Help with Tinnitus/Ringing in the Ears

Hey, all.

I hope you can help a bit, as I'm at a loss. First, I've had Lyme, my LLMS suspects, for five years. And I've had tinnitus for years--at least two decades. It was so minor (soft) that it never, ever bothered me.

Three months into treatment (Sept), I noticed it started to increase in volume. It was a minor increase and it wasn't constant, meaning the volume would return to its previous level. In November, there was a sudden and dramatic increase. Quadruple in volume. I went to an ENT, and he found hearing loss in both ears in the higher frequencies. I knew I had loss in my left ear, a hearing test 16 years ago confirmed that. I was shocked to discover the loss in my right ear. He wants me to wear hearing aids.

What's frustrating is this happened at the same time a lot of other symptoms have decreased or disappeared. Honestly, if I didn't have this louder tinnitus, I would be 90% back to normal.

Has anyone else experienced a suddenly and dramatic increase in tinnitus? For no reason?

Any support, encouragement, and sharing is greatly appreciated. I have hope it will go back to previous levels, as so, so many other of my symptoms have spiked and either returned to previous levels or disappeared.

I've had tinnitus long before getting Lyme, undoubtedly due to damage caused by too much incredibly loud music.

It did escalate with Lyme and co, and even more so I think after taking Doxy. I think having the borrelia move into my brain may be responsible for the louder, higher pitch and phone ringing noises.

I had increased neuro issues develop at the same time.

Smeadley - mine cleared with a lyme protocol, and comes back now and again, very randomly. I wonder sometimes if the lyme does permanent damage to things. I've had some analagous weirdness with a reduction of some symptoms and development of symptoms I hadn't had before or, something escalating. I am seeking other possibilities outside of lyme, and wonder if some of it is just the damage to the body from the spirochete that can't be undone. I'm hoping the answer surfaces for you. When I had a flare up of tinnitus I felt I was going to totally lose it - bad panic attack...I know how awful it can be, and you are dealing with it all the time, you poor thing! Have you created an exhaustive list for yourself of all the causes of tinnitus? I found this association that has a lot of really good info. They list lyme, of course.. My P.O.A. has been, for things that aren't clearing, to consider other things as well to cover all my bases. https://www.ata.org/understanding-facts/causes
"Other Diseases & Medical Conditions

Tinnitus is a reported symptom of the following medical conditions:
Metabolic Disorders: Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Anemia
Autoimmune Disorders: Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia
Blood Vessel Disorders: High Blood Pressure, Atherosclerosis
Psychiatric Disorders: Depression, Anxiety, Stress
Vestibular Disorders: Ménière's Disease,Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Otosclerosis
Tumor-Related Disorders (very rare): Acoustic Neuroma, Vestibular Schwannoma, other tumorous growths
Again, a person experiencing tinnitus should not assume that he/she has one of the medical conditions listed above. Only a trained healthcare provider can appropriately diagnose the underlying cause of tinnitus."

There are other things listed as well.

Post Edited (multifacetedme) : 12/6/2016 10:14:44 PM (GMT-7)

Smeadley, I haven't gotten enough of any protocol yet to notice any difference in the tinnitus. Actually, at stressful times it is worse.

I developed tinnitus with lyme - not the ringing in the ears, it's pulsatile tinnitus...I didn't know what it was for many months.
At first - at it's worst ...it was like swooshing sounds in my ear when my ear was on the pillow (left worse than right) - then as it got better...it turned into a heartbeat in my ear.

It is much better now...in fact I think it was gone for a week or two..

This happened when I was doing rounds of Artemisinin - alternating with Rifampin and biaxin (or mino)

It is/was always worse when I was having anxiety..and my other symptoms were flaring.

It hasn't affected my hearing.

I did make the mistake and googled pulsatile tinnitus...read some stuff I wish I hadn't.

I have otosclerosis in both ears, also high pitch noise in right (that Hz is lost) and pulsating tinnitus in left (noise from blood can be heard better that the outside), got used to these and can live with it.
When I restarted Buhner herbs a month ago for a day or two I had siren type of tinnitus. Nothing else now.
I read somewhere Bart can do that when herbs start acting.

Smeadley -

I did not have tinnitus before starting treatment for Lyme. My tinnitus started about 3 weeks into treatment as a low volume, high frequency sound that was there 24/7, but I was able to get used to it. I am now finishing my 3rd month of treatment (Doxy only) and the tinnitus has become almost unbearable, pretty much every day. The volume has increased and it has morphed into a combination of the same high frequency plus a tea kettle whistle- like sound...24/7. The volume fluctuates through the day, but generally seems to increase around 11 am then again around 3 pm, then again in the evening it will plateau until I fall asleep. I wake up every morning with it.

Some of my cognitive symptoms have improved, and some of the pain symptoms have been dormant for a few weeks. But, I have noticed that since the dramatic volume increase and sound shift I have had mild head pains when I wake up and throughout the day. Some times feels like pressure pushing the side of my head inward, or coming from the eye area but pushing inward, or like I have a heavy bowl on the top of my head. I have also had a resurgence of weekly, severe headaches, which had subsided significantly during my first 2.5 months of treatment.

I was just also made aware that my LLMD believes I have Bartonella as well. the tinnitus could be related, but he also said it's absolutely a symptom of Lyme.

Sorry you are dealing with this.

Hi -

I also had horrible tinnitus. It's better now - probably with more successful tx under my belt.

Just wanted to share a tinnitus cocktail my Lyme-friendly neurologist gave me - I was never able to try it - I can't take niacin.

Niacin 100mg once/day
L-lysine 500mg once/day
Lipoflavonoid one tablet once/day

He also told me he feels most neuropathy is from inflammation so that is something to consider.

-p

My tinnitus was horrid too. I've not had my hearing tested, but it's obvious that it's affected my hearing.

I have been using Lion's mane (known for remyelinating nerves) and my tinnitus does still flare, but usually only when I'm herxing. It's just one more thing that may be of help with it.

And congratulations on getting to nearly 90%!!!