"Help For Tinnitus
Sufferers - If You Have Ringing in the Ears This
Page is a Good Tinnitus FAQ Guide To Help You Find Valuable
Information"
This web page is dedicated to answering some important
questions about Tinnitus. It is compiled
from and makes reference to multiple online Tinnitus
resources. It is not intended as a substitute for a
health practitioner.
To get the exact information you need about Tinnitus
quickly, please choose from the following links.
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"I
Wish that I had heard this fifty years ago.
Great Presentation." Victor
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General
Tinnitus FAQs
1. What is Tinnitus?
2. How many people are afflicted
with Tinnitus?
3. What causes Tinnitus?
4. What treatments are available
for Tinnitus?
5. I have recently discovered that
I have Tinnitus, what should I do first?
6. Tinnitus is driving me crazy!
What should I do?
7. Does our healthcare pay for
Tinnitus treatment?
8. Will my insurance pay for my
Tinnitus treatment?
9. Is there a cure for Tinnitus?
10. Where can I go to learn more
about Tinnitus?
11. What aggravates Tinnitus?
What
is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus varies from person to person but it is generally
described as a constant ringing, buzzing, chirping,
roaring, hissing or whistling in the ears. Some may
have Tinnitus in one ear or both and some describe it
as coming from inside the brain. Tinnitus can be high
pitched or low pitched and can be constant or come and
go intermittently.
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How
many people are afflicted with Tinnitus?
It is estimated that as much as 15% of the world's
population suffers from Tinnitus in one form or another.
About 25% of these people have Tinnitus severely enough
to seek medical attention. In recent years the number
of Tinnitus sufferers has grown significantly. This
may be due to a number of environmental factors including
exposure to loud noise.
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What
causes Tinnitus?
There are several causes of Tinnitus. It is important
to note that no one cause is more prevalent than another
and the exact cause of each person's tinnitus cannot
be determined. Here is a brief list of some known causes.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss - Loud noises can damage
and even destroy tiny in the inner ear and this cannot
be corrected. Hearing loss due to exposure to loud noise
can also accompany Tinnitus. It has been recorded that
up to 90 percent of all tinnitus patients have some
level of hearing loss.
Prescription and Over the Counter Medications - Many
medications contain chemicals which can be toxic to
the ear. Depending on dosage some medications can cause
temporary or even permanent Tinnitus. Before taking
any medication discuss the possibility of contracting
Tinnitus with your doctor. And, always read the fine
print of possible side effects enclosed with most over
the counter medications.
Ear or Sinus Infections - Sinus infections can cause
temporary or permanent Tinnitus. Depending on how severe
the infection please read the labels on over the counter
medications because some of them list Tinnitus as a
side effect.
Rare Causes of Tinnitus - Though less common than the
above listed causes the following is a brief list of
some of the more rare causes of Tinnitus; Jaw misalignment,
Cardiovascular disease, Tumors, Head and neck trauma.
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What
treatments are available for Tinnitus?
Currently there is no known cure for Tinnitus however
much research and millions of dollars are being spent
every year on finding a cure. Depending on who you talk
to there are a number of treatments available for Tinnitus
such as prescription medications, natural remedies,
homeopathy, acupuncture, ginko biloba, natural healers,
tinnitus retraining therapy, tinnitus maskers, diets
etc...
Each person is different and will respond differently
to each tinnitus remedy. It is impossible to predict
the outcome of any particular therapy. If you have tinnitus
consult with your doctor about possible solutions.
Many people have had little success with most tinnitus
treatments currently available. If you want
lasting relief, you may consider an alternative approach.
Listen to Paul Tobey's Tinnitus
Seminar which you can instantly download
now.
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I
have recently discovered that I have Tinnitus, what
should I do first?
Please see your medical practitioner. They may have
many suggestions as to what you should do next and what
possible remedies may be available. But, more than that...it
is important that you understand your options and therefore
do some research before deciding what to do. There are
many products being marketed on the internet that claim
to have success in treating Tinnitus. Most are completely
bogus! Beware the outrageous claims of a cure and most
of all, make wise decisions before you part with your
money.
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Tinnitus
is driving me crazy! What should I do?
If you are at a point where you feel you cannot suffer
one more day with Tinnitus then please tell someone.
Very often Tinnitus sufferers feel alone because they
think no one can understand what they're going through.
Tinnitus is invisible and therefore many tinnitus patients
feel completely alone. It is important that you contact
a loved one, a doctor, a psychiatrist or anyone that
you can talk to and share what you're going through.
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Does
our healthcare pay for Tinnitus treatment?
Visits to your family doctor and ENT specialists for
Tinnitus are covered by Canadian Medicare. Medications
are not covered and neither are specialized Tinnitus
therapies.
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Will
my medical insurance pay for my Tinnitus treatment?
Not likely. Though medical insurance benefits differ
greatly most do not cover any treatments for Tinnitus.
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Is
there a cure for Tinnitus?
No, there is not known cure for Tinnitus. That's not
to say that people have not been cured. Many people
have experienced a complete disappearance of their tinnitus.
How this happens exactly is unexplainable but it is
definitely possible to be cured.
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Where
can I go to learn more about Tinnitus?
There are a number of non-profit Tinnitus organizations
dedicated to helping Tinnitus patients with treatment
options, education, prevention awareness and even counseling.
For a list of these organizations please click here.
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What
aggravates Tinnitus?
Even though Tinnitus may be permanent many people still
experience different levels of volume. There are number
of aggravants that have been documented to cause a heightening
of tinnitus symptoms such as: salt, wheat, alcohol,
coffee, citrus fruits, dairy products and even stress.
It varies from person to person but usually by trial
and error many tinnitus patients are able to figure
out what causes their symptoms to be more severe and
therefore are able to avoid those situations.
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. . . . .
The following article appeared in "Tinnitus
Today" the journal for the American
Tinnitus Association. It is a story which resonates
deeply with many people suffering from Tinnitus. It
is the true account of how Canadian Concert Pianist
Paul Tobey learned over to time to deal with his severely
debilitating form of Tinnitus.
My Choice - by
Paul Tobey
I have devoted my life to the study of sound. I am
not a physicist, a doctor, a scientist, nor an audiologist.
I am a master of sound, an accomplished concert pianist.
Since the age of eight, I’ve studied the relationship
between the body and the vibration of musical notes.
What I couldn’t have known is that one day I would
deeply yearn for the one note I would never hear again
– the note of “no sound.”
Perhaps the tinnitus was caused by all of those over-the-counter
decongestants I was taking for my flu, or maybe it was
the stress of being at the pinnacle of my performing
career, or maybe it was the news that my wife, Nancy,
was giving up a good paying job, or a combination thereof.
Whatever it was, one night I dreamt I was sitting on
an airport tarmac between two jet engines. When I woke
up, I realized this noise wasn’t just a dream.
It was in my head! I rolled off the bed onto the floor
in a fetal position with hands over my ears.
Over the next few weeks, I begged doctors to help me.
My journey of hope began with visits to family doctors,
referrals, and audiologists. Weeks turned into years
with more research leading my wife and me to more doctors,
shamans, and dozens of healers around the world. We
live in Canada, but traveled to as far away as Japan.
What started as my journey of hope turned into a dark
and painful life with bouts of deep depression. The
tinnitus sabotaged my music, my marriage, and sometimes
my very desire to live. The worst part was that because
my injury was not visible to the world, people had no
appreciation or ability to feel compassion for my suffering.
I felt very alone. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe
Van Gogh cut off his ear to make his suffering visible
to the world – not because he thought it would
stop his tinnitus.
Believing no one in the world could understand my physical
pain, or my emotional burden, I turned to the Internet
only to find chat groups with more stories of chronic
depression and misery. It became clear I wasn’t
alone in my suffering, but it didn’t make me feel
better about my situation. That was when my wife became
the most afraid, and ordered me to stay out of the virtual
company of these sufferers, and instead to stay abreast
of research through the American Tinnitus Association.
I was so busy fighting the tinnitus and struggling
to make it through the day, I barely noticed my wife’s
struggle with my tinnitus too. I had no energy for her
personal fight to keep me alive, or to fight the Canadian
Hearing Association when they told me they couldn’t
measure the volume of the noise I hear (higher than
their instruments could measure). I had no strength
to fight the audiologist who sold me “white noise/masking
hearing aids” that, despite my discipline, hope,
and full cooperation, didn’t work for me. I didn’t
have the energy to fight other health professionals
who tried to help but whose good ideas didn’t
work. They got my money; I kept the tinnitus.
My last hope, or so I thought, was an audiologist and
medical doctor team who specialized in treating musician’s
hearing problems. Because I’m self employed, I
have no drug insurance plan. Feeling for my situation,
they gave me dozen packets of antidepressants. Feeling
hopeful that maybe they would work, I poured the boxes
out on the kitchen table. That’s when I noticed
my wife’s anger and when she gave me the ultimatum:
“Paul, either you choose to live your life on
antidepressants, or you choose to face your disability
and conquer it. If you choose to conquer it, you will
live a happy life with me and Adrian [our son]. If you
choose the antidepressants, you will miss your music
and your family. It’ll all be gone.” She
stood there with hands on hips and said, “You
choose now, because I’m ready to live with whatever
you choose.”
With my glimmer of hope turning into profound rage,
I swept the table with my arm, and all the pill boxes
flew around the room. My rage turned into deep sorrow
for my loss of silence, and I bawled for the longest
time, curled up on the floor. Nancy never came to comfort
me. Maybe she knew I needed to let go of my rage. She
watched standing at a distance and repeated the words
“You must choose now. It’s been four years,
and you have to choose what you are going to do.”
I sheepishly got up knowing that I would get no sympathy
from her now. This was tough love. I picked up the packets,
and began to flush the pills down the toilet.
I cried all night, mourning the fact that after four
years, the tinnitus wasn’t going away. I had cried
many times before, but this time was different. On this
night, I began to surrender to the tinnitus. I knew
the tinnitus would somehow have to become my new best
friend.
But I wouldn’t be doing it alone. With Nancy
and Adrian by my side, my tinnitus healthcare team at
the ready, a new spiritual mentor into my life, I was
introduced to books about the theory of mind, body,
and spirit. I kept a journal of what I ate, how I lived,
and my thought processes. Over a period of time, I learned
by trial and error that I could control the volume of
my tinnitus by completely eliminating wheat products,
milk, caffeine, yellow vegetables, pork, salt, red wine,
and citrus fruits from my diet, and introducing a high-protein
diet of beef and certain types of beans, plus broccoli
and other green vegetables. What I eat seems to control
the volume of the tinnitus. I learned that exercise,
sex, meditation, and playing the piano kept my mind
off of the tinnitus for long stretches of time. I learned
that my negative thought processes had kept me focused
and addicted to my tinnitus, and that I could actually
control my thoughts to take the focus off of my tinnitus.
I learned that no one else in the world was empowered
to heal me, and that I would ultimately be responsible
for my own healing.
Seven years later, I am a completely new person. Tinnitus
has transformed my life – in very positive ways.
Because of the tinnitus, I have walked an 850km pilgrimage
across Spain, produced spiritual films, composed symphony
music, became a certified motivational trainer, and
am currently writing my first book. I am healthier,
wiser, more grounded, humbled, and very grateful for
my life.
Because of the tinnitus, I now teach people how to
find their inner strength and use it to conquer their
mind’s attachment to illness, vulnerabilities,
emotional burdens, and fears. And yet, with all of my
professional credits, nothing in my life’s journey
comes close to my personal accomplishment of conquering
my tinnitus. No, I may never experience silence again.
But tinnitus now serves as a beacon in my life. It is
no longer the cruel enemy that once controlled me.
As a master of sound, I can tell you that the most
beautiful sound I’ve ever heard is the suspended
space between two musical notes – that open space
of “no sound,” of silence. It’s such
a great gift. But I’ve learned that other profound
gifts do come, and from the strangest forms of suffering.
As my loving wife once said in one desperate attempt
to save my life, “It’s your choice.”
And so I’ve chosen.
- The author Paul Tobey has developed a "How-To"
information kit called "A Practical Guide to Tinnitus
Free Living." It comes with a beautifully edited
eBook, an accompanying audio recording and an audio
meditation specifically designed for Tinnitus
Patients. A must have for all Tinnitus Sufferers!
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Here
Are Links To Other Helpful Tinnitus Articles
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Tinnitus - The Marriage Killer
Tinnitus may be driving you crazy but it also affects
(or infects) everyone around you. Many marriages
cannot withstand this kind of adversity. You need
to know what you can do to prevent your marriage
from breaking down. This article may help.
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Sleeping
With Tinitus
One of the biggest challenges that I hear from Tinitus
(constant ringing in the ears) patients is their
inability to get a good night's sleep. In this article
I offer my Ten Top Ways to Get to Sleep.
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Breaking
the Tinnitus Habit - A How To Guide
What you focus on expands! Therefore, if you're
focused on your Tinnitus and how much it's bothering
you, you're just going to get more of the same.
Learning newer more positive habits surrounding
Tinnitus is difficult but certainly possible!
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A
Tinnitus Handbook A Self Help Guide
Do you need a self help recovery plan that will
help your tinnitus to heal? There are four areas
of yourself which you can work on to cause your
Tinnitus to heal. This Tinnitus Handbook a Self
Help Guide will help you.
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For More Information About Paul Tobey Visit His Piano
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