Diving Keeps Re-Aggravating my TINNITUS!!

[jluttichau]

I noticed that this thread was revived and thought I'd post an update of my own experience. Again, this is my story, not medical advice of any sort, so please read with that in mind.

I did end up going through the rTMS, though my health insurance declined to pay so I got stuck with the bill, which was considerable. The good news is that it definitely mitigated the tinnitus; it still fluctuates, but I also have periods where I don't notice it. It also "rewired" my brain, for lack of a better word, so I can tolerate the tinnitus better when it does get bad, which ends up being a few times a week.

I did an elimination diet and found that gluten seemed to aggravate the tinnitus. I've been able to repeat this pretty reliably, so I now follow a gluten-free diet as best I can. When I've gone without for a long stretch (a week or so), it's definitely less noticeable. There is one other case report in the medical literature of a woman who had tinnitus related to a gluten sensitivity. She also had GI symptoms, which I thankfully don't have.

Best regards,
Eric

Hi Eric, are you still diving and what is the effect on your tinnitus while diving?

Regards
Jonas

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi Eric, are you still diving and what is the effect on your tinnitus while diving?

Regards
Jonas

Hi Jonas, I do not. I can't even go to the bottom of a swimming pool without it being aggravated.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

How strange that gluten would trigger it. I would have never guessed that.

Me neither. I went on an elimination diet, basically went paleo, and when I re-introduced gluten-containing foods, the tinnitus got worse. I've since tested it multiple times and it's reliably repeatable.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've jutted out my jaw and pulled my ears away from my head. No change at all.

I don't know if mine is related to diving or not, as there is hearing loss in my family. I once told a doctor that I thought it could be from Tylenol or other pain meds and he was adamant that was not the case.

It is worse after I've been somewhere noisy but doesn't stay worse.

I've managed to accept it rather than fight it and now it is just a part of me when I'm alone in a quiet room, like I am now, buzzing, ringing, whistling in 3-4 different tones and different in each ear.

Kind of interesting actually.

 

[grf88]

I have had a mild case for almost 60 years and most of the time it is not a major issue. The strange part is that as soon as someone mentions tinnitus or I see the word, such as in a thread like this, it becomes very loud and takes a few hours to subside. Right now it is so loud I probably would not be able to hold a conversation.

 

[Jay]

‘Recently’ on SB most of the tinnitus threads seem to have been along the lines of how it disappears during a dive and IIRC there wasn’t a mention of it getting worse post dive.

I wonder what factors affect, perhaps cause, these different scenarios.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I have had a mild case for almost 60 years and most of the time it is not a major issue. The strange part is that as soon as someone mentions tinnitus or I see the word, such as in a thread like this, it becomes very loud and takes a few hours to subside. Right now it is so loud I probably would not be able to hold a conversation.

That's a great point, and I do think there's a mental component to it. There are times when I don't notice it at all, but if for some reason my attention is directed to it, it becomes more noticeable.

 

[grf88]

I should have had more sense than to return to this thread, here it goes again.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I should have had more sense than to return to this thread, here it goes again.

LOL zzzzzZzzzZzzzzzz

 

[mcpowell]

So when I started reading this thread, the ringing in my ears became loud. It never really bothers me until I think about it. I think I’ve had tinnitus for about 40 years now. Also, I moved my jaw around and pulled on each ear individually and simultaneously, and then laughed when I read Chilly’s post.

As long as y’all don’t bring it up, I’m fine

And BTW, my ears do ring while I dive. I’ve noticed.