Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

npr.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 184 posts

Re: An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

#141

Post by davidmurdoch »

tithe wrote: post #74

I've had a mental visualization I've used to control tinnitus flares for about 20 years now - i.e., "biofeedback". I image the entire soundscape (what I'm possible of hearing) as a long, thin line which is warbling a bit, as I'm hearing things right now -- like the line in an oscilloscope. The present tinnitus represents itself as a sharp spike in this visualization, the location dependent upon its texture (sharp pin…

Neat. I "see" a 3D twisting oscillating when actively listening to music and I'm also musically inclined.

Re: An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

#143

Post by e79 »

jordanmorgan10 wrote: post #19

35 year old male. I developed tinnitus in my left ear only after covid last December. It's been constant since December 21st, 2023. I have an amazingly huge level of empathy of anyone dealing with this - the first few days were some of the longest of my life. Through it all so far, it's amazing how little we seem to know about tinnitus - TL;DR my doctors have said we don't have any great answers for it. Thanks for po…

I never got diagnosed with COVID, but I was almost certainly exposed. Mine developed suddenly during one of the early peaks in 2020. Unfortunately I was also producing music at the time with headphones, which I've considered the likely cause. But who knows -- maybe it was a combo of things. My stress was through the roof, I wasn't sleeping much, I put on a lot of weight, and I was exposing my ears to moderately loud sounds. Suddenly my brain just decided to keep looping a tone indefinitely.

At least treatments are starting to come out. It's nice to know that there is relief if I ever need it.

Re: An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

#144

Post by ilove_banh_mi »

JohnFen wrote: post #106
tithe wrote: post #74

I've had a mental visualization I've used to control tinnitus flares for about 20 years now - i.e., "biofeedback". I image the entire soundscape (what I'm possible of hearing) as a long, thin line which is warbling a bit, as I'm hearing things right now -- like the line in an oscilloscope. The present tinnitus represents itself as a sharp spike in this visualization, the location dependent upon its texture (sharp pin…

I've done something similar to this to control my hay fever since I was a kid.

I ended decades of hayfever crises by breathing in deeply and repeating a mantra that I accept the cosmos. Used to get annual steroid shots since childhood, then tried antihistamines tablets for a few more years, but both had nasty side effects.

Re: An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

#145

Post by frompdx »

I would like to offer a more comical tinnitus anecdote as someone with a moderate hereditary hearing impairment. I have always had tinnitus for as long as I remember. Usually it's a constant ringing that gets more intense until it stops. When I was very young I described it to the school district audiologist as "hearing trains", or at least that's what I remember of trying to describe the sensation as a five year old.

It never really bothered me to be honest. I was always a little baffled when I read stories about it ruining someone's life. Then two years ago I had just moved into a new house. After returning from a roadtrip I started hearing what I was convinced was a smoke detector beeping due to low battery in mostly my left ear. I looked everywhere for the source of the beep. In the attic, in the crawlspace, in the garage, everywhere. I started to wonder if maybe it was in my head, but from time to time I would hear the beep and once again scour the house for the source of the mystery beep.

Finally, I went on another trip and lo and behold, I heard the beep in the dead of night in my hotel room. After that, I knew it was a new tinnitus symptom. My theory is that possibly having the windows down while I was driving on such a long trip caused new hearing loss and produced new tinnitus symptoms. Luckily, I feel that being able to recognize that it is no different than the tinnitus I have always had, and that it is something outside of my control seems to allow me to remain unbothered once again.

Re: An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

#146

Post by hcarvalhoalves »

criddell wrote: post #93
hcarvalhoalves wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s frustrating, I’ve been through that - hearing is fine, but tinnitus persists. There’s no single recommended treatment studied by medicine so far. I’m not a doctor but I visited multiple doctors and tried many things, and I’m doing better now. The obvious stuff: - Stress management. - Cut caffeine and alcohol. These substances affect blood flow of the inner ear. - Do you have neck pain? Pain in the neck region af…

Could you share the specific brand/dose for the magnesium and ginko that helped you?

The chelated magnesium I asked a local pharmacy to manipulate, but any reputable brand should work. The protocol is 300-400mg daily for 3 months. Toxicity is hard to achieve, the body will store Mg on the bones for when you need and the excess goes in urine, but drink plenty of water.

Gingko look for the standardized extract Egb 761. See this study for dosage: https://arquivosdeorl.org.br/additional/acervo_port.asp?id=1...

Re: An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

#148

Post by brewdad »

neilv wrote: post #131
PcChip wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel the same way - I forget I have it until I read about it, then i can hear it again (unless I've had too much salt or caffeine or something)

What I was told: salt, caffeine, alcohol, and stress. (I check sodium on the Nutrition Facts of packaged food (it's usually high), don't touch even decaf, don't touch alcohol, and try to minimize the bad kind of stress that has no constructive solutions.)

Well I’m 3 out of 4 pretty consistently. I’ve lived with tinnitus since early childhood. I guess I’ll continue to live with it.

Re: An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

#149

Post by antod »

maxerickson wrote: post #140
tithe wrote: post #74

I've had a mental visualization I've used to control tinnitus flares for about 20 years now - i.e., "biofeedback". I image the entire soundscape (what I'm possible of hearing) as a long, thin line which is warbling a bit, as I'm hearing things right now -- like the line in an oscilloscope. The present tinnitus represents itself as a sharp spike in this visualization, the location dependent upon its texture (sharp pin…

My tinnitus seems to be worse when my blood pressure is less controlled. If that isn't just a figment of my imagination, a possible mechanism for your technique is that you are relaxing (or so).

On a similar note, sometimes I feel my tinnitus as much as hearing it - it does feel like a pressure in my ears/head. It doesn't feel like real air pressure so much as the sound is pressing on the insides of my ears. Maybe a blood pressure thing like yours?

Re: An FDA approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus

#150

Post by gerdesj »

tithe wrote: post #74

I've had a mental visualization I've used to control tinnitus flares for about 20 years now - i.e., "biofeedback". I image the entire soundscape (what I'm possible of hearing) as a long, thin line which is warbling a bit, as I'm hearing things right now -- like the line in an oscilloscope. The present tinnitus represents itself as a sharp spike in this visualization, the location dependent upon its texture (sharp pin…

That's cool if it works for you. You mention a tinnitus "flare".

I was born with "glue ear" (diagnosed at age ~six I think). That's a lot of rubbish medical nonsense I gather. Anyway, regardless of what is the current "Medifacts" I have tinnitus and it was probably exacerbated by all the instruments that were stuffed in my ears.

I had two lots of "gromits" - tiny tubes stuffed into my eustacean tubes under general ana ... oh for fucks sake, why can't medics and doctors n that speak English. Law courts have dispensed with Latin and Greek, why can't medics?

Tinnitus is generally consistent in my experience - the surrounding environment within my body allows it to flow in and out of my conscious experience depending on what I'm up to.

For me the intrusiveness is generally related to my blood pressure and a few other things.

Post reply on HN