Tinnitus

[Muse]

I have it occasionally. It is no ringing but more like a frequency generator constantly but slowly sweeping up and down from a kiloHertz to for example around 15 kiloHertz with a constant ~10 kiloHertz tone present. No sinewave, more like a trianglewave. I compared it with sounds from my own function generator. Forgot to mention, it is position shifted towards my left ear. I blame myself for using in ear plugs with loud music.

Tinnitus varies considerably. Google it and you will find out. Myself, I hear pretty high pitched tones, more than one, constantly, but sometimes they seem quite a bit louder than others. Too many loud live music shows is what I think caused it.

 

[Tweak155]

I've had it for a few years now. Woke up in the middle of the night and walked around looking for something causing the noise ... found out it was in my head.

99% sure it was due to the new head phones I bought as it started shortly after I started using them.

I go for days without noticing it, then I notice it for 10 mins or so then I go back to forgetting. As long as there is some noise I don't really notice it.

 

[Kaido]

Wait, what?
What food?
Please don't say beer... please don't say beer....

It turned out that I have a grains allergy (including gluten). This includes sugarcane, which is in the grass & grains family. Having a lot of sugar would give me ringing in my ears - there's so much hidden sugar in our processed foods these days that I would actually get it pretty often, even if I wasn't eating sweets. I switched to beet sugar (tastes & look the same as granulated sugarcane sugar) & haven't had a problem since, no matter how much of it I consume.

I also get it if I stay up late for more than 3 or 4 days in a row. Staying up late apparently amps up your blood pressure, which can lead to ringing in your ears. So as long as I'm getting enough sleep & avoiding sugarcane, I don't have a problem with tinnitus. This is a big deal for me because I grew up with my ears ringing all the time; it's so nice to have it "quiet" now. I always just thought it was kind of normal. It sounded like that hitch-pointed noise that the old tube TV's made when you first turned them on, only longer & louder. I don't have that anymore, as long as I'm careful with my food & sleep.

 

[William Gaatjes]

It turned out that I have a grains allergy (including gluten). This includes sugarcane, which is in the grass & grains family. Having a lot of sugar would give me ringing in my ears - there's so much hidden sugar in our processed foods these days that I would actually get it pretty often, even if I wasn't eating sweets. I switched to beet sugar (tastes & look the same as granulated sugarcane sugar) & haven't had a problem since, no matter how much of it I consume.

I also get it if I stay up late for more than 3 or 4 days in a row. Staying up late apparently amps up your blood pressure, which can lead to ringing in your ears. So as long as I'm getting enough sleep & avoiding sugarcane, I don't have a problem with tinnitus. This is a big deal for me because I grew up with my ears ringing all the time; it's so nice to have it "quiet" now. I always just thought it was kind of normal. It sounded like that hitch-pointed noise that the old tube TV's made when you first turned them on, only longer & louder. I don't have that anymore, as long as I'm careful with my food & sleep.

What i hear mostly when i notice it is exactly that ! As if a old crt tube tv is making noise. The frequency sweep i some times experience only happens occasionally but is annoying.

EDIT: It is only there when sitting down. Maybe it is related to my bad back or indeed blood pressure, i do not know. When standing it is gone.

 

[edro]

It turned out that I have a grains allergy (including gluten). This includes sugarcane, which is in the grass & grains family. Having a lot of sugar would give me ringing in my ears - there's so much hidden sugar in our processed foods these days that I would actually get it pretty often, even if I wasn't eating sweets. I switched to beet sugar (tastes & look the same as granulated sugarcane sugar) & haven't had a problem since, no matter how much of it I consume.

I also get it if I stay up late for more than 3 or 4 days in a row. Staying up late apparently amps up your blood pressure, which can lead to ringing in your ears. So as long as I'm getting enough sleep & avoiding sugarcane, I don't have a problem with tinnitus. This is a big deal for me because I grew up with my ears ringing all the time; it's so nice to have it "quiet" now. I always just thought it was kind of normal. It sounded like that hitch-pointed noise that the old tube TV's made when you first turned them on, only longer & louder. I don't have that anymore, as long as I'm careful with my food & sleep.

Wow, thanks for the info. I might try a reduced sugar/carb diet for a few days to see the effect.
In fact, I just ate a smore about 30min ago (had a cookout last night and had leftovers), and my tinnitus is on full blast.

How did you figure out the allergy? What other effects did it have?
I have had tinnitus my whole life, even at 5yo. I doubt it's an allergy, but you never know.

 

[Sword-of-Kings]

I'm sure I have it. I can never hear silence and when it's quiet enough I hear a loud ringing. Maybe I should go to the doctor. I think the hearing in my left ear is slightly worse than my right one, too.

 

[alkemyst]

damn guys pick up a book and read to save your ears.

 

[Centauri]

I've had tinnitus for about 4 years now. It varies in volume but never low enough that I can sleep without white noise. At its worst I tend to hear it over basically anything else that's going on, mostly because it's in the 7KHz range - which is a pretty high tone that isn't easily drowned out.

I went through some really dark days dealing with it after I first got it, but now... it is what it is. And I've read enough into it that I'm fairly certain we'll see a cure, or at least a significant advancement in treatment, during my lifetime.

 

[Muse]

I've had tinnitus for about 4 years now. It varies in volume but never low enough that I can sleep without white noise. At its worst I tend to hear it over basically anything else that's going on, mostly because it's in the 7KHz range - which is a pretty high tone that isn't easily drowned out.

I went through some really dark days dealing with it after I first got it, but now... it is what it is. And I've read enough into it that I'm fairly certain we'll see a cure, or at least a significant advancement in treatment, during my lifetime.

Links? My doctor said around a year ago that as far as he knows there's no way to repair that nerve, that I should not fall for the TV ads.

 

[Muse]

Wow, thanks for the info. I might try a reduced sugar/carb diet for a few days to see the effect.

Interesting. I'll have to try this, who knows? In fact I have noticed that my tinnitus can vary, sometimes a lot in intensity. Sometimes it seems almost slight (but always there), sometimes pretty loud. I have not been sure how subjective this all is, it can't be objectively quantified.

I visited a cousin almost a year ago and they used stevia for sweetening. I looked it up and bought BulkSupplements Pure Stevia Powder (100g) at Amazon. Boy, this stuff goes a long way, you don't have to use much to get sweetening. I haven't been using it for all my sweetening, but a lot. For instance for lemonade it's great. I like it in a lot of things, including coffee. Sweet for sweet, believe it or not, I believe it's cheaper than cane sugar if you get the linked deal! I'm pretty sure it's way healthier! I add it in powder form to some of my cooking and make a solution with it for other things, including adding to coffee, from a little bottle with a dropper (1 oz. water + 1.5 teaspoons stevia powder).

 

[Markbnj]

Wow, thanks for the info. I might try a reduced sugar/carb diet for a few days to see the effect.
In fact, I just ate a smore about 30min ago (had a cookout last night and had leftovers), and my tinnitus is on full blast.

Let me know if it works, but I'm skeptical. I erased most sugar from my diet over a year ago. Lost 40 pounds but it had no effect on my tinnitus.

 

[Muse]

I've had it for a few years now. Woke up in the middle of the night and walked around looking for something causing the noise ... found out it was in my head.

99% sure it was due to the new head phones I bought as it started shortly after I started using them.

I go for days without noticing it, then I notice it for 10 mins or so then I go back to forgetting. As long as there is some noise I don't really notice it.

Don't crank up those headphones too loud. My smartphone actually told me that when I cranked up the volume over 20.

 

[TwiceOver]

Yes, always have. But it isn't very bad. My hearing is still really good. It is mostly a background noise to me. I don't really think about it anymore. I do check the box for ringing in the ears on medical forms.

 

[MistaFreeze]

Interesting. I'll have to try this, who knows? In fact I have noticed that my tinnitus can vary, sometimes a lot in intensity. Sometimes it seems almost slight (but always there), sometimes pretty loud. I have not been sure how subjective this all is, it can't be objectively quantified.

I visited a cousin almost a year ago and they used stevia for sweetening. I looked it up and bought BulkSupplements Pure Stevia Powder (100g) at Amazon. Boy, this stuff goes a long way, you don't have to use much to get sweetening. I haven't been using it for all my sweetening, but a lot. For instance for lemonade it's great. I like it in a lot of things, including coffee. Sweet for sweet, believe it or not, I believe it's cheaper than cane sugar if you get the linked deal! I'm pretty sure it's way healthier! I add it in powder form to some of my cooking and make a solution with it for other things, including adding to coffee, from a little bottle with a dropper (1 oz. water + 1.5 teaspoons stevia powder).

Don't forget about salt intake. I went from eating almost all fruits and vegetables to eating like shit lately and my ringing has soared. I'm trying to go back to how I used to eat but being married has made it very difficult. Not gonna let that be an excuse anymore though because I've basically told her I'd take no tinnitus and lose her than the other way around.

 

[CurseTheSky]

I had it pretty bad in my teens (loud music), and still have it to a minor extent. It's definitely gotten better.

After spending years as an 'invincible' teen, listening to music that was way too loud, going to plenty of concerts, etc., I finally decided that hearing protection was worth it. I wear ear plugs any time I'm doing anything with power tools, guns, etc. It has made a HUGE difference.

Moral of the story, despite what experts claim, your body may be able to heal at least minor damage, or perhaps compensate for it in some way. I used to have horrid ringing in my ears every single night for years, and I haven't in close to a decade now.

 

[MistaFreeze]

I had it pretty bad in my teens (loud music), and still have it to a minor extent. It's definitely gotten better.

After spending years as an 'invincible' teen, listening to music that was way too loud, going to plenty of concerts, etc., I finally decided that hearing protection was worth it. I wear ear plugs any time I'm doing anything with power tools, guns, etc. It has made a HUGE difference.

Moral of the story, despite what experts claim, your body may be able to heal at least minor damage, or perhaps compensate for it in some way. I used to have horrid ringing in my ears every single night for years, and I haven't in close to a decade now.

That's reassuring. Did you change anything else other than hearing protection?

 

[Imp]

Don't crank up those headphones too loud. My smartphone actually told me that when I cranked up the volume over 20.

Get yourself an SPL meter and measure what volume levels actually are.

I keep my closed headphones near zero (it's about 5 out of 20 or 40 -- really low either way). Once I get close to 10, my SPL meter says it's already hitting over 80 dB.