Tenacious Tinnitus Club – Ear Pressure, Noise and Hyperacusis

[[Be...]]

Hi All

Hiw are you doing?

I have an update to my situation. My ears are completely healed at this point but my tinnitus is notlw fully inside of my head. It turned into a head sound. Full jet machine sounds. I can feel my neurons moving lol. Is it good to Tinnitus fluctuates so much? When I do not sleep well for a night my tinnitus turns out to be more than a sound like a sensation. I can feel it all over my head. I think I miss my old T but I must admit that this kind of tinnitus can completely ve masked with crickets sound.

 

Take care

 

Thanks for the update Beste!.  How many MG daily of the K were you on for that year?

'I was the same as you in that my C/T was easy at first and when I healed and at the end I had a whopping case of unbelievably loud tinnitus that maxed out for me at month #7. 

 

I wish you continued healing and keep reporting in please.  From what I heard is that the more the tinnitus heals the slower any new healing gets.  Years after there comes a point that you just stop thinking about it for most people and it becomes a "non-issue".  I wish I was there now.

 

Hugs Birdy.

 

Hi Birdy

Sorry for the late answer.

I took clonazepam for 8 months on 1 mg for sleep. It is 242 mg in total. My T started really mild. It was morse code T like ee e eeee e ee ee in my left ear. But after 5 mos it is now full jet engines inside of my head. It is 90% sound 10% sensation. I'm really confused why it got much worse. Isn't it supposed to get much more mild by times passes? This new T cannot be masked except for crickets sound. I wonder what does your T sound like? I start to think that the ones whose T went away had it like tonal? I never saw anyone who has hissing T gone away. I can deal with eeee sound, but this head buzzing and hissing is the one driving me insane.

 

Much love

Beste

 

 

[[xe...]]

Bird man, thank you for the response-  my ear got worse if I've got some sorthroat or colds.

 

Almost everyone here seems to have "WAVES" of some kind during a flu or cold and me too.  I wish I knew what it meant.

 

I do recall as a child having bad tinnitus during high fevers so the sound is not new.  It's like my brain thinks I have a high fever.    Benzo w/d is so bizarre.

 

Interestingly I had a high-ish fever recently as a result of some tainted Taco Bell, and the morning after I woke up with almost no noise. Strange...

[[Bi...]]

Bird man, thank you for the response-  my ear got worse if I've got some sorthroat or colds.

 

Almost everyone here seems to have "WAVES" of some kind during a flu or cold and me too.  I wish I knew what it meant.

 

I do recall as a child having bad tinnitus during high fevers so the sound is not new.  It's like my brain thinks I have a high fever.    Benzo w/d is so bizarre.

 

Interestingly I had a high-ish fever recently as a result of some tainted Taco Bell, and the morning after I woke up with almost no noise. Strange...

Wow,just the opposite of me.  Go figure   No wonder there is no science or help for what benzo's do to people since everyone has a totally different experience.  The old BENZO RING molecule is the ultimate marvel of madness made manifest as a pill

[[Bi...]]

Hi All

Hiw are you doing?

I have an update to my situation. My ears are completely healed at this point but my tinnitus is notlw fully inside of my head. It turned into a head sound. Full jet machine sounds. I can feel my neurons moving lol. Is it good to Tinnitus fluctuates so much? When I do not sleep well for a night my tinnitus turns out to be more than a sound like a sensation. I can feel it all over my head. I think I miss my old T but I must admit that this kind of tinnitus can completely ve masked with crickets sound.

 

Take care

 

Thanks for the update Beste!.  How many MG daily of the K were you on for that year?

'I was the same as you in that my C/T was easy at first and when I healed and at the end I had a whopping case of unbelievably loud tinnitus that maxed out for me at month #7. 

 

I wish you continued healing and keep reporting in please.  From what I heard is that the more the tinnitus heals the slower any new healing gets.  Years after there comes a point that you just stop thinking about it for most people and it becomes a "non-issue".  I wish I was there now.

 

Hugs Birdy.

 

Hi Birdy

Sorry for the late answer.

I took clonazepam for 8 months on 1 mg for sleep. It is 242 mg in total. My T started really mild. It was morse code T like ee e eeee e ee ee in my left ear. But after 5 mos it is now full jet engines inside of my head. It is 90% sound 10% sensation. I'm really confused why it got much worse. Isn't it supposed to get much more mild by times passes? This new T cannot be masked except for crickets sound. I wonder what does your T sound like? I start to think that the ones whose T went away had it like tonal? I never saw anyone who has hissing T gone away. I can deal with eeee sound, but this head buzzing and hissing is the one driving me insane.

 

Much love

Beste

 

I have been keeping count on a spread sheet and found that the odds of having long term tinnitus are 77% greater in all cold turkey cases. 

[[pe...]]

I thought this was interesting...

 

 

Tinnitus Is Associated With Psychiatric Disorders and Stress

 

In adults, the majority of people with tinnitus (77 percent) may suffer from co-existing psychiatric disorders ranging from anxiety to personality disorders. Further, 62 percent of tinnitus patients may suffer from depressive disorders while 45 percent may have anxiety disorders.5

 

Further, there appears to be a close link between tinnitus and stress, such that stress may make tinnitus worse and vice versa. In one study, emotional exhaustion — or the feeling of being drained due to chronic stress — was a strong predictor of tinnitus severity.6

 

In addition, chronic stress may be as large a risk factor for developing tinnitus as exposure to occupational noise. Research has found that exposure to highly stressful situations and occupational noise each double the risk of tinnitus.7

 

Further, stress is especially influential in the transition from mild to severe tinnitus, with researchers concluding, "Stress management strategies should be included in hearing conservation programs, especially for individuals with mild tinnitus who report a high stress load."8

 

Also of note, many people with tinnitus first noticed the ringing in their ears during a stressful life event, such as divorce, being laid off, sickness in family members, accidents or surgery. As noted in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry (JNNP):9

 

"These events can heighten the brain's arousal, and the tinnitus may be noted cortically [by the cerebral cortex]. This interaction between reduced auditory sensation and brain compensation might explain why some people are very bothered by their tinnitus and others just adjust to it."

 

The researchers have suggested that tinnitus is not simply a condition affecting the auditory system but rather is neuropsychiatric in nature, which would explain why it often occurs alongside cognitive and behavioral symptoms.

 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/06/30/tinnitus-treatment.aspx

[[ca...]]

PD, Good post but like most everything there seems to be a relationship to stress and coming off a benzo sure causes lots of stress !

[[Bi...]]

I thought this was interesting...

 

 

Tinnitus Is Associated With Psychiatric Disorders and Stress

 

In adults, the majority of people with tinnitus (77 percent) may suffer from co-existing psychiatric disorders ranging from anxiety to personality disorders. Further, 62 percent of tinnitus patients may suffer from depressive disorders while 45 percent may have anxiety disorders.5

 

Further, there appears to be a close link between tinnitus and stress, such that stress may make tinnitus worse and vice versa. In one study, emotional exhaustion — or the feeling of being drained due to chronic stress — was a strong predictor of tinnitus severity.6

 

In addition, chronic stress may be as large a risk factor for developing tinnitus as exposure to occupational noise. Research has found that exposure to highly stressful situations and occupational noise each double the risk of tinnitus.7

 

Further, stress is especially influential in the transition from mild to severe tinnitus, with researchers concluding, "Stress management strategies should be included in hearing conservation programs, especially for individuals with mild tinnitus who report a high stress load."8

 

Also of note, many people with tinnitus first noticed the ringing in their ears during a stressful life event, such as divorce, being laid off, sickness in family members, accidents or surgery. As noted in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry (JNNP):9

 

"These events can heighten the brain's arousal, and the tinnitus may be noted cortically [by the cerebral cortex]. This interaction between reduced auditory sensation and brain compensation might explain why some people are very bothered by their tinnitus and others just adjust to it."

 

The researchers have suggested that tinnitus is not simply a condition affecting the auditory system but rather is neuropsychiatric in nature, which would explain why it often occurs alongside cognitive and behavioral symptoms.

 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/06/30/tinnitus-treatment.aspx

 

Great post PD.    Funny I was with my doctor and he asked me very specific questions about the tinnitus I was hearing. 

Is it loud?  YES

Louder than my voice?  NO.

Does my voice bug you. NO

When you listen to your tinnitus why does it bug you? IT MAKES ME FEEL NERVOUS!

 

Yup I have a stress problem too PD.  Stressed out people have sound triggers that drive them crazy!  From tinnitus, to a crying baby to a room full of noisy kids or even punk rock and roll music to some can send them over the edge.  Everyone finds their own trigger or it finds you.

 

The hard question is how to stop stressing out?  Exercise seems to be the only natural way to wear myself out so I am walking 5 miles a day now.

 

[[pe...]]

Thanks CD and Birdie!

 

This excerpt from the article is definitely true for me!  My tinnitus first came about during a combination of both very high physical stress and very high emotional stress / intense anxiety.  I had brain swelling due to water intoxication and ended up in the ICU.  I had recently moved to a different town and took a new job.  The sudden life changes caused me to be very stressed, anxious, and depressed.  And then the water intoxication episode itself caused my anxiety to go through the roof.  I believe for most people that tinnitus is not due to just a physical cause.  I think it is definitely a "neuropsychiatric" condition as described in the article.

 

And unfortunately, I was one of those people that tinnitus itself caused extreme anxiety / depression and suffering.  I don't understand why some people can have loud tinnitus and simply ignore it, but in others like me, it can cause great anxiety.  I had a counselor who specializes in helping tinnitus patients.  She told me that the current theory is that the brain of people who are caused great anxiety by tinnitus process the sound differently than those who are not bothered by it.  All I know is that it was a nightmare that I wouldn't wish on anyone.  I still have tinnitus, but it has improved and I have habituated to it.  I am hoping that it will continue to improve as my life circumstances and stress level continue to get better.

 

I think one of the most important things we can do to decrease stress is to change our perception about our life.  I know...easier said than done.  But stress only 'stresses us out' because of our internal dialogue about the stress.  It is our view of the circumstances that creates negative thoughts and emotions.  One of the most important things we can do is to stay 'in the moment' and not constantly let our thoughts wander to past events and possible future events.  Right here and right now in this moment, nothing bad is happening.  And in most moments of our life, nothing bad is happening.  But it is our perception of our circumstances and our fears and anxieties about what is happening and what may happen in the future that creates a lot of stress.

 

I also walk a lot like you Birdie.  I walk 4 miles almost every day.  If we lived close to each other we could walk together.   

 

PD

[[Bi...]]

Thanks CD and Birdie!

 

This excerpt from the article is definitely true for me!  My tinnitus first came about during a combination of both very high physical stress and very high emotional stress / intense anxiety.  I had brain swelling due to water intoxication and ended up in the ICU.  I had recently moved to a different town and took a new job.  The sudden life changes caused me to be very stressed, anxious, and depressed.  And then the water intoxication episode itself caused my anxiety to go through the roof.  I believe for most people that tinnitus is not due to just a physical cause.  I think it is definitely a "neuropsychiatric" condition as described in the article.

 

And unfortunately, I was one of those people that tinnitus itself caused extreme anxiety / depression and suffering.  I don't understand why some people can have loud tinnitus and simply ignore it, but in others like me, it can cause great anxiety.  I had a counselor who specializes in helping tinnitus patients.  She told me that the current theory is that the brain of people who are caused great anxiety by tinnitus process the sound differently than those who are not bothered by it.  All I know is that it was a nightmare that I wouldn't wish on anyone.  I still have tinnitus, but it has improved and I have habituated to it.  I am hoping that it will continue to improve as my life circumstances and stress level continue to get better.

 

I think one of the most important things we can do to decrease stress is to change our perception about our life.  I know...easier said than done.  But stress only 'stresses us out' because of our internal dialogue about the stress.  It is our view of the circumstances that creates negative thoughts and emotions.  One of the most important things we can do is to stay 'in the moment' and not constantly let our thoughts wander to past events and possible future events.  Right here and right now in this moment, nothing bad is happening.  And in most moments of our life, nothing bad is happening.  But it is our perception of our circumstances and our fears and anxieties about what is happening and what may happen in the future that creates a lot of stress.

 

I also walk a lot like you Birdie.  I walk 4 miles almost every day.  If we lived close to each other we could walk together.   

 

PD

 

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

[[pe...]]

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

 

Yes, I found a lot of help from AD's.  Zoloft was like a miracle for me.  That was the only thing that helped me sleep after months and months of insomnia.  It really got be back on the right track.  As I started to sleep, the ear ringing diminished, and my depression / anxiety started lifting.  I was only on Zoloft 2 months and then I switched to Kanna, which is known as an 'herbal SSRI'.  I was able to transition from Zoloft to Kanna without any problems.  I am still using it.  Here's some information about it if you are interested:

 

http://www.sceletium.org/

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=104959.0

 

 

If you're ever in Iowa Birdy...stop and see me.  We would have a lot of fun! 

 

PD 

 

 

[[Bi...]]

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

 

Yes, I found a lot of help from AD's.  Zoloft was like a miracle for me.  That was the only thing that helped me sleep after months and months of insomnia.  It really got be back on the right track.  As I started to sleep, the ear ringing diminished, and my depression / anxiety started lifting.  I was only on Zoloft 2 months and then I switched to Kanna, which is known as an 'herbal SSRI'.  I was able to transition from Zoloft to Kanna without any problems.  I am still using it.  Here's some information about it if you are interested:

 

http://www.sceletium.org/

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=104959.0

 

 

If you're ever in Iowa Birdy...stop and see me.  We would have a lot of fun! 

 

PD 

 

Hi PD,  the Kanna sounds interesting but everything I take needs to be available in a pharmacy due to my job.  Sometimes I get sequestered at the air force base for weeks if there is a security problem and we have to ask the base doc. to procure our R/X list.  I have a complex life as a military subcontractor.  Too many rules!

 

If I ever fly by Iowa I'll stop in.  Just listen for a big helicopter   I'm not a pilot just the EWO.

 

I will look into zoloft thanks.

 

Hugs Birdy 

[[pe...]]

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

 

Yes, I found a lot of help from AD's.  Zoloft was like a miracle for me.  That was the only thing that helped me sleep after months and months of insomnia.  It really got be back on the right track.  As I started to sleep, the ear ringing diminished, and my depression / anxiety started lifting.  I was only on Zoloft 2 months and then I switched to Kanna, which is known as an 'herbal SSRI'.  I was able to transition from Zoloft to Kanna without any problems.  I am still using it.  Here's some information about it if you are interested:

 

http://www.sceletium.org/

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=104959.0

 

 

If you're ever in Iowa Birdy...stop and see me.  We would have a lot of fun! 

 

PD 

 

Hi PD,  the Kanna sounds interesting but everything I take needs to be available in a pharmacy due to my job.  Sometimes I get sequestered at the air force base for weeks if there is a security problem and we have to ask the base doc. to procure our R/X list.  I have a complex life as a military subcontractor.  Too many rules!

 

If I ever fly by Iowa I'll stop in.  Just listen for a big helicopter   I'm not a pilot just the EWO.

 

I will look into zoloft thanks.

 

Hugs Birdy 

 

Sounds like you have a very exciting life Birdy!  I'll be listening for you...   

 

PD 

[[sn...]]

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

 

Yes, I found a lot of help from AD's.  Zoloft was like a miracle for me.  That was the only thing that helped me sleep after months and months of insomnia.  It really got be back on the right track.  As I started to sleep, the ear ringing diminished, and my depression / anxiety started lifting.  I was only on Zoloft 2 months and then I switched to Kanna, which is known as an 'herbal SSRI'.  I was able to transition from Zoloft to Kanna without any problems.  I am still using it.  Here's some information about it if you are interested:

 

http://www.sceletium.org/

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=104959.0

 

 

If you're ever in Iowa Birdy...stop and see me.  We would have a lot of fun! 

 

PD 

 

Hi PD,  the Kanna sounds interesting but everything I take needs to be available in a pharmacy due to my job.  Sometimes I get sequestered at the air force base for weeks if there is a security problem and we have to ask the base doc. to procure our R/X list.  I have a complex life as a military subcontractor.  Too many rules!

 

If I ever fly by Iowa I'll stop in.  Just listen for a big helicopter   I'm not a pilot just the EWO.

 

I will look into zoloft thanks.

 

Hugs Birdy 

 

Sounds like you have a very exciting life Birdy!  I'll be listening for you...   

 

PD 

 

Must be one of those "Men In Black" movie type of jobs. Sooo, Birdie...Are there aliens or not? Don't worry, I won't say anything  ;)

 

Snowy wants to knowy 

[[co...]]

Hi all, I haven't read through all the posts so please forgive my ignorance. I'm entering month 20 off and insane tinnitus and head pressure are my two most troublesome lingering sxs. Have you found much that helps? It's beginning to drive me bonkers!!

[[Ce...]]

Yes!! This is my most annoying sx, by far!

 

Started as a ringing, then buzzing added to it! Whenever I would run out of my K it would do this. I never put 2+2 together, then when I c/t'd it kicked in big time, and just stays with me morning and night.

 

Don't know how long I can go on like this! 

[[Bi...]]

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

 

Yes, I found a lot of help from AD's.  Zoloft was like a miracle for me.  That was the only thing that helped me sleep after months and months of insomnia.  It really got be back on the right track.  As I started to sleep, the ear ringing diminished, and my depression / anxiety started lifting.  I was only on Zoloft 2 months and then I switched to Kanna, which is known as an 'herbal SSRI'.  I was able to transition from Zoloft to Kanna without any problems.  I am still using it.  Here's some information about it if you are interested:

 

http://www.sceletium.org/

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=104959.0

 

 

If you're ever in Iowa Birdy...stop and see me.  We would have a lot of fun! 

 

PD 

 

Hi PD,  the Kanna sounds interesting but everything I take needs to be available in a pharmacy due to my job.  Sometimes I get sequestered at the air force base for weeks if there is a security problem and we have to ask the base doc. to procure our R/X list.  I have a complex life as a military subcontractor.  Too many rules!

 

If I ever fly by Iowa I'll stop in.  Just listen for a big helicopter   I'm not a pilot just the EWO.

 

I will look into zoloft thanks.

 

Hugs Birdy 

 

Sounds like you have a very exciting life Birdy!  I'll be listening for you...   

 

PD 

 

Must be one of those "Men In Black" movie type of jobs. Sooo, Birdie...Are there aliens or not? Don't worry, I won't say anything  ;)

 

Snowy wants to knowy 

 

I heard that Trump would build a wall to keep aliens out.  I don't think he understands psychics very well   He does build a great casino however

[[Bi...]]

Yes!! This is my most annoying sx, by far!

 

Started as a ringing, then buzzing added to it! Whenever I would run out of my K it would do this. I never put 2+2 together, then when I c/t'd it kicked in big time, and just stays with me morning and night.

 

Don't know how long I can go on like this! 

 

I had all your S/X in my ears too.  It does get better.  Hearing aids helped me but they have to be the pricy kind that you can play blue tooth sounds too from an ipod or Iphone.  I got the Starkey Halo 110's - They are worth every penny to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Could not live without the now.

[[Bi...]]

Hi all, I haven't read through all the posts so please forgive my ignorance. I'm entering month 20 off and insane tinnitus and head pressure are my two most troublesome lingering sxs. Have you found much that helps? It's beginning to drive me bonkers!!

I had all your S/X in my ears too.  It does get better.  Hearing aids helped me but they have to be the pricy kind that you can play blue tooth sounds too from an ipod or Iphone.  I got the Starkey Halo 110's - They are worth every penny to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Could not live without the now.

[[sn...]]

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

 

Yes, I found a lot of help from AD's.  Zoloft was like a miracle for me.  That was the only thing that helped me sleep after months and months of insomnia.  It really got be back on the right track.  As I started to sleep, the ear ringing diminished, and my depression / anxiety started lifting.  I was only on Zoloft 2 months and then I switched to Kanna, which is known as an 'herbal SSRI'.  I was able to transition from Zoloft to Kanna without any problems.  I am still using it.  Here's some information about it if you are interested:

 

http://www.sceletium.org/

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=104959.0

 

 

If you're ever in Iowa Birdy...stop and see me.  We would have a lot of fun! 

 

PD 

 

Hi PD,  the Kanna sounds interesting but everything I take needs to be available in a pharmacy due to my job.  Sometimes I get sequestered at the air force base for weeks if there is a security problem and we have to ask the base doc. to procure our R/X list.  I have a complex life as a military subcontractor.  Too many rules!

 

If I ever fly by Iowa I'll stop in.  Just listen for a big helicopter   I'm not a pilot just the EWO.

 

I will look into zoloft thanks.

 

Hugs Birdy 

 

Sounds like you have a very exciting life Birdy!  I'll be listening for you...   

 

PD 

 

Must be one of those "Men In Black" movie type of jobs. Sooo, Birdie...Are there aliens or not? Don't worry, I won't say anything  ;)

 

Snowy wants to knowy 

 

 

I heard that Trump would build a wall to keep aliens out.  I don't think he understands psychics very well   He does build a great casino however

I dunno Birdie, I think Trump has some good insight. I heard he was addicted to one of those  "Physics Hot lines" Remember those? "Call now, Live physicists are standing by to take your call" 

 

[[Bi...]]

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

 

Yes, I found a lot of help from AD's.  Zoloft was like a miracle for me.  That was the only thing that helped me sleep after months and months of insomnia.  It really got be back on the right track.  As I started to sleep, the ear ringing diminished, and my depression / anxiety started lifting.  I was only on Zoloft 2 months and then I switched to Kanna, which is known as an 'herbal SSRI'.  I was able to transition from Zoloft to Kanna without any problems.  I am still using it.  Here's some information about it if you are interested:

 

http://www.sceletium.org/

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=104959.0

 

 

If you're ever in Iowa Birdy...stop and see me.  We would have a lot of fun! 

 

PD 

 

Hi PD,  the Kanna sounds interesting but everything I take needs to be available in a pharmacy due to my job.  Sometimes I get sequestered at the air force base for weeks if there is a security problem and we have to ask the base doc. to procure our R/X list.  I have a complex life as a military subcontractor.  Too many rules!

 

If I ever fly by Iowa I'll stop in.  Just listen for a big helicopter   I'm not a pilot just the EWO.

 

I will look into zoloft thanks.

 

Hugs Birdy 

 

Sounds like you have a very exciting life Birdy!  I'll be listening for you...   

 

PD 

 

Must be one of those "Men In Black" movie type of jobs. Sooo, Birdie...Are there aliens or not? Don't worry, I won't say anything  ;)

 

Snowy wants to knowy 

 

 

I heard that Trump would build a wall to keep aliens out.  I don't think he understands psychics very well   He does build a great casino however

I dunno Birdie, I think Trump has some good insight. I heard he was addicted to one of those  "Physics Hot lines" Remember those? "Call now, Live physicists are standing by to take your call" 

 

 

Really?  Ya never can tell about people 

[[sn...]]

I'd like that PD.  I get so lonely I could cry on some days. So lonely that it actually hurts my torso.  I was so happy-go-lucky before these horrible drugs.  You could give me a roll of quarters and I'd entertain myself for hours.  I feel like I've been possessed by a different soul at times. Just not the same me inside any longer.  Disconnected feelings.  Did you find any help from AD's?

Birdy.

 

Yes, I found a lot of help from AD's.  Zoloft was like a miracle for me.  That was the only thing that helped me sleep after months and months of insomnia.  It really got be back on the right track.  As I started to sleep, the ear ringing diminished, and my depression / anxiety started lifting.  I was only on Zoloft 2 months and then I switched to Kanna, which is known as an 'herbal SSRI'.  I was able to transition from Zoloft to Kanna without any problems.  I am still using it.  Here's some information about it if you are interested:

 

http://www.sceletium.org/

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=104959.0

 

 

If you're ever in Iowa Birdy...stop and see me.  We would have a lot of fun! 

 

PD 

 

Hi PD,  the Kanna sounds interesting but everything I take needs to be available in a pharmacy due to my job.  Sometimes I get sequestered at the air force base for weeks if there is a security problem and we have to ask the base doc. to procure our R/X list.  I have a complex life as a military subcontractor.  Too many rules!

 

If I ever fly by Iowa I'll stop in.  Just listen for a big helicopter   I'm not a pilot just the EWO.

 

I will look into zoloft thanks.

 

Hugs Birdy 

 

Sounds like you have a very exciting life Birdy!  I'll be listening for you...   

 

PD 

 

Must be one of those "Men In Black" movie type of jobs. Sooo, Birdie...Are there aliens or not? Don't worry, I won't say anything  ;)

 

Snowy wants to knowy 

 

 

I heard that Trump would build a wall to keep aliens out.  I don't think he understands psychics very well   He does build a great casino however

I dunno Birdie, I think Trump has some good insight. I heard he was addicted to one of those  "Physics Hot lines" Remember those? "Call now, Live physicists are standing by to take your call" 

 

 

Really?  Ya never can tell about people 

 

"People" is precisely the key word. I'm from Mars. Remember the book...Men Mars, Women Venus? We're all aliens I guess. 

 

Snowy  ;D

[[Te...]]

Hello,

I was many months in a low Valium dose  0.20 mg almost nothing, so when I jump I didn't feel anything. 

there was 2 thing left: the tinnitus and the anxiety when I went to public places or met people.

 

then I found out that talking while eating was the worse trigger, then I found out that just talking too much on the phone or to anybody will trigger anxiety, then I was trying to fix it by singing alone,  to get use to my voice sound, 

until I sang too much that day,  I did in front of my wife, then I felt something weird.    I went to my bed and tried to relax, but it was too late.  BP and palpitations and anxiety,  I controlled very quick, I took an aspirin and 1 mg Valium, and I pinched my finger to measure my sugar(a nurse told me to lower the BP),  I was in control ,  but I was scared, I went to ER anyway.

then in ER i got more nervous.  The ER just told me that everything is fine.  they ran I lot of test. 

 

now I'm trying to recover and back to normal.  no depression until I force my self to cry.

 

hope we can get better sooner.

 

 

QUESTION:    IS THE tinnitus RELATED TO HOW MUCH CORTISOL IS IN OUR BLOOD? 

 

 

 

TEX

 

 

     

[[Gr...]]

I don't know the cortisol/tinnitus relation, but I know tinnitus gets wors under stress and I'm sure cortisol spikes up under stress as well. On another point, aspirin is notorious for spiking up tinnitus, I would avoid taking it unless you have no choice. I've taken other meds for fever and pain, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen (Tylenol) without problem. Just stay away from aspirin.

[[pe...]]

Tinnitus is definitely connected to stress and adrenaline levels.  The information presented by Julian Cowan Hill in the article below is consistent with my experience of tinnitus.  I shared this article a long time ago, but it is definitely worth sharing again.

 

PD

 

 

 

How to Improve your Tinnitus by Reducing Adrenaline

By Julian Cowan Hill R.C.S.T

 

 

 

What is tinnitus?

 

Most people get tinnitus if you put them into total silence! Heller and Bergman proved this back in 1953 when they found 93% of people taking part in a test reported hearing noises, even though they were in total silence.

 

Ears work all the time and only relax as long as they have latched onto a harmless background noise. So if you put people in silence, their ears will listen out harder and harder until they find something else to pick up. If there is nothing there, ie silence, most people’s sense of hearing will intensify until it becomes so sensitive, it starts picking up internal nervous information. That’s what tinnitus is- hypersensitive listening that detects the noises of the brain. Your ears have become too sensitive.

 

If you have tinnitus, the first message is to AVOID SILENCE. It activates a stress response in your system, and increases your internal auditory sensitivity.

 

So why are you listening constantly to your tinnitus when most of the population is blissfully unaware of it? Why has your hearing become too sensitive and latched onto the noises of your brain?

 

The answer is because, behind the scenes, your central nervous system is idling in a constant state of red-alert. For some reason your whole system has locked itself into a state of emergency, as if it senses that there is some threat or danger there all the time, even though you know mentally that things are OK. Adrenaline* is the hormone that keeps your system locked into this state. (NB I use the term adrenaline to refer to a group of hormones released by the adrenal glands, eg cortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline, etc.)

 

Below I will explain how your system gets into this state in the first place and how to recognise this pattern in yourself. The key to understanding tinnitus is adrenaline. If you have high levels of adrenaline coursing through your body, this prepares you for emergency. Your heart beats faster, your oxygen intake goes up, your senses become alert and specifically for tinnitus, your sense of hearing becomes acute.

 

On adrenaline you become much more reactive to the world around you and are constantly ready for action. The adrenal/stress response is purely and simply a survival mechanism that has evolved into our nervous system. When danger appears, we don’t have to think about it, we just automatically go into emergency mode, or the “fight or flight” response as it is called. To get out of danger we need to see, smell, feel and hear the slightest thing at lightening speed because it can save our lives. When the lion appears, if we notice it in time we can run away!

 

Tinnitus is bound up with this response. This is why most people start complaining about noises in the head after periods of high levels of adrenaline. (More later) Too much adrenaline over a long period of time gives you tinnitus.

 

Listening sensitivity can be heightened by other things too. If you are hard of hearing or deaf, every time you strain to hear you are heightening your sensitivity. As you can no longer get enough information from the external world, your brain tries harder to increase its receptivity by turning up the inner recording volume. This is why many people with hearing loss often experience tinnitus.

 

Tinnitus reminds me of an old fashioned tape-recorder when you set the recording volume too high. As a result, you not only hear the intended noise, but you also pick up masses of buzzing and humming coming from the machine itself. Tinnitus is where you hear the noises of the brain on top of sounds coming in from the outside world.

 

For those of you who are deaf, don’t strain to hear. This only makes your listening even more sensitive and prone to tinnitus. Get the appropriate hearing apparatus so your internal hearing sensitivity can relax and calm down.

 

You can also make your ears sensitive by sticking things down them. Because they are one of the most delicate parts of the body, just thinking about a doctor sticking a cold, metal implement down there can make you wince. If you have experienced syringing, you don’t need me to tell you how hyper-aware your ears become as you monitor every tiny movement and feeling. Even though you trust the doctor, a part of you becomes very wary. You feel every movement, and hear the tiniest noise. This intense focus is ideal for generating tinnitus sensitivity. So avoid physical contact with the ear canal as much as possible.

 

 

How to get tinnitus!

 

I was the perfect candidate for developing very severe tinnitus. My childhood was full of stress, ear-infections, grommets, antibiotics and hearing loss. By adulthood I was moderately deaf, straining to hear as a result. Further stress and the onset of candidiasis (from the antibiotics) made things worse. I had my ears syringed a couple of times and used to use cotton buds to clean them.  (NB Earwax is the very antiseptic substance needed to protect your ears from infections!) On top of that I drank stimulants like coffee and alcohol that sent my adrenaline levels into orbit, thus heightening my sensitivity. Every one of these factors contributed to developing tinnitus. There are many other factors that contribute, not mentioned here.

 

I converted my own tinnitus from a devastating, sleep-disturbing level to almost imperceptible and irrelevant one by reducing all the factors that have led to hypersensitivity. I have reduced stimulants, and a couple of years of craniosacral therapy have helped stabilise my adrenaline levels. If you can reduce your adrenaline levels you will be well on your way to mastering your own tinnitus.

 

Rather than wait for a magic pill to arrive, (I wish the researchers every success), I have got on with letting go of the tinnitus pattern with a great deal of success. I have learnt, after 20 years of personal experience, how to undo this pattern. This is why I want to share this with you. I know what it is like to be bugged all the time by noise.

 

 

Why is adrenaline so important to undoing tinnitus?

 

Adrenaline helps us survive in dangerous situations. As I mentioned above, a heightened sense of hearing will very often save our lives. Think of a shooting scene in an action film. The villain is just out of sight. He’s got a gun. The hero is bracing himself for attack. All the loud music has suddenly gone quiet. All we can hear is breathing. Everyone in the cinema is listening to the tiniest sound. A crunch of gravel under foot, a sudden gasp just out of sight. The film direction is imitating exactly what happens to our own perception under stress. Our focus intensifies and locks onto the slightest piece of information.

 

Suddenly the villain knocks into something. Everyone in the cinema jumps out of their skin. The hero in a split second, on the strength of this tiny piece of auditory information, will either attack or run for his life. His ears will literally determine whether he lives or dies. This is the classic fight or flight response of the nervous system that is hardwired into each one of us. It has survived millions of years of dangerous situations to create the body you are alive in right now. It is this survival response that causes to you to start tensing up with suspense as you watch the film. The adrenaline makes your ears hyper-vigilant.

 

The best way to make a film less scary is to turn off the sound. Your ears play an enormous part in the stress response. Stress plays an enormous role in the way you hearing. This explains how you can fall asleep in the middle of a noisy party one day, and yet be woken up by a feint tap at the window in the middle of the night.

 

Research shows that acute stress and adrenaline can literally divert blood flow from the cochlea and make you deaf! At a minute level, the expression “too much sex makes you deaf” is certainly true if you indulge in highly exciting, adrenal charged interactions!

 

Adrenaline causes you to become sensitive to nervous impulses that you normally would not pick up. This is the inescapable fact that everyone with tinnitus needs to understand. I have yet to meet someone with tinnitus who is not running on high adrenaline levels.

 

If your adrenaline levels drop, your sensory perception will become less acute, and your tinnitus will ease.

 

 

What Tinnitus People Have in Common

 

Analysing the case histories of over 200 people, tinnitus is closely linked to an “adrenal” lifestyle, and emerges shortly after dangerous, challenging or overstimulating events. I have written a list below of the common situations in life where tinnitus tends to emerge.

 

Think about your life. When did you first notice tinnitus? Which of the following situations was the trigger for your tinnitus?

 

 Physical trauma, e.g. car crash, broken bones

 ‘Upheaval’ in your personal life, e.g. splitting up, divorce

 Spending time abroad in unfamiliar surroundings

 War, fighting, struggle or combat of any kind- court cases

 Surgical procedures and/or anaesthetics

 Major dental intervention

 Frequent/persistent drug use – recreational or medical

(particularly aspirin, amiltryptaline and

commonly prescribed benzodiazepines)

 Hearing loss, ear infections or syringing

 A severe impact to the head or jaw problems

 Chronic worrying

 Motherhood stress- listening out for a baby crying for months on end

 Overwork, tiredness, exhaustion

 Extreme physical exertion, too much exercise etc.

 Too much excitement or stimulation

 

Consider that symptoms may appear months after the challenging situation…

 

Tinnitus is a symptom that your nervous system is overexerted. The alarm bells are ringing for a reason. Take away the reasons and your alarm bells will stop ringing. If you get a pill which switches off the alarm bells, this is as useful as putting a muffler over a burglar alarm. Its great for not hearing the alarm, but what about the problems in the first place that are causing the alarm to ring? Tinnitus often won’t let go of you until you let go of some major patterns in your life. I can help you discover how you are holding onto patterns of imbalance and help you let go of them. However if you continue to drive your life in the adrenal lane then you will have to continue to live with your tinnitus for the time being!

 

 

How adrenal are you?

 

The best way to start helping yourself is by recognising all the tell-tale signs that things are not happy or comfortable behind the scenes with your central nervous system. Clients are not usually aware of how hyped-up they are. Becoming aware of this is very important.

 

Tick how many of the following adrenal symptoms apply to you:

 

 Wake up early feeling groggy and not refreshed

 Wake up frequently during the night

 Burn brightly outwardly, but you are constantly tired inside

 Easily activated, irritable, reactive, oversensitive

 Impatient

 Easily distracted

 Cerebral and analytical

 Prone to anxiety

 Controlling

 Driven, over-ambitious, always do too much, action orientated

 Tend to bite off more than you can chew

 Short-tempered

 Sensitive digestive system, bowel movements from one extreme to another

 Crave sugar, or need sugar boosts throughout the day

 Sensitive or Dependent on stimulants like coffee, alcohol, chocolate

 Run at high speed - deadlines dominate

 Always on the go - get bored easily - can’t bear ‘nothing to do’

 Never satisfied: “grass is greener”

 Doing too much for no apparent reason – hate being “left out”

 Never have enough time

 Poor circulation in extremities

 Stiff neck and shoulders - tingling hands and wrists

 Low energy and tired – crave mindless distraction

 Keep on going, collapse in a heap, out like a light

 Poor sleeper – should have had a sleep during in the day

 

 

Does this sound like you? If some of these resonate with you, then you are likely to be highly adrenal, and will need help to let go with cranial work. At first it is much easier to let go with someone else’s help.

 

 

How do you reduce your adrenaline level?

 

Most people with tinnitus have a system in overwhelm. By that I mean, at some stage along the line, their life experiences have been too much for their nervous system to cope with. This experience doesn’t just vanish into thin air. It gets stored up in the nervous system as “shock”. Unresolved shock and trauma from overwhelming past experience is the most common cause of high adrenaline levels/tinnitus in all my patients.

 

In any overwhelming situation the central nervous system invests a lot of energy in managing ‘traumatic history’.  It could be something that happened in childhood, it could be a car crash five years ago. You won’t be aware of this because patterns of shock and trauma are managed at a subconscious level. The way you feel will be normal to you.

 

In fact most people feel more or less OK. Our nervous systems do a very good job of managing unprocessed trauma in the background. You may have an easy life, and yet still have adrenal symptoms outlined in the list above. You may just have moderate to low energy or the odd nightmare, or some inoffensive symptom, but there is still a sense of not being quite right.

 

Cranial contact can help develop your sensitivity and put you in touch with what is going on behind the scenes.  A common symptom of trauma is that people will not be able to feel certain parts of their body. They may develop hot and cold areas, numbness, tingling, or a sense of expanding and contracting.  Sometimes they can feel very disconnected or shaky.

 

The moment you slow down, and start paying attention to how your body feels, this is where transformation can take place.

 

It is vital for you to get in touch with the felt sense of your body.  You need to stop spending so much time in your thoughts, analysing everything, and start learning to feel.  Most tinnitus people are out of touch with their bodies which is the only place where stress etc. can be discharged from. 

 

At first it can be a challenge to slow down sufficiently to feel what is really going on inside. To let go of your tinnitus start focussing more closely on how you feel. Cranial work is excellent at putting people back in touch with how they feel.

 

When you release a pattern of trauma this can relieve the need to be pumping so much adrenaline into your system. In turn this can lead ultimately to switching the alarm bells off!

 

Cranial work is one of the best ways of getting in touch with how you really are. You can build up the sense of internal security and comfort in your nervous system. As each pattern is digested and processed freely by the nervous system, you become more able to just be who you are without needing to process so much in the background.

 

Your alarm bells are ringing. Your body is trying to get you to listen to it. You can’t let go of what you don’t know about!

 

 

Advice on how to manage your tinnitus

 

 Reduce stimulants like coffee, chocolate, tea & alcohol. These all raise you adrenaline levels – and therefore make you more sensitive to tinnitus!

 

 Use craniosacral therapy as a means of monitoring your own process and getting in touch with what you need to let go of.

 

 Start becoming aware of physical sensations and emotions in your body by learning yoga, meditation, tai chi etc. Try and get out of the thinking part of your brain, and connect with the information your body is giving you, ie the feeling part of your brain. Tinnitus people tend to be very out of touch with this.

 

 Bring in as much peace, comfort and physical relaxation into your life.  Put your central nervous system first for a change. If your tinnitus is bad, do something to relax yourself, and take your focus away from it.

 

 Take responsibility for your own symptoms.  Start being honest and use your tinnitus as a “healthometer”.  It will soon tell you if you are doing the right thing because it will calm down.

 

 Take a long-term view. Don’t expect to change the way you are overnight.

 

 Avoid silence or anything that makes you focus on your hearing in a negative way. Listen to pleasant sounds.

 

 Start becoming aware of your adrenaline levels. Learn to lower it and you will be well on your way to improving your health overall, as well as your tinnitus.

 

 Be wary of complaining about tinnitus with others. Grumbling only strengthens the emotional grip tinnitus has over you and can heighten your sensitivity to it. Whenever you catch yourself grumbling, replace it with a constructive relaxation exercise.

 

 

 

For treatments with Julian Cowan Hill call or email on:

 

0207 221 8251

jcowanhill@aol.com

Treatment opportunities are readily available on the following days:

 

Monday – Cranleigh, Surrey 01483 267747

Tues-Fri – Central London 0207 221 8251

[[sn...]]

Tinnitus is definitely connected to stress and adrenaline levels.  The information presented by Julian Cowan Hill in the article below is consistent with my experience of tinnitus.  I shared this article a long time ago, but it is definitely worth sharing again.

 

PD

 

 

 

How to Improve your Tinnitus by Reducing Adrenaline

By Julian Cowan Hill R.C.S.T

 

 

 

What is tinnitus?

 

Most people get tinnitus if you put them into total silence! Heller and Bergman proved this back in 1953 when they found 93% of people taking part in a test reported hearing noises, even though they were in total silence.

 

Ears work all the time and only relax as long as they have latched onto a harmless background noise. So if you put people in silence, their ears will listen out harder and harder until they find something else to pick up. If there is nothing there, ie silence, most people’s sense of hearing will intensify until it becomes so sensitive, it starts picking up internal nervous information. That’s what tinnitus is- hypersensitive listening that detects the noises of the brain. Your ears have become too sensitive.

 

If you have tinnitus, the first message is to AVOID SILENCE. It activates a stress response in your system, and increases your internal auditory sensitivity.

 

So why are you listening constantly to your tinnitus when most of the population is blissfully unaware of it? Why has your hearing become too sensitive and latched onto the noises of your brain?

 

The answer is because, behind the scenes, your central nervous system is idling in a constant state of red-alert. For some reason your whole system has locked itself into a state of emergency, as if it senses that there is some threat or danger there all the time, even though you know mentally that things are OK. Adrenaline* is the hormone that keeps your system locked into this state. (NB I use the term adrenaline to refer to a group of hormones released by the adrenal glands, eg cortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline, etc.)

 

Below I will explain how your system gets into this state in the first place and how to recognise this pattern in yourself. The key to understanding tinnitus is adrenaline. If you have high levels of adrenaline coursing through your body, this prepares you for emergency. Your heart beats faster, your oxygen intake goes up, your senses become alert and specifically for tinnitus, your sense of hearing becomes acute.

 

On adrenaline you become much more reactive to the world around you and are constantly ready for action. The adrenal/stress response is purely and simply a survival mechanism that has evolved into our nervous system. When danger appears, we don’t have to think about it, we just automatically go into emergency mode, or the “fight or flight” response as it is called. To get out of danger we need to see, smell, feel and hear the slightest thing at lightening speed because it can save our lives. When the lion appears, if we notice it in time we can run away!

 

Tinnitus is bound up with this response. This is why most people start complaining about noises in the head after periods of high levels of adrenaline. (More later) Too much adrenaline over a long period of time gives you tinnitus.

 

Listening sensitivity can be heightened by other things too. If you are hard of hearing or deaf, every time you strain to hear you are heightening your sensitivity. As you can no longer get enough information from the external world, your brain tries harder to increase its receptivity by turning up the inner recording volume. This is why many people with hearing loss often experience tinnitus.

 

Tinnitus reminds me of an old fashioned tape-recorder when you set the recording volume too high. As a result, you not only hear the intended noise, but you also pick up masses of buzzing and humming coming from the machine itself. Tinnitus is where you hear the noises of the brain on top of sounds coming in from the outside world.

 

For those of you who are deaf, don’t strain to hear. This only makes your listening even more sensitive and prone to tinnitus. Get the appropriate hearing apparatus so your internal hearing sensitivity can relax and calm down.

 

You can also make your ears sensitive by sticking things down them. Because they are one of the most delicate parts of the body, just thinking about a doctor sticking a cold, metal implement down there can make you wince. If you have experienced syringing, you don’t need me to tell you how hyper-aware your ears become as you monitor every tiny movement and feeling. Even though you trust the doctor, a part of you becomes very wary. You feel every movement, and hear the tiniest noise. This intense focus is ideal for generating tinnitus sensitivity. So avoid physical contact with the ear canal as much as possible.

 

 

How to get tinnitus!

 

I was the perfect candidate for developing very severe tinnitus. My childhood was full of stress, ear-infections, grommets, antibiotics and hearing loss. By adulthood I was moderately deaf, straining to hear as a result. Further stress and the onset of candidiasis (from the antibiotics) made things worse. I had my ears syringed a couple of times and used to use cotton buds to clean them.  (NB Earwax is the very antiseptic substance needed to protect your ears from infections!) On top of that I drank stimulants like coffee and alcohol that sent my adrenaline levels into orbit, thus heightening my sensitivity. Every one of these factors contributed to developing tinnitus. There are many other factors that contribute, not mentioned here.

 

I converted my own tinnitus from a devastating, sleep-disturbing level to almost imperceptible and irrelevant one by reducing all the factors that have led to hypersensitivity. I have reduced stimulants, and a couple of years of craniosacral therapy have helped stabilise my adrenaline levels. If you can reduce your adrenaline levels you will be well on your way to mastering your own tinnitus.

 

Rather than wait for a magic pill to arrive, (I wish the researchers every success), I have got on with letting go of the tinnitus pattern with a great deal of success. I have learnt, after 20 years of personal experience, how to undo this pattern. This is why I want to share this with you. I know what it is like to be bugged all the time by noise.

 

 

Why is adrenaline so important to undoing tinnitus?

 

Adrenaline helps us survive in dangerous situations. As I mentioned above, a heightened sense of hearing will very often save our lives. Think of a shooting scene in an action film. The villain is just out of sight. He’s got a gun. The hero is bracing himself for attack. All the loud music has suddenly gone quiet. All we can hear is breathing. Everyone in the cinema is listening to the tiniest sound. A crunch of gravel under foot, a sudden gasp just out of sight. The film direction is imitating exactly what happens to our own perception under stress. Our focus intensifies and locks onto the slightest piece of information.

 

Suddenly the villain knocks into something. Everyone in the cinema jumps out of their skin. The hero in a split second, on the strength of this tiny piece of auditory information, will either attack or run for his life. His ears will literally determine whether he lives or dies. This is the classic fight or flight response of the nervous system that is hardwired into each one of us. It has survived millions of years of dangerous situations to create the body you are alive in right now. It is this survival response that causes to you to start tensing up with suspense as you watch the film. The adrenaline makes your ears hyper-vigilant.

 

The best way to make a film less scary is to turn off the sound. Your ears play an enormous part in the stress response. Stress plays an enormous role in the way you hearing. This explains how you can fall asleep in the middle of a noisy party one day, and yet be woken up by a feint tap at the window in the middle of the night.

 

Research shows that acute stress and adrenaline can literally divert blood flow from the cochlea and make you deaf! At a minute level, the expression “too much sex makes you deaf” is certainly true if you indulge in highly exciting, adrenal charged interactions!

 

Adrenaline causes you to become sensitive to nervous impulses that you normally would not pick up. This is the inescapable fact that everyone with tinnitus needs to understand. I have yet to meet someone with tinnitus who is not running on high adrenaline levels.

 

If your adrenaline levels drop, your sensory perception will become less acute, and your tinnitus will ease.

 

 

What Tinnitus People Have in Common

 

Analysing the case histories of over 200 people, tinnitus is closely linked to an “adrenal” lifestyle, and emerges shortly after dangerous, challenging or overstimulating events. I have written a list below of the common situations in life where tinnitus tends to emerge.

 

Think about your life. When did you first notice tinnitus? Which of the following situations was the trigger for your tinnitus?

 

 Physical trauma, e.g. car crash, broken bones

 ‘Upheaval’ in your personal life, e.g. splitting up, divorce

 Spending time abroad in unfamiliar surroundings

 War, fighting, struggle or combat of any kind- court cases

 Surgical procedures and/or anaesthetics

 Major dental intervention

 Frequent/persistent drug use – recreational or medical

(particularly aspirin, amiltryptaline and

commonly prescribed benzodiazepines)

 Hearing loss, ear infections or syringing

 A severe impact to the head or jaw problems

 Chronic worrying

 Motherhood stress- listening out for a baby crying for months on end

 Overwork, tiredness, exhaustion

 Extreme physical exertion, too much exercise etc.

 Too much excitement or stimulation

 

Consider that symptoms may appear months after the challenging situation…

 

Tinnitus is a symptom that your nervous system is overexerted. The alarm bells are ringing for a reason. Take away the reasons and your alarm bells will stop ringing. If you get a pill which switches off the alarm bells, this is as useful as putting a muffler over a burglar alarm. Its great for not hearing the alarm, but what about the problems in the first place that are causing the alarm to ring? Tinnitus often won’t let go of you until you let go of some major patterns in your life. I can help you discover how you are holding onto patterns of imbalance and help you let go of them. However if you continue to drive your life in the adrenal lane then you will have to continue to live with your tinnitus for the time being!

 

 

How adrenal are you?

 

The best way to start helping yourself is by recognising all the tell-tale signs that things are not happy or comfortable behind the scenes with your central nervous system. Clients are not usually aware of how hyped-up they are. Becoming aware of this is very important.

 

Tick how many of the following adrenal symptoms apply to you:

 

 Wake up early feeling groggy and not refreshed

 Wake up frequently during the night

 Burn brightly outwardly, but you are constantly tired inside

 Easily activated, irritable, reactive, oversensitive

 Impatient

 Easily distracted

 Cerebral and analytical

 Prone to anxiety

 Controlling

 Driven, over-ambitious, always do too much, action orientated

 Tend to bite off more than you can chew

 Short-tempered

 Sensitive digestive system, bowel movements from one extreme to another

 Crave sugar, or need sugar boosts throughout the day

 Sensitive or Dependent on stimulants like coffee, alcohol, chocolate

 Run at high speed - deadlines dominate

 Always on the go - get bored easily - can’t bear ‘nothing to do’

 Never satisfied: “grass is greener”

 Doing too much for no apparent reason – hate being “left out”

 Never have enough time

 Poor circulation in extremities

 Stiff neck and shoulders - tingling hands and wrists

 Low energy and tired – crave mindless distraction

 Keep on going, collapse in a heap, out like a light

 Poor sleeper – should have had a sleep during in the day

 

 

Does this sound like you? If some of these resonate with you, then you are likely to be highly adrenal, and will need help to let go with cranial work. At first it is much easier to let go with someone else’s help.

 

 

How do you reduce your adrenaline level?

 

Most people with tinnitus have a system in overwhelm. By that I mean, at some stage along the line, their life experiences have been too much for their nervous system to cope with. This experience doesn’t just vanish into thin air. It gets stored up in the nervous system as “shock”. Unresolved shock and trauma from overwhelming past experience is the most common cause of high adrenaline levels/tinnitus in all my patients.

 

In any overwhelming situation the central nervous system invests a lot of energy in managing ‘traumatic history’.  It could be something that happened in childhood, it could be a car crash five years ago. You won’t be aware of this because patterns of shock and trauma are managed at a subconscious level. The way you feel will be normal to you.

 

In fact most people feel more or less OK. Our nervous systems do a very good job of managing unprocessed trauma in the background. You may have an easy life, and yet still have adrenal symptoms outlined in the list above. You may just have moderate to low energy or the odd nightmare, or some inoffensive symptom, but there is still a sense of not being quite right.

 

Cranial contact can help develop your sensitivity and put you in touch with what is going on behind the scenes.  A common symptom of trauma is that people will not be able to feel certain parts of their body. They may develop hot and cold areas, numbness, tingling, or a sense of expanding and contracting.  Sometimes they can feel very disconnected or shaky.

 

The moment you slow down, and start paying attention to how your body feels, this is where transformation can take place.

 

It is vital for you to get in touch with the felt sense of your body.  You need to stop spending so much time in your thoughts, analysing everything, and start learning to feel.  Most tinnitus people are out of touch with their bodies which is the only place where stress etc. can be discharged from. 

 

At first it can be a challenge to slow down sufficiently to feel what is really going on inside. To let go of your tinnitus start focussing more closely on how you feel. Cranial work is excellent at putting people back in touch with how they feel.

 

When you release a pattern of trauma this can relieve the need to be pumping so much adrenaline into your system. In turn this can lead ultimately to switching the alarm bells off!

 

Cranial work is one of the best ways of getting in touch with how you really are. You can build up the sense of internal security and comfort in your nervous system. As each pattern is digested and processed freely by the nervous system, you become more able to just be who you are without needing to process so much in the background.

 

Your alarm bells are ringing. Your body is trying to get you to listen to it. You can’t let go of what you don’t know about!

 

 

Advice on how to manage your tinnitus

 

 Reduce stimulants like coffee, chocolate, tea & alcohol. These all raise you adrenaline levels – and therefore make you more sensitive to tinnitus!

 

 Use craniosacral therapy as a means of monitoring your own process and getting in touch with what you need to let go of.

 

 Start becoming aware of physical sensations and emotions in your body by learning yoga, meditation, tai chi etc. Try and get out of the thinking part of your brain, and connect with the information your body is giving you, ie the feeling part of your brain. Tinnitus people tend to be very out of touch with this.

 

 Bring in as much peace, comfort and physical relaxation into your life.  Put your central nervous system first for a change. If your tinnitus is bad, do something to relax yourself, and take your focus away from it.

 

 Take responsibility for your own symptoms.  Start being honest and use your tinnitus as a “healthometer”.  It will soon tell you if you are doing the right thing because it will calm down.

 

 Take a long-term view. Don’t expect to change the way you are overnight.

 

 Avoid silence or anything that makes you focus on your hearing in a negative way. Listen to pleasant sounds.

 

 Start becoming aware of your adrenaline levels. Learn to lower it and you will be well on your way to improving your health overall, as well as your tinnitus.

 

 Be wary of complaining about tinnitus with others. Grumbling only strengthens the emotional grip tinnitus has over you and can heighten your sensitivity to it. Whenever you catch yourself grumbling, replace it with a constructive relaxation exercise.

 

 

 

For treatments with Julian Cowan Hill call or email on:

 

0207 221 8251

jcowanhill@aol.com

Treatment opportunities are readily available on the following days:

 

Monday – Cranleigh, Surrey 01483 267747

Tues-Fri – Central London 0207 221 8251

Wow! Good info there PD 

 

Snowy