Well, it's been a couple of years now since my tinnitus spike. Just the dead of winter reminds me of that horrible season.
Since then, I've waded through lots of articles, seen professionals, interacted on forums, tried things, and come to a few conclusions.
I indeed do think I may have had the spike due to a mild concussion I'd suffered. Anxiety, tinnitus, neck and head pain are symptoms. But I didn't make the connection to the hit in the head early enough to at least see a possible cause and don't we all feel better if we can connect a cause?
My hearing test had been normal. Nothing I did was lowering the intensity. But over time, I started to get one, maybe 2, sometimes 3 days in a row with no tinnitus! If it was an ear problem, I doubt it would be like that.
My conclusions are only that--nothing specific, nothing scientifically proven. I'm sure it is a brain disorder.
Now, some on a forum got angry when I suggested diet was involved. I noticed spikes after certain beverages. They closed my post at such a ridiculous assumption. But if it is in the brain, it could very well have a connection to the nerves that travel to the brain. The vagus nerve is the main one that runs from the stomach to the brain.
Fascia is fascinating. It is fibrous spiderweb-like tissue that surrounds organs, glands, neurovascular bundles, and are a passageway for lymph, nerve and blood vessels. Adhesions and problems with fascia cannot be diagnosed as it is not seen on an MRI, x-ray, or CT scan. There is no obvious way to see adhesions but scientists are not investigating fascia issues as being a contributor to chronic pain. Could it also be a contributor to tinnitus? If tinnitus is described as the brain picking up sound vibrations from somewhere other than the auditory nerve, could it be from fascia?
I also learned that fascial adhesions may not be in the exact spot one feels pain. While we tend to work on the painful area, something further down in our body even across the other side could be the real bound up location.
I heard from other tinnitus sufferers that they also had trapezius pain. I thought I did but was diagnosed with scapular spine arthritis. The pain isn't in my trapezius after all.
I don't know if the tinnitus is related to that issue or not. I did several physio sessions to address my posture and dowager's hump as well as this scapular pain. I also more regularly used an Ashley Black fascia blaster adding the face blaster to work areas, especially in the upper body. I feel all seemed to contribute to less intense tinnitus.
Most of all that is important to any person who is new to this is to not make the tinnitus your focus. I know, that sounds absurd. The more you focus on it and trying to cure it, the more power it has in your life. The more inward-focused you become the more anxiety you may have.
Anti-anxiety pills (non-habit forming type) helped me deal with this new dilemma and I saw a psychotherapist to talk it over with.
At the same time, I had to quiet voices that would say there is nothing you can do about it. I still refuse to believe it. As a Christ-follower, I know God can still do miracles.
So my advice for new sufferers is to try an anti-anxiety pill, counseling, to try not to focus on it, to try fascia blasting with a face blaster, or get a massage and physiotherapy.
Others have said you will habituate. I guess that means learn to live with it. That is true. It eventually will lessen and you will cope better in time.
What I had tried to do that evil winter was attempt to calm my PTSD and amygdala-hijack myself. My son even bought me a weighted blanket which I love to help me be less anxious. But I spent lots of time lying on my back (gaining weight) as I thought calming myself might rid me of the tinnitus. It didn't.
Since then, I've waded through lots of articles, seen professionals, interacted on forums, tried things, and come to a few conclusions.
I indeed do think I may have had the spike due to a mild concussion I'd suffered. Anxiety, tinnitus, neck and head pain are symptoms. But I didn't make the connection to the hit in the head early enough to at least see a possible cause and don't we all feel better if we can connect a cause?
My hearing test had been normal. Nothing I did was lowering the intensity. But over time, I started to get one, maybe 2, sometimes 3 days in a row with no tinnitus! If it was an ear problem, I doubt it would be like that.
My conclusions are only that--nothing specific, nothing scientifically proven. I'm sure it is a brain disorder.
Now, some on a forum got angry when I suggested diet was involved. I noticed spikes after certain beverages. They closed my post at such a ridiculous assumption. But if it is in the brain, it could very well have a connection to the nerves that travel to the brain. The vagus nerve is the main one that runs from the stomach to the brain.
Fascia is fascinating. It is fibrous spiderweb-like tissue that surrounds organs, glands, neurovascular bundles, and are a passageway for lymph, nerve and blood vessels. Adhesions and problems with fascia cannot be diagnosed as it is not seen on an MRI, x-ray, or CT scan. There is no obvious way to see adhesions but scientists are not investigating fascia issues as being a contributor to chronic pain. Could it also be a contributor to tinnitus? If tinnitus is described as the brain picking up sound vibrations from somewhere other than the auditory nerve, could it be from fascia?
I also learned that fascial adhesions may not be in the exact spot one feels pain. While we tend to work on the painful area, something further down in our body even across the other side could be the real bound up location.
I heard from other tinnitus sufferers that they also had trapezius pain. I thought I did but was diagnosed with scapular spine arthritis. The pain isn't in my trapezius after all.
I don't know if the tinnitus is related to that issue or not. I did several physio sessions to address my posture and dowager's hump as well as this scapular pain. I also more regularly used an Ashley Black fascia blaster adding the face blaster to work areas, especially in the upper body. I feel all seemed to contribute to less intense tinnitus.
Most of all that is important to any person who is new to this is to not make the tinnitus your focus. I know, that sounds absurd. The more you focus on it and trying to cure it, the more power it has in your life. The more inward-focused you become the more anxiety you may have.
Anti-anxiety pills (non-habit forming type) helped me deal with this new dilemma and I saw a psychotherapist to talk it over with.
At the same time, I had to quiet voices that would say there is nothing you can do about it. I still refuse to believe it. As a Christ-follower, I know God can still do miracles.
So my advice for new sufferers is to try an anti-anxiety pill, counseling, to try not to focus on it, to try fascia blasting with a face blaster, or get a massage and physiotherapy.
Others have said you will habituate. I guess that means learn to live with it. That is true. It eventually will lessen and you will cope better in time.
What I had tried to do that evil winter was attempt to calm my PTSD and amygdala-hijack myself. My son even bought me a weighted blanket which I love to help me be less anxious. But I spent lots of time lying on my back (gaining weight) as I thought calming myself might rid me of the tinnitus. It didn't.
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