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Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

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Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#331

Post by dghughes »

jader201 wrote: post #96

I don’t know if this is a clue, but I can do muscle movements in my head/face/jaw to make the tinnitus worse (only as I make the movements, immediately reverting back to “normal” tinnitus as soon as I relax). Some examples: - jutting my jaw forwards - moving my ears back with my face muscles - pushing downward on the top of my head with my hands Another possible clue: this has been true since I can remember — even as…

I have tinnitus I mean my ears ring constantly but I've never been diagnosed officially. It seems to be a middle C tone.

For years I clenched my jaw and grind my teeth mostly at night to the point of damaging my teeth. I wore a guard and then didn't now again back at it due to jaw pain. The guard helps a bit mainly from damage when asleep and seems to protect my jaw joints.

My point being even if my jaw is totally relaxed there is a hum from the muscles in my jaw. It's like a 60Hz hum musicians hear from AC interference in speakers. I have to wonder if it's part of the constant noise I hear in my ears.

I also get BPPV too it's severe sudden vertigo it may be related to my clench and tinnitus. It's just random no clue what causes it. I can't even walk and have to lay down and not even close my eyes just pick a spot and stare. I had to do that for 12 hours one time my worst time.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#332

Post by dathos »

dghughes wrote: post #331
jader201 wrote: post #96

I don’t know if this is a clue, but I can do muscle movements in my head/face/jaw to make the tinnitus worse (only as I make the movements, immediately reverting back to “normal” tinnitus as soon as I relax). Some examples: - jutting my jaw forwards - moving my ears back with my face muscles - pushing downward on the top of my head with my hands Another possible clue: this has been true since I can remember — even as…

I have tinnitus I mean my ears ring constantly but I've never been diagnosed officially. It seems to be a middle C tone. For years I clenched my jaw and grind my teeth mostly at night to the point of damaging my teeth. I wore a guard and then didn't now again back at it due to jaw pain. The guard helps a bit mainly from damage when asleep and seems to protect my jaw joints. My point being even if my jaw is totally re…

Interesting, I have issues with jaw clenching and a damaged TMJ. I seem to always notice the (incorrect) position of my jaw, and when this is in a worse position the clenching increases and with that my tinnitus.

I always assumed the softer bones around my ears get deformed because of this which in turn causes me to be affected by tinnitus.

Honestly the thing that helped best was meditation. I tried guards, even a specialized one to realign my jaw slowly, but I feel those are just symptom relievers.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#333

Post by codesnik »

For me it's an attention issue. I went for a checkup and it was a first time I've been in silenced cabin where doctor checks hearing. And I wasn't able to hear some of the frequencies, because of ringing in my ears, which was louder. And doctor expressed some concern about it.

Before that I rarely ever noticed it. Now it is very loud and constant. Maybe it was like that for a long-long time, but now I just focus on it too much.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#334

Post by gfodor »

rajin112 wrote: post #294

Mine started after taking antibiotics for Lymes. Not sure what caused it the antibiotics or lymes... this was in 2021 so other things were at play too. Anyone have any tips for healing? Really has hindered from doing deep thinking and just even day dreaming. I have been an avid meditator and I feel that has been taken away from me. What is good though is that I dont hear it when i am active in the day such as working…

Tobramycin at least can cause tinnitus. It happened to me.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#335

Post by blincoln »

atombender wrote: post #204
bartvk wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I also use it for that. I've asked people the question, "can you click your ears"? Of course, they don't understand me, because it's such a vague question. I started asking, "can you relieve your ear pressure without moving anything else", and most people answer no. One person who dived, answered "yes, of course!" like it's something all people can.

I can do that, as well, and it has a practical purpose when going hiking in the mountains or scuba diving. But nobody I've talked to about it understand what I mean, and I can't even explain what the technique is; I'm tensing of some muscles, certainly, but I can't explain how and which ones they are.

If it helps, I'm reasonably sure it's the soft palate muscles. To cause the effect you're describing, I visualize tensing a muscle that runs directly from one ear to the other, through the middle of my skull.

It's one of those things where trying to describe it to someone who physically can't do it or doesn't know how to may make them question your judgment and/or sanity.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#336

Post by Gare »

collyw wrote: post #230
Gare wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Prolonged exposure to loud sounds, short extremely loud sounds (explosions), ototoxic drugs (some antibiotics, chemo..) and substances (toluene..) and viral infections that spread into inner ear can all cause cochlear damage and therefore tinnitus.

Covid vaccines as well. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8788157/ I know, I am a heretic for drawing any negative attention to our savior from the deadly pandemic.

I got vaccinated three times (with Pfizer). No ill effects on my hearing/tinnitus (I was monitoring it). Then I got COVID (Omicron), was quite sick for several days (lost smell) and it seems the tinnitus worsened a bit in one ear. So... your mileage may vary, as with everything.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#337

Post by blincoln »

matsemann wrote: post #210
jaeckel wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And I just realized that I meant the Frenzel Maneuver, which I always forget the name of. OK you need a nose clip, but besides that it's hands free. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frenzel_maneuver

Frenzel is not done by controlling the muscles in the ear. It's done by controlling your epiglottis and your tongue and push air against a blocked nose. So while it's hands free, it's not the same.[1] With controlling the muscles in the ear, one can do it without a nose clip. It's called BTV (or VTO sometimes in English)[2], and instead of forcing air in to open the eustachian tube, you just open it by muscles. [1]:…

That second link is a gold mine. Thank you so much for sharing.

I've known how to do the basic BTV/VTO for many years, but it wasn't quite enough for me to equalize pressure while diving (without descending very slowly, I suppose). Just a few minutes with the techniques on that page has already improved my ability dramatically.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#338

Post by im3w1l »

almostnormal wrote: post #247
razodactyl wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right. I can do it too - I can make them click/crunch and roar - which I'm sure is due to the sound muscles make when tensed. Squeeze your fist and hold it up to your ear. It's audible.

Click is from pressure gradient when opening/tightening the eustachian tube. If I switch to open I can hear myself breathing. Partially covering the outer ear makes the flow of blood audible. That's not tinnitus-related.

A long time ago I would sometimes amuse myself by opening the tubes and humming some melody - would sound really loud.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#339

Post by y-c-o-m-b »

CapsAdmin wrote: post #194
jader201 wrote: post #96

I don’t know if this is a clue, but I can do muscle movements in my head/face/jaw to make the tinnitus worse (only as I make the movements, immediately reverting back to “normal” tinnitus as soon as I relax). Some examples: - jutting my jaw forwards - moving my ears back with my face muscles - pushing downward on the top of my head with my hands Another possible clue: this has been true since I can remember — even as…

I have the exact same experience. I believe it's called "somatic tinnitus" and I've had it for as long as I can remember. Every now and then I get ringing in my ears that fade out quickly, which is normal. I always thought that was the sort of constant ringing people had when they talk about tinnitus, and the one you describe is a different class of tinnitus.

Yes it's somatic tinnitus. I can make mine go away for a few hours, sometimes a whole day by loosening up my SCM muscles and popping my neck. Other times it backfires and gets worse. Very annoying, but the ability to have SOME control over it makes things less depressing at least.

Re: Tinnitus linked to undetected auditory nerve damage

#340

Post by y-c-o-m-b »

zelphirkalt wrote: post #171
mrtksn wrote: post #75

I have tinnitus which I managed to cure(almost. In complete silence I still can hear a teapot-like sound but the original single tone high volume sound is no more). Turns out it’s about my neck. I religiously paid attention to my neck position and fixed my posture, and as a result, my tinnitus gradually disappeared. If I sit in a bad position or sometimes do some weird move, my tinnitus can return but I immediately s…

Can you describe in more detail how you adjust your position? You move your neck back, I guess, and anything else?

For me it's about tightness in the SCM (Sternocleidomastoid muscle) and scalene muscles. If I can successfully get them to loosen up through some heat and massage, I can make my neck pop (very loudly in fact, sometimes it makes my arm go numb for a second) and whamo, tinnitus gone. It returns as soon as the neck stiffness/tightness comes back though.
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