Tenacious Tinnitus Club – Ear Pressure, Noise and Hyperacusis

I wonder if those new treatments presented on TinnitusTalk or the r/tinnitusresearch subreddit, generally speaking and not focusing on a particular one, will be able to treat tinnitus induced by SSRIs or benzos.

 

Now, I am not well versed nor closer to this about the theoretical details on why SSRIs cause tinnitus, but I if it's only damage in the hair cells things seems more optimistic I guess. But if it's related to nerve death or some different structural change in the brain maybe due to excitotoxicity, then this might get more complicated.

 

Does anyone here knows if there is at least a theoretical reason to believe that at least some of these treatments will be able to treat SSRI or benzo induced tinnitus?

I have hissing in my ears and head and also ear pain and inner ear pressure. I also have a morse code that comes and goes. I wish more people said these ears symptoms were getting better and eventually disappearing. This group is so quiet the silence speaks volumes.

Hey, Trying2BHopeful do you also have hyperacusis/misophonia? It looks like to me that what I have is this tonic tensor tympani syndrome, and that I'll have to try gabapentin, or reinstate ASAP if I'm to preserve my hearing. I just hope it's not too late, it's been 4 months since it showed up. Now I really regret not restarting my taper after those rescue doses (I could've probably goten off easy). See what happened to Robk.

 

So I have been experiencing extreme fluctuations in my tinnitus and hyperacusis(sensitive hearing).  This includes ear pressure and some ear pain.  Would y'all consider these windows and waves?  I kind of didn't believe windows and waves applied to the auditory issues from my experience in research but I'm kind of hopeful thats what it is. I've had months at times where it's very manageable and then out of nowhere it acts up.  At times it feels like it goes into waves because of exposure to steady Noise even when it's not particularly loud.  Just wondering if anybody experiences this.  At its worst my tinnitus becomes multi tonal, a hiss and a ring.  Also sometimes a generator type sound.  And the hyperacusis when it's at it's worst...well life just sucks.  Any feedback would be sweet.

 

Thanks.

 

You have  Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome    http://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/do-i-have-tonic-tensor-tympani-syndrome-ttts/

They can cut the tensor muscle in the ear canal but sounds will never be as crisp ever again and the world will seem muffled.  You may need a small amount of benzo to tame it down and then taper again. 

 

I use occasional gabapentin 600-900 MG no more than 2 times a week if that happens to me. 

You probably tapered too fast.  Sometimes this can take 2 or 3 years of micro tapering.

 

The problem with letting your  Tensor Tympan keep moving is that the brain can rewire itself and its permanent.  What ever it takes to make it stop, that's key.

 

Hugs Lisa

Pacenik, I had hyperacusis but that went away in the first 6 months of my withdrawal. The tinnitus remains and it was multi-tonal with a ringing and hissing and then a morse code. The ringing and Morse code is completely gone away now. I’m left with just a hissing tone now and it’s in my head more than my ears now. It has slowly gotten softer and now sounds as if it’s at the back of my head. And over the last 2 weeks I’ve caught myself not having any hissing for 5 minutes or so, so it’s slowly starting to randomly fade for a few minutes once in a while.

Wow! That's great news! I'm so glad for you! If it has gone away even for a moment it will go away completely one day! How's your inner ear pressure/pain now?

 

 

Ever since it started for me I had hissing in the head, with inner ear pressure and hyperacusis/misophonia all at the same time. One day I just woke up with it all. Did it start at the same time for you too? At the time it was least worrisome of symptoms because I was experiencing much, much worse. But Robk returning five years later saying it got worse for him has really gotten me very worked up the last two days, had me crying in despair (before that I was really happy and positive owing to your previous few reposts from minnie and others, darn withdrawal makes our mood so irrationally swingy). In the worst of the waves I've had additional hissing in left ear, and sometimes I had ringing in right ear (very, very low volume morse code, and when I yawn a constant ring).

 

Our ear symptoms are so similar. I might wait out on month six perhaps, before trying gabapentin then. If sound sensitivity goes away, then maybe other stuff will as well, without gabapentin.

Pacenic,

I think you have a lot of reason to be hopeful. Please don't reinstate any meds, thinking that's going to solve your problems. Many of us developed Tinnitus/hyperacusis in tolerance.  I seriously think that it's around 50% at least of the people in withdrawal or in tolerance that develop Tinnitus and I got a horrible case of hyperacusis. I truly believe in time, it will get better for you. Please don't fall into the trap of comparing your situation with anyone elses. Just as with all things benzos, every single person is different.  Hang in there and try to remain hopeful!!

Pacenic,

I think you have a lot of reason to be hopeful. Please don't reinstate any meds, thinking that's going to solve your problems. Many of us developed Tinnitus/hyperacusis in tolerance.  I seriously think that it's around 50% at least of the people in withdrawal or in tolerance that develop Tinnitus and I got a horrible case of hyperacusis. I truly believe in time, it will get better for you. Please don't fall into the trap of comparing your situation with anyone elses. Just as with all things benzos, every single person is different.  Hang in there and try to remain hopeful!!

Thank you for you concern! I never reached tolerance and could've stabilized on low-dose diazepam. But as I found out now, you can always cold-turkey, you can't always taper. I had thought that since this was done to me by rescue doses (before those rescue doses taken to counter another drug I was asymptomatic, taper went great) that taking further benzos is going to dig me in deeper, but no it appears it doesn't really work like that with benzos. It appears that it would've been better to have just restarted the taper. It also appears that contrary to Ashton low doses mean a lot.

Thank you for your kind answer, Trying2BHopeful!

 

As my signature tells, I raised my zoloft dose 6 weeks ago. I do think it had a therapeutic effect on my anxiety but I am afraid that it might be causing this new noise pattern.

 

I already had a high pitch tinnitus and now I am having this new noise that seems like a mosquito constantly flying in my bedroom and it's a very low noise volumewise but still enough to bug me to mask it in the silence of my bedroom (I was habituated with the other pattern). It started 2 weeks ago I think.

 

Now I don't know what to do: has the damage already been done and should I keep the zoloft at 150mg? Should I decrease to 100mg? But also, no guarantee that the noise will disappear and I am so afraid to change meds or dosages now with all the benzo situation already going.

 

It's bearable and volumewise is low, but I wonder if I am doing something stupid keeping the zoloft raise... but my previous dose was sub therapeutic for OCD and I wasn't able to bear the intrusive thoughts that came when I reached 0.30mg of Valium (which made me updose in despair because I was unable to work).

 

These new treatments seems promising but the vast majority focused on the cochlea hair cells and not on the fusiform cells from the DCN... are those the same thing? I think I will hang on to my current treatment but would be nice to have at least some hope of a treatment that serves well for ssri and benzo induced T.

Thiamine TTFD – FOR NERVE DAMAGE, Trigeminal Neuralgia, and Hearing Loss  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=252655.0

 

 

                                                                      Nova xxx  :smitten:

 

Hi All,

 

I jumped off lorazepam after a 26 month taper 3 weeks ago. I began having tinnitus in the last 4 months. It does vary in intensity and I have some periods of silence. Sometimes it is in both ears, and sometimes in just my left ear.

 

If it comes and goes is this a good sign that it may one day go away completely?

 

Thanks!

Has anyone experienced a very low hum type tinnitus? Like a diesel truck idling? This happened to my at the tail end of my taper. Very unnerving.

 

Didn't see if anyone replied to this so I will. Yes, I've had a low hum in addition to my regular tinnitus and hyperacusis come and go for a long time, would usually come on after car rides or certain activities. It never bothered me much because it would come and go and I'd only hear it in silence. It wasn't very intrusive. However I had an uptick in this in November and it's happening a lot more often and it's louder. It came on randomly after I started getting a jet engine type rumble in my ears over a 3 or 4 night stretch in November(middle of the night). The rumble that has followed has been more intrusive and is bothering me a lot. It's gotten in my head no pun intended. Anyway it's been almost 5 months now and I'm really hoping it resolves. I hope yours does too.

 

PS I still do get reprieve from it sometimes but now very often like it is before. It does get masked during the day fairly well.

 

-Ron

Hi All,

 

I jumped off lorazepam after a 26 month taper 3 weeks ago. I began having tinnitus in the last 4 months. It does vary in intensity and I have some periods of silence. Sometimes it is in both ears, and sometimes in just my left ear.

 

If it comes and goes is this a good sign that it may one day go away completely?

 

Thanks!

Yes 100% definitely like all symptoms if they come and go eventually they go completely, its a sign that healing is ongoing,  no one can give you a time limit but its healing nicely if your having periods of complete silence wish I was, I have the T its in my head/brain and hyperacusis too 

 

                                                    Nova xxx  :smitten:

 

                                                                                                               

I get ear pressure that begins after I eat (sometimes I get minor headaches too). It only happens after I eat, it is accompanied by chills, the pressure goes down within an hour (though the chills hang around). It doesn't matter what I eat either. I stick to a bland, low-histamine food, no spices or seasonings, diet/ Either fish, poultry, sometimes lamb. Veggies, potatoes, sweet potatoes. A bowl of oatmeal in the morning can start this. I am cutting .5 mg V every 2 weeks, it's all I can handle right now. It's just weird that eating triggers this, my ears feel congested, and then it eases off. Drinking water or milk has no effect by itself, just food. I have fleeting moments of tinnitus that occur at random times of the day, but they last about a minute more or less, and it's not too annoying. Does anybody else find eating triggers ear problems? And maybe a theory why?

Hi benzolottie, there isn’t much help on this thread. I suggest you ask another thread that’s more responsive and helpful...

I get ear pressure that begins after I eat (sometimes I get minor headaches too). It only happens after I eat, it is accompanied by chills, the pressure goes down within an hour (though the chills hang around). It doesn't matter what I eat either. I stick to a bland, low-histamine food, no spices or seasonings, diet/ Either fish, poultry, sometimes lamb. Veggies, potatoes, sweet potatoes. A bowl of oatmeal in the morning can start this. I am cutting .5 mg V every 2 weeks, it's all I can handle right now. It's just weird that eating triggers this, my ears feel congested, and then it eases off. Drinking water or milk has no effect by itself, just food. I have fleeting moments of tinnitus that occur at random times of the day, but they last about a minute more or less, and it's not too annoying. Does anybody else find eating triggers ear problems? And maybe a theory why?

Eating flares ALL kinds of symptoms up in people Lottie so this is no surprise to hear, and I'm sure lots of other peole have the Same effect as you do I know I have it happen, I eat something and, up goes the tinnitus, milk sometimes does it too other times it doesn't . 

 

I myself feel like hell most times when I eat and I have severe hyperacusis and non stop tinnitus, an da long list of severe hell symptoms, but I force myself to eat as you need to eat even when its making me feel terrible other times I'm to rough to be able to do anything to eat but still feel like hell 

 

                                        Nova xxx  :smitten:

Thanks nova 1. I guess I'm going to have to chalk this up as another somewhat common benzo W/D symptom. I'm sorry you have such bad hyperacusis and tinnitus. You gave me the confirmation I was looking for, thanks for replying.

I get ear pressure that begins after I eat (sometimes I get minor headaches too). It only happens after I eat, it is accompanied by chills, the pressure goes down within an hour (though the chills hang around). It doesn't matter what I eat either. I stick to a bland, low-histamine food, no spices or seasonings, diet/ Either fish, poultry, sometimes lamb. Veggies, potatoes, sweet potatoes. A bowl of oatmeal in the morning can start this. I am cutting .5 mg V every 2 weeks, it's all I can handle right now. It's just weird that eating triggers this, my ears feel congested, and then it eases off. Drinking water or milk has no effect by itself, just food. I have fleeting moments of tinnitus that occur at random times of the day, but they last about a minute more or less, and it's not too annoying. Does anybody else find eating triggers ear problems? And maybe a theory why?

 

I was having horrible reactions and fatigue after eating. It's inflammation of the nervous system. I took very high doses of full spectrum cbd oil and it healed me to 80%. I would finish a 500mg bottle in 4 days (125mg per day). It wasn't a good feeling and I'd get a wavish type thing for 7-10 days but when that stopped I noticed all my physical issues were so much better. I did 3 cycles of that and literally almost felt healed. Unfortunately I gave myself a huge setback after that from stress and other silly things but I'm going to start the cycles again.

I know this is an old post, but it might help others. Hopefully you're feeling better from your tinnitus. To your question:

 

Yes, I've had loud tinnitus in my left ear, and brain zaps. When I taper too fast, or when my withdrawal symtpoms (mostly Tinnitus, Anxiety and insomnia) are about to get worse, I start experiencing brain zaps that come mostly from the back of my head.

 

To overcome that I suggest slowing down on your taper, or holding for a view days (as well as reducing stress in your life, easier said than done, but still).

 

 

Can histamine cause tinnitus to spike? I had some shiitake on my dinner and later my tinnitus spiked. Does the volume get back to the previous baseline? I mean, histamine cause only temporary spikes?

I have tinnitus from my failed antidepressant taper. At first it was an unbearable "needle of sound" in my head as Ashton puts it but these days it sounds like an electronic hiss like standing behind some old CRT TVs.

 

Some days are better than others. At first I was angry that this happened to me and cried a metric ton's worth of tears. All I can do now is hope it doesn't get worse from other factors.

 

Only plus is that I don't need any white noise machines any more because my head provides one for me, whether I want it or not.

I have tinnitus from my failed antidepressant taper. At first it was an unbearable "needle of sound" in my head as Ashton puts it but these days it sounds like an electronic hiss like standing behind some old CRT TVs.

 

Some days are better than others. At first I was angry that this happened to me and cried a metric ton's worth of tears. All I can do now is hope it doesn't get worse from other factors.

 

Only plus is that I don't need any white noise machines any more because my head provides one for me, whether I want it or not.

Ditto  Nova  :smitten:

Anyone here had any change on T after having covid vaccine? This week I will be able to get vaccinated.

 

Where I live I can take AZ, JnJ and Pfizer. Idk what to think about any or if any of them are more secure in theory regarding long term effects or anything related to tinnitus.

I think licorice root tea spiked a bit my antidepressant induced tinnitus.

 

I am worried... I hope it calms down soon.

I started suffering from hyperacusis several months ago. Although there's no cure for hyperacusis there are some treatments that can help with the hyperacusis which include sound therapy to get you used to everyday sounds again, and may involve wearing earpieces that make white noise. After addressing an audiologist, I bought a Serenade device at the hearing aid store (it includes four separate soundtracks that help me feel relief). I should say, it works great for me. Also, I know it is recommended as a tinnitus treatment sound therapy.

I think licorice root tea spiked a bit my antidepressant induced tinnitus.

 

I am worried... I hope it calms down soon.

 

Hey full - licorice root acts the opposite of blood pressure medications - it can increase blood pressure. That may be what got you on that one.

I think licorice root tea spiked a bit my antidepressant induced tinnitus.

 

I am worried... I hope it calms down soon.

 

Hey full - licorice root acts the opposite of blood pressure medications - it can increase blood pressure. That may be what got you on that one.

 

Hey, I guess that explains it. Thank you. I was afraid before cause I read a horror story on reddit related to licorice but the noise went back to the baseline volume later.

 

Now my major concern is the AD switch I am doing right now as I really need to deal with my OCD before tapering benzos.

 

Went from 100mg of Zoloft to 75mg and also started 25mg of Luvox at the same time. Did it 2 days ago. My tinnitus yesterday was better and less intrusive, but today it sounds sharper. I hope it's all temporary though.

could turkey for 2 days cause mine back in 2014 i still have it to this day in my left ear  even after i reinstated 2 days after cold turkey it never went away    it is now a part of me