayne

 

[Enid]

I'm pretty certain mine was bacterial Wayne when it at worst - accompanied by blockage of sinuses (and pain) and mouth problems (teeth loss/ulcers). So thanks for your interesting input here Wayne. Maybe a route to try out - infection.

 

[justy]

tinnitus is a horrible symptom. i have had it on and off for a few years, mine is high pitched, listening to the youtube link made my brain go strange -had to turn it off quick! Mine comes and goes though, i luckily dont have it all the time -does anyone else have this?

 

[Esther12]

There was this recent piece on mice with tinnitus having some problem with their 'dorsal cochlear nucleus' - the part of the brain that's thought to limit the bodily signals we receive:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704681904576319603527660560.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

[fla]

My tinnitus never goes away justy. It does intensify during PEM though so it's not unchanging.

 

[maddietod]

I've had tinnitus my whole life, always the same pitch and intensity. I didn't know it could fluctuate.

 

[andrewdisco]

How are your stress levels at the moment ? do you find sharp loud sounds drive you crazy ? are you on any types of anti-depressants ? I personally beleive it's just a side effect of the permanent flight or fight response that CFS sufferers are locked into and as such, a side effect of your stress hormones being crazy out of control... this then results in super amplified hearing as you're on the lookout for footsteps from predators... hence tinnitus.

If the tinnitus is being fired off by stress/FoF that can also tie in with chest pains, as during stress you start breathing through your chest instead of your stomach, and after a while the cartlidge holding your ribcage together will cause pain, making it feel like you are on your way to a heart attach.

The way to test this is to get on a treadmill and see if the pain gets worse as you push the intensity. If it's a cardiac issue, then the pain should be more noticeable when exercising.

The POTS can indeed create this state of stress, as your sympathetic system will dump adrenaline to increase your heart rate as well in order to normalise blood pressure.

What sort of blood pressure readings and heart rate do you have when resting?

Try a decent size dose of magnesium, like half a teaspoon of magnesium citrate or something and see if that makes a difference.

 

[fla]

andrewdisco: As my neurologist said there are hundreds of causes for tinnitus. I'm sure what you describe is one of those causes for certain people but is totally wrong in my case. My cardiologist beleives an auto-immune condition is causing the low energy and the cardiovascular system is adjusting to cope with the lack of energy.

 

[Mya Symons]

I get the ringing but I also hear a loud rushing noise which doesn't necessarily come with the ringing. It sounds sort of like the sound you hear when you hold a seashell up to your ear except it is a little louder. I notice it more when I bend over for some reason. I wonder what that is? Maybe it is the blood rushing back to that area?

 

[Valentijn]

The way to test this is to get on a treadmill and see if the pain gets worse as you push the intensity. If it's a cardiac issue, then the pain should be more noticeable when exercising.

I'm not sure this is a good thing to suggest for someone with a disease characterized by post-exertional malaise/post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion ...

 

[lauluce]

I've had tinnitus for 24 years, and got completely used to it perhaps after one year, if yours doesn't go away, you'l surely learn to live with it without it causing you any discomfort.

 

[perchance dreamer]

I got mine when I had godawful bronchitis years ago. I tried for weeks to treat it on my own with supplements, but finally had to get ABX. I wish I had gone to the doctor earlier. Sometimes you just need drugs.

My tinnitus doesn't really bother me, though. At night I have white noise and the air filter going, and that helps.

 

[Wayne]

This recent 8-minute PBS segment "Constant Ringing" mentions some of the brain aspects of tinnitus. I thought some of these aspects resembled some of the ones pwCFS often describe.

 

[Snowdrop]

I've had tinnitus for the past 40 odd years. It's not just a tone any more but a whole symphony playing and the tones change their pitch sometimes or occasionally a new pitch becomes prominent and then goes away.

It has gotten worse recently but when I first got it my brain was young and supple and I somehow learned to tune it out. I don't think the sounds have gotten louder so much as my brain is now not as good at filtering the noise.

If anyone here finds a solution to this keep us 'tuned'. At the end of the day if a solution involves endless Dr visits and long tiring explanations/testing I'm going to have to continue to live with it.