Wayne
Senior Member
- Messages
- 4,119
- Location
- Ashland, Oregon
Hi @Sarahloudobby,
I've been considering the past couple days whether to share with you a few more "cautionary notes" about tinnitus, and my recent experiences with it (started 4 months ago). It's been such a life-altering development for me, that I've spent way more time on a tinnitus forum than I have on this one. Much of what I've learned is almost staggering in some respects, especially how seemingly trivial actions/experiences have transformed people's lives in major ways.
For instance, one person who regularly uses an electronic toothbrush accidentally moved it too close to his ear for just a brief moment, and the high-pitched sound hit his ear just right, and he's had persistent tinnitus ever since. Many have reported getting ultrasonic teeth cleaning, only to return home with tinnitus that would not go away. Others have gotten it from "professional" ear cleaning, and other "professional" treatments like botox.
Many more have gotten it from any number of ototoxic drugs, as well as exposure to loud music/noises, etc. Regarding seemingly benign ototoxic drugs, one guy wrote that he'd never had tinnitus, but had taken just a single dose of Benadryl, which is in the category of anticholinergic drugs. It caused tinnitus, and it never went away. Anticholinergic drugs includes things like most pain killers like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and more.
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Perhaps the most important thing I've learned is that once a person develops tinnitus, it's a condition that they will be vulnerable to for the rest of their lives. This includes those who have temporary tinnitus that goes away after a few hours, or a few days. The regrets I've read on that forum are fairy difficult to read. A familiar refrain would go something like, "Yeah, I would go to concerts, and get ringing in the ears. But it would always go away by the next morning".
And then the concert arrives where the ringing doesn't ever go away, and they wonder how they could have been so foolish to not have heeded all those warnings they'd been getting. The answer is generally that they had never considered that the ringing wouldn't ever just not go away like it always had. They had absolutely no idea they could end up with such a life-altering condition, one that can often prevents them from sleeping, makes them extremely anxious, depressed, and even suicidal.
Sarah, I hope you don't mind my posting this. But from your picture, you look so young, with a whole lifetime ahead of you. From what you mentioned about your intermittent tinnitus, it appears you have a vulnerability to it. I would just hate to see that develop into a chronic, daily experience for you. ME/CFS is difficult enough to deal with. Adding tinnitus on top of that is something you want to avoid if at all possible.
One precaution that would be good to consider is using earplugs when you use noisy things, such as the blender, or vacuuming, etc. And of course, when going to any places that are noisy, such as concerts, etc. Headphones can also be problematic, and should generally be kept at low volume, or not used at all. Something about they way the sound reverberates just seems to irritate ears that are already vulnerable to tinnitus.
There are many other things that can be done nutritionally to fortify the ears, such as having adequate zinc, Vitamin A (and more), and taking herbs or foods that improve circulation and reduce inflammation. I've learned so much about ear care, that I could probably go on and on.
I'll stop now. But finish up by mentioning I now realize--more than ever--just how precious good ear health is, and how precious quiet is. Something to be protected as well as we possibly can.
All the Best, Wayne
I've been considering the past couple days whether to share with you a few more "cautionary notes" about tinnitus, and my recent experiences with it (started 4 months ago). It's been such a life-altering development for me, that I've spent way more time on a tinnitus forum than I have on this one. Much of what I've learned is almost staggering in some respects, especially how seemingly trivial actions/experiences have transformed people's lives in major ways.
For instance, one person who regularly uses an electronic toothbrush accidentally moved it too close to his ear for just a brief moment, and the high-pitched sound hit his ear just right, and he's had persistent tinnitus ever since. Many have reported getting ultrasonic teeth cleaning, only to return home with tinnitus that would not go away. Others have gotten it from "professional" ear cleaning, and other "professional" treatments like botox.
Many more have gotten it from any number of ototoxic drugs, as well as exposure to loud music/noises, etc. Regarding seemingly benign ototoxic drugs, one guy wrote that he'd never had tinnitus, but had taken just a single dose of Benadryl, which is in the category of anticholinergic drugs. It caused tinnitus, and it never went away. Anticholinergic drugs includes things like most pain killers like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and more.
-
Perhaps the most important thing I've learned is that once a person develops tinnitus, it's a condition that they will be vulnerable to for the rest of their lives. This includes those who have temporary tinnitus that goes away after a few hours, or a few days. The regrets I've read on that forum are fairy difficult to read. A familiar refrain would go something like, "Yeah, I would go to concerts, and get ringing in the ears. But it would always go away by the next morning".
And then the concert arrives where the ringing doesn't ever go away, and they wonder how they could have been so foolish to not have heeded all those warnings they'd been getting. The answer is generally that they had never considered that the ringing wouldn't ever just not go away like it always had. They had absolutely no idea they could end up with such a life-altering condition, one that can often prevents them from sleeping, makes them extremely anxious, depressed, and even suicidal.
Sarah, I hope you don't mind my posting this. But from your picture, you look so young, with a whole lifetime ahead of you. From what you mentioned about your intermittent tinnitus, it appears you have a vulnerability to it. I would just hate to see that develop into a chronic, daily experience for you. ME/CFS is difficult enough to deal with. Adding tinnitus on top of that is something you want to avoid if at all possible.
One precaution that would be good to consider is using earplugs when you use noisy things, such as the blender, or vacuuming, etc. And of course, when going to any places that are noisy, such as concerts, etc. Headphones can also be problematic, and should generally be kept at low volume, or not used at all. Something about they way the sound reverberates just seems to irritate ears that are already vulnerable to tinnitus.
There are many other things that can be done nutritionally to fortify the ears, such as having adequate zinc, Vitamin A (and more), and taking herbs or foods that improve circulation and reduce inflammation. I've learned so much about ear care, that I could probably go on and on.
I'll stop now. But finish up by mentioning I now realize--more than ever--just how precious good ear health is, and how precious quiet is. Something to be protected as well as we possibly can.All the Best, Wayne
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