Tinnitus just started 3 days ago! Help

[Jstorm87]

38M- About 4 weeks ago I came down with a sinus infection that sent me to the doc on my birthday that also came with an ear infection my first one ever I think. Some mild pressure. Nothing crazy painful. But annoying. I went to urgent care (not my favorite) but needed meds. Stressing through out but made it.
On the last day of my antibiotic (10days) I saw an ENT because I still was feeling pressure and pain sensations still & she said my ear looks beautiful and so do my sinuses. Sinuses were slightly congested and swollen still but no infection or drainage.
Well wouldn’t you freaking know it. The next 24 hours that ear pain completely vanishes. Typical.

However about two days ago which is now ten days after I saw that ENT. Around 8pm I get out of the shower and I notice I have ringing in that ear (left ear) the one that was infected. But it’s funny earlier that morning I was really very stressed and angry at a situation. So much so that I felt it throughout my entire body. I had to walk outside and breathe.

In short it has not stopped and while I didn’t freak out at first it’s now ramping up my anxiety and in turn the volume. Sleep last night was terrible. But the night before it was fine. Which is making me obsess and fear loop. It’s such a weird thing cuz there’s no pain. It’s just the lack of control that’s maddening or not knowing when it will quiet down again.

I’ve had my fair share of TMS pain through out my life. But ringing in the ears was never an issue. Until about a few years ago where I finally noticed it and got really anxious but was fine again after a few weeks.

My life style and diet has not been great as of late. Job is stressful. Life. Definitely past trauma I’ll forever be working at. Falling asleep on my couch in terrible positions and probs wreaking havoc on my neck and back. But still no pain. So yeah..

But this one presently is getting to me. (Tinnitus)
I've overcome every TMS thing thrown at me.
Yet each time something happens you wonder if you’ll beat it again. I’ve tried to refrain from googling and reading other peoples stories. I just feel bad currently.
Like if I listen for it gets worse it seems.
It’s just trying to be positive and distracted that’s hard.

Any ear warriors out there?
It’s hard to know whether something is TMS or the result of a post illness situation. I even said it to my partner the other day prior to my ear ringing. I was like “I feel too tense. Something is bound to happen here shortly.” Sure as shit it did. Lol
would love to “hear” from you!

Thank you friends!

J

 

[Ellen]

Tinnitus is a very common TMS symptom. For me, it is also very contagious. I can just read about someone having it and develop it for a while. But, hey, this time so far I haven't "caught" it. (Fingers crossed.)

Ignore it. Go about your life. Immerse in enjoyable absorbing activities. It will go away the same as your other TMS symptoms.

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Hi there @Jstorm87 and welcome. That's a good intro into your TMS knowledge and past successes, thanks for that!

Tinnitus is such a crazy-making symptom when it's constant. If you step back and look at it critically - and skeptically - it's also kind of the perfect symptom for someone like you to have. Think about it - it is easily associated with your ear infection, there's no opportunity for a break in which you can gather your TMS resources because there aren't even any palliative treatments to provide temporary relief, and its unrelenting nature has you perfectly on edge all the time - exactly where your TMS brain mechanism needs you to be so that you stay alert and focused on your hearing so that you can avoid whatever it is that is lurking around the next rock, waiting to eat you.

And that's the message you need to tease out and reframe. Whatever is going on in your life right now - whatever it is that is stressing you out - your TMS brain is wired to treat it as life-threatening, because in the primitive wilderness, that is the only thing it knows, which is that anything that causes you stress must be literally life-threatening.

You might try a focused exercise in which you breathe slowly and relax every part of your body, especially your head, jaw, neck and shoulders - and then lean into the sound. Accept it, purposely tune into it, and play with it. You can make this a deliberate exercise from ten to thirty minutes, or you can do it briefly anytime you have a few minutes to yourself. The goal is to replace fear with curiousity. Do not give in to your natural expectation that this is any kind of permanent thing, because all sensations are created by our brains, and they can all change or go away, sometimes just as fast as they came on, and often without us even noticing, IF we are willing to reject the fear response that the symptom/sensation is designed to elicit.

Get out your TMS tools and revisit the work - typically that means self-examination through some kind of writing exercise, whether its a simple categorization of your current stressors (most of us are surprised by how many things end up on that list when we get started), or full-blown emotional journaling.

This too, will pass.

 

[Diana-M]

I have ringing in that ear (left ear) the one that was infected. But it’s funny earlier that morning I was really very stressed and angry at a situation. So much so that I felt it throughout my entire body.

Huge huge clue! Keep journaling this out. Explore it very deeply. Your whole body felt it! This is big. Your ear wants to distract you from this.

 

[Jstorm87]

Tinnitus is a very common TMS symptom. For me, it is also very contagious. I can just read about someone having it and develop it for a while. But, hey, this time so far I haven't "caught" it. (Fingers crossed.)

Ignore it. Go about your life. Immerse in enjoyable absorbing activities. It will go away the same as your other TMS symptoms.

Hey thanks for the reply! Yeah I mean historically it was never an issue for me. But it’s true in the sense that break the cycle and move on. But I hate that I know so much about it and how many people suffer with it. Which manifests. Those things alone bear weight to it. So it’s all just bizarre.
I just wasn’t prepared for this to hit the way that it did but are we ever lol.