I am having a problem and hoping someone here can help...

[AudioDoctor]

I have had a low grade case of tinnitus for a while now, I know why and if you think it's important, I'll share. It isn't loud rock concerts though. Recently, due to some unhappy circumstances, I have had the funds to do a pretty serious system upgrade, and at the same time have switched to headphones for the time being as my primary means of listening to and enjoying music when I want to listen to it, not have it as background music. So what's the problem? My new, amazing, and ridiculously expensive headphone system aggravates my Tinnitus to the point of being extremely irritating and preventing me from listening.

 

Nothing has changed recently that would cause this, so either the culprit is some new health problem that I yet to see any other symptoms for, wax build up in my left ear, which has been a problem in the past, or the new headphone system... If I turn the music off, the ringing will eventually calm down.

[sphinxsix]

7 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

I have had a low grade case of tinnitus for a while now, I know why and if you think it's important, I'll share.

I think this might be interesting to many.

I expressed some of my thoughts on tinnitus a couple of days ago here:

 

[GregWormald]

My tinnitus is also elevated by headphone listening--so I rarely do it any more. Digital sources also seem to elevate it more than analog.

 

I have had some relief by using a technique found online--finger whacking on the bottom of the skull. (Sorry, can't remember what it's called. A youtube search should find something, there are lots of treatment videos.)

[AudioDoctor]

2 minutes ago, GregWormald said:

My tinnitus is also elevated by headphone listening--so I rarely do it any more. Digital sources also seem to elevate it more than analog.

 

I have had some relief by using a technique found online--finger whacking on the bottom of the skull. (Sorry, can't remember what it's called. A youtube search should find something, there are lots of treatment videos.)

 

 

I am a bit hesitant to google "finger whacking". Ha.  I'll give it a look, thanks Man. I wish I could go to a Dr and let them check for wax build up, but I just don't think that's it.

[John Dyson]

I do lots of very serious listening and have tried several things, one thing that seemed to have helped me -- Magnesium supplements seemed to help a little.  Stay the hell away from NSAIDS unless you really need them -- they light up my tinnitus really strongly.   I have also tried other supplements, but so far, it appears that I magnesium has helped me the most.  Other people suggest Gingkho (sp?), and I have tried that, but improvement didn't seem to be correlated with that supplement.  I have continued that, however.

 

I do NOT believe in taking supplements unless prescribed, but since I was desperate, I did try a few things.

 

Also, as you all noted -- keep the levels as low as you can, without losing what you are listening for.

 

John

 

[Account Closed]

9 minutes ago, GregWormald said:

My tinnitus is also elevated by headphone listening--so I rarely do it any more. Digital sources also seem to elevate it more than analog.

 

I have had some relief by using a technique found online--finger whacking on the bottom of the skull. (Sorry, can't remember what it's called. A youtube search should find something, there are lots of treatment videos.)

Sounds like something from a SNL skit.

 

Seriously, Headphone listening can be very dangerous from a hearing loss point of view. I rarely use mine anymore. The tendency is to listen at too high a level for way too long. The proximity to the eardrum makes any high frequency transients potentially damaging. If you are getting tinnitus after headphone listening, your body is trying to tell you something (like please stop). 

[AudioDoctor]

43 minutes ago, bobflood said:

Sounds like something from a SNL skit.

 

Seriously, Headphone listening can be very dangerous from a hearing loss point of view. I rarely use mine anymore. The tendency is to listen at too high a level for way too long. The proximity to the eardrum makes any high frequency transients potentially damaging. If you are getting tinnitus after headphone listening, your body is trying to tell you something (like please stop). 

 

I normally listen at -50 to -60db, it really doesn't seem too loud at all. However, if I have to I will go back to speaker listening and say goodbye to my wonderful headphone system...

 

In fact, in the lower right you can see my volume setting in Roon/HQPlayer

-55db

[Account Closed]

12 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

I normally listen at -50 to -60db, it really doesn't seem too loud at all. However, if I have to I will go back to speaker listening and say goodbye to my wonderful headphone system...

 

In fact, in the lower right you can see my volume setting in Roon/HQPlayer

-55db

To measure the actual dB sound pressure, get a SPL meter and put in the middle of the two cups and close the gap. Then compare to safe v dangerous levels.

[Rexp]

Does vinyl cause same problem? 

[AudioDoctor]

23 minutes ago, Rexp said:

Does vinyl cause same problem? 

 

I'll have to hook up my vinyl to my headphone system to find out, I have not done that yet.

[sandyk]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

I normally listen at -50 to -60db, it really doesn't seem too loud at all. However, if I have to I will go back to speaker listening and say goodbye to my wonderful headphone system...

 

In fact, in the lower right you can see my volume setting in Roon/HQPlayer

-55db

 55dB, whether Analogue or Digital attenuation, is way too high, and is likely to put low level material, including Ambience, into the noise level unless the material is heavily compressed

[sandyk]

2 hours ago, John Dyson said:

I do lots of very serious listening and have tried several things, one thing that seemed to have helped me -- Magnesium supplements seemed to help a little.  Stay the hell away from NSAIDS unless you really need them -- they light up my tinnitus really strongly.   I have also tried other supplements, but so far, it appears that I magnesium has helped me the most.  Other people suggest Gingkho (sp?), and I have tried that, but improvement didn't seem to be correlated with that supplement.  I have continued that, however.

 

I do NOT believe in taking supplements unless prescribed, but since I was desperate, I did try a few things.

 

Also, as you all noted -- keep the levels as low as you can, without losing what you are listening for.

 

John

 

 Magnesium supplements helped me years ago, and in fact was used as a treatment by U.S. Navy Seals who were exposed to loud gunfire. It can also be found in Cashews. (preferably unsalted)

 Ginkgo is mainly for improved circulation to the extremities such as cold feet, especially if you were a smoker.

It may help with the dangly bit too. 

It can also assist with Concentration,. and you may also notice more vivid dreams like when you were much younger.

[athegn]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba

 

Look at Dietary Supplement

[sandyk]

52 minutes ago, athegn said:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba

 

Look at Dietary Supplement

The main thing with this herb is to not use it when using Blood thinners such as Warfarin. and check with your GP before using it.  I have also seen the results of positive Clinical trials performed in Australia several years ago., which were also shown on the TV news.

[kelvinwsy]

If this is of any help, I find that in my case of minor tinnitus has to do with my sleeping position and any stress that imposes on my neck, THe nerves that go into the head of course run through the neck, So try memory foam pillows or down pillows and at different heights and elevations that suit your sleeping posture. 

I find that in my person case of tinnitus --- an irritating insect like buzz in the left ear disappears when I sleep with the pillows of correct firmness and height (or compressed state ) that support my neck muscles in a straight prone position or if I sleep on my side, slightly higher.

The tinnitus becomes so slight that i just ignore it.

Ooh slapping your neck, side and back and the cheeks around your ear seems to help a bit on a temporary basis. 

[athegn]

"...check with your GP before using it."

Be careful or you'll get banned for publishing valuable advice:-)

[AudioDoctor]

I found a Dr friend willing to take a look at my ear in person... I have no idea how the clinic expected to do that via a video visit...

[AudioDoctor]

Well, the ringing ear has even less wax in it than the non ringing ear, so that wasn't it...

 

shit.

[Account Closed]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

Well, the ringing ear has even less wax in it than the non ringing ear, so that wasn't it...

 

shit.

Lay off the headphones until it stops! You could be risking permanent hearing loss. Consider taking a magnesium supplement daily. I have taken one for years and it slowly has gotten rid of the high pitch ringing I used to have. Also, I had to be on an IV antibiotic for three months several years ago for a severe staph infection and my doctor said then that the ringing could have been related to that treatment. Have you been on one for anything? Some antibiotics but not others may cause it. Please see a specialist if it worsens. I don't mean to sound draconian but this is serious stuff.

[AudioDoctor]

28 minutes ago, bobflood said:

Lay off the headphones until it stops! You could be risking permanent hearing loss. Consider taking a magnesium supplement daily. I have taken one for years and it slowly has gotten rid of the high pitch ringing I used to have. Also, I had to be on an IV antibiotic for three months several years ago for a severe staph infection and my doctor said then that the ringing could have been related to that treatment. Have you been on one for anything? Some antibiotics but not others may cause it. Please see a specialist if it worsens. I don't mean to sound draconian but this is serious stuff.

 

yeah, there is no headphone listening at the moment... That makes me very sad.

 

My friend was able to get me in to see an ENT this coming week, so we'll get to the bottom of this. There has been zero trauma, zero medication changes, nothing at all that would have precipitated this. Which is exactly why I had a small hope it was just wax build up, as that was a problem in the past.

[Account Closed]

16 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

yeah, there is no headphone listening at the moment... That makes me very sad.

 

My friend was able to get me in to see an ENT this coming week, so we'll get to the bottom of this. There has been zero trauma, zero medication changes, nothing at all that would have precipitated this. Which is exactly why I had a small hope it was just wax build up, as that was a problem in the past.

Good luck.

[AudioDoctor]

39 minutes ago, bobflood said:

Good luck.

 

Thanks.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

My friend was able to get me in to see an ENT this coming week,

 

I think seeing an ENT is key

History , examination and selected appropriate tests.

Unilateral, asymmetrical hearing loss, pulsatile, focal neuro loss, appear to be the main red flag factors

For primary idiopathic tinnitus some of the more experimental treatments from American Tinnitus Assoc experimental treatments

 

attached 4 papers

 

Cheers and good luck🙂

David

Clinical practice guideline tinnitus.pdf Approach to Tinnitus management.pdf Diagnostic approach to Tinnitus.pdf A review of tinnitus.pdf

[bobbmd]

Have you considered trying a noise canceling headphone like the Bose products?

[AudioDoctor]

6 hours ago, bobbmd said:

Have you considered trying a noise canceling headphone like the Bose products?

 

I have not, would that have any effect on noise not coming from outside the ear?