Tinnitus question

[Boppie]

What is tinnitus?  Shhhhhh!  Donmentionit!

[Mark]

Hi everyone,

I was just lurking around and saw alot of posts on Tinnitus. I'll attach a couple of articles I found which I think address the subject pretty well. According to one of the articles, approximately 36 million people in the US have some form of it ( so we have a lot of company  ) It's source locations can be for damage in any one of four locations ( outer, middle, inner ear, and brain). The vast majority of folks have what I would term external ( outer , middle) damage caused by all the things most of us heard from our ENT's before our AN diagnosis such as loud music etc. In virtually all of our cases the tinnitus arises from internal damage to the hearing nerve caused by compression of the AN. It was explained to me that this damage to the hair follicles on the hearing nerve that transmit sound create confusion in the brain to various intensities at various times resulting in the tinnitus sound. I have been fortunate that 99% of the time mine is at a low enough level that I'm not even conscious of it unless I concentrate on it. However, I do have moments where it spikes up and really gets my attention. I can't even imagine what it's like for those of you who have those levels on a regular basis.

Anyway here are the links

Take care , mark

http://www.medicinenet.com/tinnitus/article.htm

http://www.tinnitusearringing.com/tinnitus_causes.htm

[Obita]

Hi everyone:

Add another one to the list of people with occasional tinnitus in the non AN ear.  It comes on very fast and goes away just as fast.  I doubt it has lasted more than ten seconds.  I first noticed it a couple of months after my 2 yr. MRI so I figured, why call the doctor.......my head is clear of tumors.  If it keeps up, I will mention it at my 3 year follow up in May.  It is not very often, maybe once or twice a month.  It kind of sounds like pressure changing if that makes any sense at all.

Kathy

[Sue]

Tatianne...

I have tinnitus in both ears, but especially on the AN side. I am diabetic, and my tinnitus increases in volume if my glucose levels are high. It is an aggrevating symptom, but something that I have learned to live with...

Bruce

I haven't noticed that with my diabetes.....crap, something else to worry about!

[Patti UT]

Bruce,  Your just always eating something wonderful.  I havn't had halva in ages, Now I'll hafta go find me some even if it does turn up the volume. I'll have to pay attention to the sugar conncetion.
Patti UT

[Top Op Man]

Im new to posting hear but have been avid reader for 2 years.
I had no tinnitus prior to AN surgery but now have very loud tinnitus when background noise loud and constant very quiet T in good ear. Almost have to shut off good ear or be in dead scilence to hear it. I too thought had new one coming but surgeon and audiologist say this does happen because of how brain assigns the noise. I also think part of it is just head noise that previously I was unaware of!

[Patti UT]

Hey Top Op Man,
    Gald to see ya posting. Took you 2 years to decide to join us?  me too. Kept thinking it all would go away, but I hve found great help with this group of ANers.  Keep posting and sharing. We love to hear from you.

Patti UT

Oh, and by the way, I'm here to say,  tinnitus SUCKS   ( sorry admin, but it is the only realistic description)

[matti]

I also get tinnitus on the non AN side. Appears suddenly and will only last for a few moments, but will drown out AN side.

Just in the last few days, the tone has changed on my AN side from bell ringing to bee buzzing. I'll gladly take the bells over the bee's I think I have a whole freakin swarm in my head

Cheryl

[Patti UT]

Matti,

  Maybe your swarm can coe drown out my symphony of constant high pitch ringging.

You know,  the vertigo, balance, deafness and knowledge of tumor in my head might be a whole lot easier to deal with if  I could just get some "quiet"

 Ii hate you tinnitus"

pATTI ut

[comfortzone]

When I'm tired (which happens quite easily now) I get tinnitus in the non AN ear. I have set up a super small aquarium in my living room and the hum of the filter actually helps to cover the sound of the tinnitus really well. Not that everyone needs to get a new hobby but I get to watch the little Betta fish which is very relaxing plus it helps drown out the noise.