Tinnitus - an update

[Wombat]

Not that I can remember, but then that would explain some things.......

Nev

[Jack]

Gidday

I hear that nowdays they even smoke pee, or something like that.

[Ranter]

Bit late seeing thread, but will add my twopennyworth anyway as a friend of mine suffers badly from tinnitus as did a former colleague.

The colleague read an article that linked caffiene intake to tinnitus, so he cut out caffeine & although the tinnitus remained (irreversible damage caused it in the first place) it did improve. I told my friend about this & she also reports an improvement in her symptoms since cutting out caffeine.

[hedgewizard]

Humph - any neurostimulant has the potential to worsen tinnitus, and that goes for fast-paced telly too! Likewise, anything that calms neural activity down can help, although this is trickier to do in practice. Causing interference on the auditory nerve is useful, and some sounds can help here - you just have to try different things. Check out the BTA for advice and local support.

[Thomzo]

Thanks for the advice. I don't think I drink that much caffeine - about three cups of tea a day. Maybe I'll have a caffeine free day or two and see if it helps. I certainly hadn't thought about the TV. I guess the radio could do the same.

Zoe

[hedgewizard]

From some research I read a while back, radio is nowhere near as bad as TV because your brain doesn't have to process nearly as much info.

[Thomzo]

Thanks Hedge
Well, as I suspected, the tinnitus has subsided since I finished work. It's still there a bit but I've had quite a bad cold which doesn't help.

Now I will have to work on ways of coping better with the stress that comes with my job. I was wondering if yoga would help (with the stress that is)?

Cheers
Zoe

[Thomzo]

Well, despite my initial scepticism, I am now convinced that Aspartime was a major cause of my problem.

Since leaving my stressful job, the only major tinnitus outbreaks have been after drinking diet coke.

OK, OK, I know you told me so. I now believe you. I have stopped drinking the stuff and the symptoms are very much reduced.

Did have a bit this morning but I was dancing last night and the music was loud It's much better now anyway.

Thanks guys for helping me to reduce what was a very bad problem to something that I can cope with.

Zoe

[yugogypsy]

Zoe,

Try growing sweet cicely, remove ferny ends and boil down the stalks in plain water, strain.Voila' Natural plant based sweetener, and you can cut the stalks in small pieces and cook with rhubarb.

When you've got the juice out of the stalks-refrigerate, I believe it keeps about 3 weeks.

Lois

[Thomzo]

Thanks for the tip Yugo. At the moment I am working on curbing my sweet tooth and just using fruit for sweetness. Much better for me in the long run.

Zoe

[Martin]

excellent! - aspartame really is vile stuff !
(I get the same from Aspirin too!)

[Thomzo]

Well it's back with a vengance. (I obviously spoke too soon). But I have had a cold for the last couple of days so it's possibly a mix of sinus trouble and/or the cold and flu capsules I've been taking. I hope it goes when the cold does.

Zoe

[ina]

the cold and flu capsules I've been taking.

Have you had a look at what's in them? I'm often amazed at what they seem to think necessary to add...

[Thomzo]

No, Ina. I couldn't bring myself to do so. I just don't want to think about it.

Zoe

[hedgewizard]

Yeah, it'll have been either caffeine or the decongestant in there. General cold thing - just take plenty of honey and lemon juice in hot water, and paracetamol if you must, and stop being such a big girl's blouse!