ben

I went to audiology at my local hospital for a tinnitus assessment this
morning - at 9 am! Mind, going that early meant I didn't have to wait at
all as I was the first customer A nice amenable young bloke went
through my tinnitus experiences with me - when it started, what it is like,
how I felt now etc. After listening to me, he decided mine is definitely
stress-related. He advised me to cut down on coffee, and to quit smoking,
and to do as much as I possibly can to relax. He advised massage and lots
of other alternative therapies. He gave me a portable nature care machine
( great to walk out of hospital with a free machine ) and advised me to
use it as often as I could. It has the sounds of heart beat, woodland,
babbling brook, sea waves, birds and white noise. My partner has just tried
it and nodded off! My Westie was most interested in it too, so I am last to
get a look in here! He thinks me lying down and it helping is because:1.
It worked once, so therefore I expect it to work, and it does. 2. Blood
flow (STEVE!!) is different lying down to standing or sitting. 3. I am more
relaxed in general. At least he didn't dismiss it! He was very
understanding about how distressful tinnitus can be, and is sad he is seeing
more and more patients arrive these days due to damaging their hearing by
listening to loud music I am going back to see him on November the 1st
to see how I am getting on. He stressed that I am not alone, and that
counselling, with him listening and advising will eventually help - me
relaxing too, of course!

After three weeks of my "experiment" of lying on my left side, I can report
that 75% of the time it has silenced it completely, and it has stayed quiet
until the next morning. Most times it hasn't worked is due to me dropping
off to sleep again some time during the day, so ruining it that way. The
odd times it hasn't quietend down completely, I have been more than happy to
just have a slight, easily tolerable, noise instead of a very loud ringing.
So, overall, I have been pleased with my efforts, and I hope others on here
can find something that will work for them too.

Ben <off to lie down after such an over-exciting morning >

My t on an overall basis has been improving but the intermittency thing
is still around. I hope it disappears entirely.

FP

bart v

If this attitude would be more common then there'd be far fewer
people needing to hang out on this newsgroup. Like you say, you're far
more relaxed now because you've been taken serious and your fear/stress
level has dropped when issues were properly addressed. Next time you
see him give him a pat on the back for me. The way your post reads I'd
say you're well on your way to this thing being history on short order
- atta boy Ben!!!

Bart.

skycloud

He thinks me lying down and it helping is because:1.

There ya go...

3. I am more

Don't get me started on that one... I have 'strong' views about the sort of
rock "music" that depends on loudness for its effect, and wonder why our
culture seems so hooked on it...

I am going back to see him on November the 1st

Good to here you're into the relaxing bit Ben. This does really seems to
help - changes the 'blood flow' in the brain or something I expect ...?~*%^^ !!


ringing.

So you really seem to have got it under control. What a good feeling. IMO
this is 3/4 of the battle because being in control kills the worry aspect
stone dead. Without worry, there's no tension or fear ....and much less
tinnitus.

You know Ben, this 'sidedness' aspect of your T ... have you ever suffered
from migraines ? ...have you tried off-the-shelf painkillers for your T ?


All right for some... ;-) Cheers,

Steve

ben

Thanks so much for your kind words Bart. I wish everyone on here could find
some way to deal with their T - nothing would please me more.
I have always said I wouldn't wish it on anyone - not even Saddam, Mugabe or
anyone.
I do feel more positive and am thankful I say a decent bloke this morning.
He did emphasise just how different we all are, and how
we all respond to different ways of dealing with the dreaded T, so I plead
with everyone to keep on trying everything, and anything, you
think might help YOU!

Ben

ben

..> Blood

If my experiment continues to work then I will ask him why the T stays away
when I get up
after my period of lying down, and the blood rushing to my feet ))


I hope young 'uns are noticing a lot of band members do wear ear protection
themselves these days!
I have warned my kids about music being too loud so often and not to have
their Walkman's turned up full blast.


I feel great - as would anyone else on here - when the T goes quiet.
Nevertheless, the bloke did stress
the importance of relaxation - not just for T but to feel better generally.
So, it can't hurt to relax, eh?

Very true Steve. I also meant to say that a few mornings during my
experiment I didn't need to bother to lie down
as it went quiet, or easily tolerable without doing it. I hope you can find
something to suit you too soon - no matter
how bloody barmy it seems !


?

I did used to have migraine, yes. My eyesight would go "funny" - zig-zaggy.
Then I couldn't say what I wanted to!
I'd know what I wanted to say, but it came out all wrong. Then something
would go numb - could be my lttle finger, or even my
tongue - bleah! The I would get a headache. I always had to go to bed when
I got it as I was worse than useless until it had
passed. I was never sick though, thank Dog! Now, fortunately, I seem to
have grown out of it, and just occasionally get the zig-zag in
one eye (yes, it is always worse if it's on the left!!) but it only lasts
around 15 minutes, and although I can't watch TV or read
properly, it is nowhere near as bad as it was - in fact, it ain't really all
that noticeable. My partner gets the same thing, so does my son -
and my daughter has a full-blown migraine occasionally, so it runs in the
family. I have never tried much in the way of pain killers
- well, not enough to affect my T.

Heh heh heh - I have this week off! Lying down wasn't helpful regarding my
T much today because as soon as it went quiet I dropped off to
sleeep ( remember I am the serial sleeper LOL) however, when I woke up, I
switched on my new machine on sea wave sounds, and bugger
me if I didn't drop off again as I felt so relaxed! Blimey! Now the T
is tolerable, but I feel I need to get up at a decent time, see how the T
is, and if it is
tolerable, then be satisified with that, and if really loud then try lying
down. I thought if I keep trying to quieten it down completely then I might
become obsessed with it and then fail eventually.

Good luck to you Steve in finding something to help yours. Have you
mentioned Propr****ol to the doc yet? If you are convinced your blood flow
needs slowing down, I really thiink it's worth trying.

Ben

ben

Well, we all hope for the golden silence Francis, so I don't blame you
for hoping for that. I would imagine you have tried just about everything
that is going regarding T, but do you relax enough?

Ben

skycloud

Why not simply turn the music down ? Has the same effect as ear plugs and
it's cheaper... I think I must be missing something here.

Thanks for your kind wishes. On the whole I have established my own sort of
control these days so I'm not too fussed....

1) My T has reduced somewhat over its 3 years,
2) I've habituated,
3) I've now got various methods at my disposal, previously described here,
that allow me to take control of it any time I want to.


Not sure if it needs slowing down or the blood vessels just want opening
up...I shall certainly ask him about prop****ol, and also I want to ask him
about vasodilators in general. I'll do this when I next have to go about my
back (y'know I can't think of one ailment I have that medical science has
ever been able to help - maybe I'm just getting old).

Steve