Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: jules55 on April 24, 2018, 10:14:29 PM
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Hi everyone
Just wondered if Tinnitus is a symptom of either Menopause or Anxiety. I am postmenopausal, age 58, had my last period 3 yrs ago, and still get hot flushes occasionally. The worse symptom I get is Anxiety, which I've had on and off for years, and I take Propranolol 80mg daily which I've been on for around 12 yrs. The Anxiety reared its ugly head again a month ago, but I also get this ringing in my ears, which I've had around 6 months. And it's a lot worse when I'm anxious. I mentioned it to the doctor , and he did all the bloods, and blood pressure etc, and everything was fine. And he didn't seem over concerned, but it's driving me mad!! Has anyone else had this? Or is it just part of the aging process! Thanks Jules55 x
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Hi :)
I did think my tinnitus was due to low Oestrogen. However, I have recently found out that ringing in the ears (plus other symptoms) can be low Vitamin B12 too. I started supplementing a couple of weeks ago and although not gone, the ring has got quieter.
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I'm a sufferer since peri. When I stand up it gets really loud along with pulsating tinnitus
Last year both my ear drums burst leaving me completely deaf for 3 weeks and I developed musical tinnitus. Big brass bands playing while you're trying to sleep was impossible !
I had brain scan and nothing was detected x
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It's very easy to blame every health concern on the meno. However this can mean that other causes, and sometimes serious ones, are ignored. My husband has tinnitus but is obviously not menopausal. I am post meno and have never had tinnitus. It is something that does become more common as we age, which is one explanation.
Ask your doctor for a hearing test which may show any problems. Also, do you suffer with sinusitis as that is another cause of tinnitus?
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Can I suggest that it would be worth seeing your dentist too. I had whistling in my ears which was particularly noticeable at night, and as it was driving me mad I checked with my gp who referred me to the ent department at hospital. The consultant checked my hearing, all fine, but when he checked my jaw he asked if I grind my teeth, as ear whistling is a symptom of that.
I remembered that when I'd visited the dentist a while back, she commented that I was a grinder and if I should have any neck or back pain to come and see her before a chiropractor. When I got home I looked at the Bruxism website and ordered a toothguard about £35 - the dentist can make you one but it's twice that! I thought I'd try it, and was so glad i did, as it cured it. I don't wear it every night, but if I wake with a stiff jaw and or a headache, and also if I get that whistling when I get my head down, a couple of nights with the mouth guard and all is well. I would think that teeth grinding is all to common in menopause if you feel anxious, so it might be worth a try for you? It's very comfortable to wear and I sleep much better with it in, so it's a win- win ;)
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Thank you ladies for the advice, sorry for delay in replying. Had a major situation with one of our foster children, so seemingly constant anxiety at the moment.
Salad. Will definitely try some vitamin b12 and see what happens, I tried vitamin D once on the recommendation of the doctor, but gave it up, because it gave me terrible acid reflux! So never really taken any other vitamins.
ShadyGlade
I will go back to the doctors, and ask for further tests, just to be on the safe side. Will also check the dentist too. I hadn't realised grinding your teeth during sleep could cause so many problems! So thank you JennieWren.
Will keep you posted :) ;Dxx
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Tinnitus is caused by damage which can be exacerbated by menopause. Too many rock concerts ;)
Mine is worse when I lay down sometimes as is that blood vessel pumping through my ear/s. I have to turn around or wriggle the lobe. I never know how long the 'noise' has been going on for B4 I notice it :D
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CLKD Must have been all those Bay City Rollers concerts I went to in the 70's 😃😃😃.
Yeah mine is definitely worse at night, and when things are stressful. Sometimes it feels like my ears just need a good pop! And I will feel better, but nothing happens. Xx
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It is such a nuisance! I thought of you as I laid down last night, said to DH 'it's happening again, can you hear it?' but he never can ........
And don't get me started on the deep ear icthing which we call 'spaniel ear' ......... sometimes I step and the tinnitus begins, sometimes it starts quietly, grows louder then stops :-\
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Hello Jules55
I've had tinnitus for years and when I first had it, found it really distressing, especially as I am someone who is unable to tolerate any noise when trying to get to sleep! I had 'tinnitus therapy' and it really helped as it answered a lot of my questions about what I should and shouldn't do (i.e loud music concerts, which I had become nervous about). Put my mind at rest about everything and overtime, you do start to switch off from it. I barely notice mine now, but have the last few weeks. Reason being, high anxiety levels, it does make a difference! Ask your Dr if he is able to advise re: therapy. It wasn't a CBT course I went on, it was someone who had it themselves, knew all the mechanics and could answer my questions. I have known people that have had it at a particularly stressful time and then it disappears, so it may only be temporary. Hope those bells stop ringing soon! Mine sounds a bit like Morse Code!
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Mmmmm....I'm suffering at the moment and down to a rather loud gig I went to a few weeks back! I'm okay when there's other noise around but in quiet moments it's definitely worse than normal!
At least for me it's not too annoying...
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Hi Knorman
Thank you for your advice, I'm amazed they do therapy for Tinnitus. I will definitely look into it. Mine comes and goes, the last couple of weeks I've felt better than I have in ages, no tinnitus, and no anxiety, no gastric issues. But then yesterday it all started again, the constant high pitched noise is endless! I've had Ibs type symptoms, and anxiety all come out of no where!
I did wonder if it's all to do with the hormonal monthly cycle, even though I don't have any periods anymore, but every 4 wks I still seem to get what I can only describe as pmt symptoms!
Has far as the Tinnitus goes though, I had a phone call from someone with a really loud voice, and my ears started ringing and I went deaf for a few seconds, which worried me abit tbh. :'(
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Yep, mines exactly the same as yours wombat62.
When it's quiet it gets to me, and if I've got a bad headache.
I've never had it diagnosed by a doctor, but I know what it is,
Too loud music when I was younger, especially in the earphones too,
Now I know why my mom would go mad she always said I'd do my
ears in.......jd x
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2-night my left ear is so noisy I am positive that DH can hear it buzzing as he sits that side >:(. He says 'no' but it's out of my head somehow. Noisy. Like a load of bees whizzling round.
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Please don't forget to ask your dentists ladies, if it helps even one of you it will be worth it!
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Yes, loud music, always loved my music and loud concerts. I wonder....?!
Before I experienced any menopause symptoms, women that had already experienced it said they thought they still had a monthly cycle. In October I will have been two years without a period and my OH occasionally mentions that he thinks it
may be 'that time of the month'. I have no idea what he means!!! Enjoy those blissful moments when it disappears.
Hope you find someone to help with the tinnitus. I thought I would never be able to go to a concert again (I was about 40 at the time) and was very much encouraged to keep going. Recently been to Illegal Eagles, Kate Bush Tribute and Carpenters story, all fabulous and with no noticeable effect on the ears. Mind you, it was our local theatre, so probably not blasting out! My OHs clapping has a certain 'pitch' that has more effect on my ears (its hurts) than the music, it is really loud!
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Crikey! my left ear/head are noisy tonight :-\. There's a high pitched whistle that seems to be slightly above my head on the left but must be internal 'cos it's following me around >:(. Now it's gone ............ replaced by a low-grade buzzing.
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I'm getting odd tinnitus back (always have some form of it going on) but I'm hearing a distant tv on but hubby can never hear it and he's got much better hearing than me
When my ear drums both burst and I went totally deaf I developed musical tinnitus, mostly war songs. We have had a 1940s weekend going on behind our house and when we came home last night after watching a live band down my hopefully soon to be golf club I heard Land of Hope and Glory, I said to hubby either it's to 40s weekend or my musical tinnitus has started up again lol x
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My Oh, has just bought some new headphones for when we watch movies
on the tele. Which is great because you get hear all the words that are ‘lost'
sometimes from when the volume is low, (you know late at night..)
But after I've used them, god my ears are sore, and the tinnitus is bad after for a while.
Mainly in my left ear, which incidentally is the same side I always get migraines!
Don't know if there's a connection there or not..
I don't moan about it to him, because he's as chuffed as punch about his new toy! Lol
Hopefully, I won't have to use them that much......lol
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I asked DH last night whether he could hear my left ear .......... surely it's loud enough !
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Hi ladies I'm actually waiting on appt with ENT been waiting since March 2018 and maxillo facial as I have a tmj problem a disc displaced in the right side of my jaw my bite is abnormal due to this I'm hoping once I start some form of treatment il get some relief because I struggle to sleep also on hrt it's been a nightmare !!
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Do you have over-all laxity ?
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Overall laxity I'm not sure what that means ??
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Hi everyone
Just wondered if Tinnitus is a symptom of either Menopause or Anxiety. I am postmenopausal, age 58, had my last period 3 yrs ago, and still get hot flushes occasionally. The worse symptom I get is Anxiety, which I've had on and off for years, and I take Propranolol 80mg daily which I've been on for around 12 yrs. The Anxiety reared its ugly head again a month ago, but I also get this ringing in my ears, which I've had around 6 months. And it's a lot worse when I'm anxious. I mentioned it to the doctor , and he did all the bloods, and blood pressure etc, and everything was fine. And he didn't seem over concerned, but it's driving me mad!! Has anyone else had this? Or is it just part of the aging process! Thanks Jules55 x
I get it when I'm sick or stressed ... my left ear it had a burst ear drum years ago, I've got it now actually
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Another tinnitus sufferer, though strangely only in one ear, well the one ear is the worst, barely notice other one. I went to my GP and because it was only one ear, I had to be referred to ENT for an MRI scan. Apparently one ear tinnitus can be hiding something more serious. I am lucky to have private health cover and was seen the next week. Consultant wasn't keen to do MRI. didn't think it warranted it, but I said that I would worry myself sick, not knowing if something was wrong. He reluctantly agreed, and nothing alarming showed up, and I have learnt to " habituate?" (not sure if thats right word), to it and it's mostly ok. On the negative side, the MRI threw up couple other issues, nothing serious, but still anxiety inducing. The consultant did say that was one of the reasons he's against doing them without real indication. They throw up so many " red herrings" which can do more harm than good ! He said if he went into the street and pulled in 100 people, my age, they would all show something mostly age related on any MRI !
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Mine has been worse than usual the past few weeks. Like CLKD the deep itch drives me insane as I wake up trying to stop it. I put it down to being a secretary for a long time using headphones when typing letters and then flying a lot which I think really messes with the ears
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Sorry Tiny this didn't show as 'unread' :-\
Laxity of muscles which gives aches and pains in the joints?
I often wonder about F1 and MotoGP riders, who use ear-plugs :-\
Mine is background all the while. At the back of my head then it moves into my ears.
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Both ears are buzzing background today :-\ - hopefully this will ease once I get syringed next week!
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When I got tinnitus, I took ginkgo, along with vit b12 and after a few weeks it quietened down a lot, sometimes I don't hear it. My hubby has had it for 30 years due to bomb explosion when in the army and damaged the ear drum, he's learnt to block it out, and was told not to have them syringed as it will make the tinnitus worse. Getting stressed can aggravate the tinnitus.
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I too have tinnitus, but only in my left ear!
I find it is worse after I have had a glass of wine (as last night) I struggle more to sleep and the noise changes as the night progresses. It starts with a high pitch ring, then progresses to what I can only describe as a dull foghorn noise. It drives me to distraction and I feel heady and spaced out most of the next day.
I too had an mri, to be told I have a blood vessel right by my ear so would make it worse.
He did a manoeuvre to see if I had vertigo as I complained of the dizziness. Not sure it helped.
I've tried acupuncture and all seems a waste of money as nothing helps.
Wanted you to know I understand your suffering.
Thinking of you. Take care x
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Those of us old enough to have gone to concerts in the 1960s/70s are in danger of suffering. It can be constant. Those who played in bands particularly near the drum set, also suffer.
Earlier today my R ear was ringing - stopped now but don't know when. Also I get my heart beat in my ear if my head is deep in the pillow, I have to move my head. A few weeks ago when I had a cough I had tinnitus in both ears, in different keys >:( ::)
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It was so bad in the left ear at 11.30 p.m. I had to get out of bed as it was keeping me awake!
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My tinnitus is there all the time now. Sometimes just a buzz as now and other times high pitched. Most of the time I can deal with it. I decided I had to do this as it isn't going to go away and so management was the key for me otherwise I knew I would go insane
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Certainly it eased once I'd walked around. It's background on the left today but the right isn't problematic.
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Hi ladies. Does anyone get a noise in their ears almost like you can hear your heart beat or pulse through your ears? I've really noticed it recently just in my right ear whilst I've been struggling badly with other symptoms which makes me think it is part of all this meno business and perhaps due to low oestrogen.
Rosie63 xx
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I have this & it's called Pulsatile Tinnitus. Here is a link:
https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/pulsatile-tinnitus
This is easily checked by feeling the pulse at the same time as listening to the tinnitus.
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Ah thanks Cazikins. I'll take a look.
Rosie xx
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No problem Rosie.
Just remember that men get tinnitus as well so don't assume it is all down to the menopause. ;)
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Yes, it's easy to blame everything on the menopause isn't it :) I've had a quick look at the link and at least it looks as though it could be treated if it gets too bad. Have you had any treatment for it Cazikins?
Rosie x
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Not for the tinnitus Rosie, tbh I don't think it is treatable - you have to learn to manage it & live with it. I was offered counselling by the E.N.T. clinic which I feel wasn't necessary but I suppose I learnt that in theory it is harmless.
The good thing that came out of being diagnosed "officially" with T was that I was told I have Eustachian tube dysfunction, & an upper attic retraction by E.N.T...fast forward 3 - 4 years & I had a mastoidectomy last year & a small cholesteatoma was discovered & removed. So without having Tinnitus & my GP referring me to E.N.T. I probably could have been in a bit of bother. :)
Cazikins x
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It's almost as if it was meant to be for you Cazikins which is a good thing.
Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post xx
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Interesting. Occasionally I have pulsing tinnitus when I lay down and moving the head or turning over stops it. It's like my heart beats in my ear ::).
Certainly musicians/festiveal attendees can be affected. The late Dave Swarbrick had it for years .......... some find that listening to music distracts the brain from the inner noise and 1 person I know has a hearing aid which apparently helps.
Me I wriggle my lobe hard which seems to ease the noises or put my finger into the ear and pump it a bit. Both sides are quiet right now.
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Yes that's exactly how it is for me CLKD xx
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You can get tinnitus maskers to use at night if tinnitus disturbs sleep. Mine is a little battery powered machine (sold as a travel version) that looks like a 1970s transistor radio & sits by the bed. I think mine came from Action on Hearing Loss - still seems to be available on their website.
It has lots of different sound tracks to choose from so you can match to your own pitch/pattern of tinnitus, which then fades from consciousness - falling rain, surf sounds, wind chimes, steam train :o etc. Volume is adjustable so you can turn right up in the middle of the night to wake your snoring partner. Alternatively pick it up & chuck it at him. Win win!
The sound quality is better - less tinny - if you hitch it up to a little speaker - a PC speaker will do. You can set it to play constantly throughout the night or switch off after a set period if you just need it to get to sleep. There are some that can be used under the pillow if sleeping partners are disturbed by the noise - assuming you don't want them to be!
After 7 years of very intrusive tinnitus with a horrible wavering tone, over the last 18 months mine has quietened considerably & the tone is now even, so most days it's now no more than a quiet background hum & much easier to tolerate. So please don't give up hope & assume you will be stuck with a distressing degree of it for life.
The masker is still useful to drown out OH's snoring!
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:thankyou: so helpful! Mine's been quiet all day.
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Pleasure CLKD - tinnitus can be so distressing, especially when we first get it, but I really found the masker helped at night.
Wx
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Just read your post Wrensong about the snoring partner. It made me laugh out loud....good job we've still got our sense of humour ;D x
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Yes Rosie - without that, I suspect a lot of us menopausal ladies would have been locked up for partnericide long before now ;)
Wx
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Went to the doctors last December with Tinnitus symptoms and he checked my ears all ok etc. He said he would refer me to ENT at local hospital and my appointment is next week. Having spoken to few people and read up on it it seems there is very little that can be done to help, most people just learn to live with it. Can anyone tell me what they actually do at the hospital is it just basic hearing tests and general advice given. Thanks
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A few years since I went Maxwin, but yes from memory - hearing tests & advice. I would still go along though, as there may be a treatable cause for your tinnitus. I think CBT/mindfulness courses are sometimes recommended & a contact who works in Audiology told me this can be very helpful for tinnitus. I had already been practising mindfulness meditation before onset of my tinnitus - in fact it was the intrusive nature of the tinnitus that put an end to meditation for me! I came away with various printouts - possibly that's where I learned about tinnitus maskers. You do learn to live with it, but there are practical tips that can help, so worth going along to see the experts.
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Thanks Wrensong, my daughter has a degree in positive psychology and holds mindfulness sessions so wont have far to go if needed! I always feel the same when referred to hospital hope i'm not wasting their time and an appointment. Still will be good to have thorough check as the doctors only do basic stuff. Will report back once been. thanks
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Oh Maxwin - bless you, you will not be wasting their time. Tinnitus can be a big deal for us to get used to - please take whatever help you can get. You can decide how you approach any treatment they may suggest & need not accept anything that doesn't feel right for you. Your daughter's qualification means you have an expert to call on should you decide to consider mindfulness. Do let us know how you get on. I am by no means an expert on tinnitus (or sadly, anything else!!) but PM me if there's any way I might be able to help - I can go for months without looking at MM.
Wx
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A 4 month wait :o ???
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That's the way things are in the NHS these days CLKD.
Doctors, nurses, specialists etc are all in short supply.
A shortage of staff means longer waiting times.
Last year my ear op was cancelled 4 times at the last minute.
I don't think things have improved sadly.
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Many are moving abroad as the NHS simply doesn't support them these days :'( even my sister moved into the private sector ........ she was a hardened NHS-er but it was no longer a safe working environment. My left ear is background buzzing ::)
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Many are moving abroad as the NHS simply doesn't support them these days :
And that's why Maxwin had a 4 month wait. ;)
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Dreadful ! My tinnitus is slightly above my head, like a halo :-\ - all over about 3" above ........
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Hi fellow tinnitus sufferers, had my appointment today at ENT, so friendly and helpful, had hearing test then chat with doctor who put my mind at rest that my ears are 100% healthy, he did few other basic tests like getting me to follow his finger with my eyes and checking the feeling in my face. I do have slight frequency issues (he mentioned dips, numbers on a graph etc) and has explained that I will almost certainly need hearing aid in 5+ years time. Have been offered a therapy session to help with relaxing etc and he said the quality of my sleep must improve! Easier said than done lol. So pleased I went love our NHS.
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I haven't been diagnosed with tinnitus, but I know I have it.
Left ear, terrible tone, which is why I've always got the radio on, or tele.
At night in bed, I've got my fan on, not only to keep me cool, but for the noise too.
Without that, it's far too quiet and the tone in my ear takes over...
It's worse when I have a bad headache or migraine.
If I concentrate on the tone, I can still here it when the tele or radios on, but the distraction works well...
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Tinnitus - Yep that "sounds" about right JD... get it ;D ;D
That's a perfect description jillydoll, & it sounds like you are coping with it very well. It's basically what I do (apart from the fan). I know the tinnitus is there as it will always be but I don't go searching for it if that makes sense. Sometimes it catches me out by sending me a loud hisssssss.. or a buzzzzzz....
Hi Maxwin, glad your appt went well. I love our NHS also. They do an awesome job. :)
Cazi x
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Hi Maxwin. So glad to know you went along to the appt & all was well. Hope the therapy helps if you choose to take up the offer. Agree, the NHS is amazing - staff are some of the kindest, most dedicated & selfless people you could wish to know. We are so lucky to have it, but also true that it's sadly struggling more than ever these days due to lack of (human) resources. As I'm looking at returning to work I check the vacancy websites every day. The number of clinical vacancies in some of the major hospitals is shocking. That these places keep running is a huge credit to those who continue to work there under such pressure. I fear for it even more with the political uncertainties ahead.
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My ears have been throbbing, not painful but like the blood is flowing close to the surface :-\ as well as tinnitus around the whole head, about 2" away from my skull on the outside :-\ :-\ it kept me awake in the early hours, knackered now >:(
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:-\ ...............
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That sounds horrible CLKD. Any better yet?
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I think I need to use some olive oil and then get another rinse out, in the mean time I have ringing all around the outside of my head like a :ange: ....... that's halo by the way ::). So annoying and kept me awake a few nights ago >:(
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Night time is the worst for tinnitus. A tinnitus masker might help though. Oh, the olive oil treatment takes me back! Remember how horrible it felt/sounded when poured in off the spoon. A tiny bottle of it used to live on the shelf in our pantry - only used for ear probs, never for dressings or cooking!
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You must be my age then ;D .......... warmed and dripped into the lug-hole, it made the ear blocked for ages after :(
No noise right now .........
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From what I remember I'm a bit younger than you CKLD (mid-late 50s)! I'd forgotten the oil was usually warmed first. Gosh, 50 years on I can feel it all over again :o. Horrible!!
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Morning. No noise this morning ........... at least I can't hear it ::)
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Yaaay! Have a lovely day CLKD.
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Mine has been really loud this afternoon and evening. I do wonder if when I do my morning walk and it is windy (as it was today) whether it sets it off
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Hi Herdwick, yes, the wind will make your tinnitus louder. I was advised by a fellow sufferer to always carry foam earplugs with me when I'm out and about and so that's what I've done for a few years now.
At the first sign of more than a gentle breeze I pop one in ( left sided tinnitus only)
They also come in useful for blocking out any loud sounds that can also make my tinnitus crank up to full screaming pitch .
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No problems for a couple of days :-)
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Hi Herdwick, yes, the wind will make your tinnitus louder. I was advised by a fellow sufferer to always carry foam earplugs with me when I'm out and about and so that's what I've done for a few years now.
At the first sign of more than a gentle breeze I pop one in ( left sided tinnitus only)
They also come in useful for blocking out any loud sounds that can also make my tinnitus crank up to full screaming pitch .
Thanks Linz. I do always have cotton wool in my coat pockets to use during the winter and that works well but now it is warmer I don't have them and it has been windy lately so did make me wonder. I will make sure I have a supply for the warmer months now too :)
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I've got my E.N.T. check up this week at the hospital & since my op last year my tinnitus has got much worse, but to be fair they did say it probably would.
Most times I can ignore it & block it out. It's in noisy places I really have problems, I can pick up things from across the room but can't hear things being said in front of me or on the phone. It's so frustrating.
Hearing test followed by ear examination, then microsuction of the ears. Then discussion.
Happy days Cazi, happy days. :)
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Let us know how U get on?
One side was noisy in the night ::)
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I've been given a thorough M.O.T.
Ears checked.
Hearing Test & pressure test.
Microsuction on both ears.
Camera up one nostril (at my request) to check to see if any polyp has decided to regrow in my larynx. I had one removed 9 years ago & have had a croaky voice & have been constantly clearing my throat for the last 3 - 4 months. All OK apparently - turns out to be blooming reflux.
M.R.I. scan ordered to check no sign of cholesteatoma coming back & follow up in 1 year if scan ok.
Bloody tinnitus is really bad though :(
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Oh I wouldn't consider anything up my nostril :o
I think my constant 'cough' is due to reflux. Ears quiet today.
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Oh I wouldn't consider anything up my nostril :o
I must admit CLKD it does make my eyes water & you can feel the tip of the probe in your throat & neck :o :o
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:-X :-X :-X .........
My noises are background this morning.
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Not too noisy today but then because of this appalling weather am stuck with the treadmill for company today so no winds to put up with
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Have U done your workout yet? Your reward might be ;)
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Blldy nuisance for 3 days/nights >:(
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It does get on your nerves doesn't it...especially when it's quiet...💐
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Yep. Today. Nowt - phew!
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I have a brass band on both sides of my head today and they aren't playing the same tunes ! >:(
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I have a brass band on both sides of my head today and they aren't playing the same tunes ! >:(
Ooer! Land of Hope and Glory in one ear and Colonel Bogey March in the other? Seriously though, that's horrible. Hate it when mine starts up.
JP x
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;D ..... quieter now, I've been to stressco :D