Am I hearing things (you don't) ????

I found out yesterday that part of my problem with tinnitus could be related to TMJ. My dentist said, What are you doing running a marathon in your sleep? Going to see a specialist in a few weeks, she said there are some things they can do to help. I told my ENT the ringing always seemed worse in morning so he suggested   let my dentist know and have them check.  Might be something others with this problem can have checked. 

@prof

Thank you so much for your posts regarding tinnitus/hyperacusis. It took me almost a decade to learn what you posted on 11/2/18. I ended up with tinnitus and hyperacusis in one ear after years of playing in rock bands. It got so bad I quit playing and listening to music for over 10 years. Around 5 years ago I decided to start listening to music again. I now listen daily but at very low levels. I saw an ENT doctor several months ago to see if there had been any advances or treatments for my condition. After a MRI and three office visits he recommended I try a therapy called Desyncra performed at the House Ear Institute. The therapy sounds like what you described and what you are currently involved in. Is it the same therapy you are using? It is expensive and I haven’t found any user reviews stating results (positive or negative).

I do think your posts will be helpful to tinnitus and hyperacusis sufferers searching for answers.

As usual Geoff interjects meaningless snide remarks that are neither helpful, insightful, asked for or original. All pretty much to let us know that he knows more about this (and everything else) than anyone else. And yet........still fails to make sense about half the time. And even with his superior knowledge (I will not say intellect) typically fails to help anyone in any meaningful way. And I know I shouldn’t have said any of this because 1. He seems to have no insight. 2. Doesn’t understand why most everyone thinks (knows) he is an @$$. 3. Even worse....like most trolls....he loves the attention and this was what he was after to begin with.

And prof....please don’t encourage him to get a puppy. What do you have against puppies? ;-)

I am a physician and can tell you that prof is pretty much right on the mark. I have minor hearing loss (left worse than right), chronic 24/7/365 bilateral tinnitus and hyperacusis on occasion. At a recent concert there was a very high pitched sustained guitar cord that actually triggered a very brief dizziness and slight nausea even through ear plugs.

The truth is there is very very little that can be done about tinnitus. And the origin of tinnitus is still unknown but there are theories as listed above. There are some rare anatomical problems with the otic bones that can be corrected surgically but I’ve only seen that once in close to 30 years in medicine. That is why the ENT usually tells you to learn to live with it. And audiologist can test your hearing, many ENTs have them in house.

Most other remedies for tinnitus, as seen on the internet, as snake oil. I personally believe that TRT and CBT can help people deal with tinnitus, particularly those who get stressed out about it. Most of us who have it become aware at times when we are not ’hearing’ it when in fact our brain just isn’t paying attention to it. That tells me that ’brain training’ can be useful and studies support this. I kind of do my own version of it and it helps sometimes.

I do recommend a visit to the ENT if you have new onset or worsening tinnitus but don’t be upset when they tell you there isn’t anything they can do. Its just a fact. Also see the audiologist is a good idea to find out exactly what your hearing loss is like.

There is an experimental treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation that showed some promise in a small study but that’s been a few years ago and no new progress has been made that I’m aware of.

And above all, even if you are already suffering with tinnitus and/or hearing loss, get ear molds made and buy some SPL attenuators from Westone or Etymotic, and wear them at all music (and perhaps movie) shows. They are little discs that attach to the outside end of the molds, available in 5dB SPL attenuation incremental values. The discs can be swapped out for different applications/environments. I didn't get mine until my late-30's, but better late than never.

n80, (and others) thanks for your contribution!

As a Natural Born Skeptic, I've been wary of many of the claims for Tinnitus treatment (including ginkgo biloba and all sorts of other claims).

TRT doesn't have nearly the level of study and documentation I'd like to see for a treatment, but of all the available therapies, it at least has some in it's favour.  And there does seem at least an inherent plausibility to it, even from the experience of what it's like to have tinnitus.  The idea of habitation via tuning out the attention to it.

Even a few nights ago my tinnitus was, I noticed when going to sleep, screamingly loud.  Yet, as my mind drifted on to some other thoughts after a while I thought about my tinnitus again and...it was gone.  It had just completely receded from perception once my mind was on something else.  Even momentarily concentrating on it left it almost silent.  But as I thought about the tinnitus, listened for it, it slowly drifted back again until it was loud.  Then....drifted on to other thoughts and to sleep.   It's really amazing how much of an "attention-based" phenomenon it is.  And it also explains the variety of experience people can have with Tinnitus in terms of how much it affects their life or mood.  Some can have relatively minor T and be driven nuts, other quite loud T and just shrug their shoulders and go on with life.

I habituated quite well to pretty loud Tinnitus myself, though go through bouts of mild alarm when it seems triggered or louder.

I never used any masking sounds, just habituated and slept through it.