Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group

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Anybody have ringing in their ears?

Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd

Hey, y'all.  As most of you know, I'm here because I was a childhood civilian veteran of 6 years of combat as a missionary kid overseas.  One of the traumas in those 6 years was when I was age 9 and a guy hit my family's car with an improvised explosive device.  I was in the back rear seat, and he threw it straight at my window. 


I've got ringing in my right ear from that bombing today and it's really loud.  I wonder if anybody else here has ringing in their ears from their trauma, too, and what you do about it. 


It doesn't have to be from combat, it can be from your having been assaulted or from impact in a car accident, whatever the case.  It would be really helpful it you could pass on any tips you might have for me as to how to cope with the ringing in the ears when it comes back like this.  Thanks.

mtd
mtd
I suffer from tinnitus, it sounds a lot like bugs singing at night. I’ve done some research and from what I’m very learned, there is no real cure. I’ve seen a lot of ads selling this or that to cure it, but scientific research denies an existing cure. I’ve learned to live with it and it really doesn’t bother me, It is much louder at night for some reason, probably because that’s when I get quiet and ready for sleep. In a way it’s comforting because I always enjoyed the sound of bugs singing at night.
Community LeaderLeo
Leo
Tinnitus in both ears, amigo, from noise trauma as a child.

I use a small white noise device but mostly, when it's bad, it's due to sinus congestion, stress/lack of sleep, and I hum. My ear damage means my one eardrum crackles sometimes, atop the tinnitus, which is just innfuriating (my lefft ear).

I do TMJ exercises, which weirdly can help, probably b/c they ease tension in the neck and jaws, which can worsen my tinnitus. These are usually just very gentle neck stretches, stuff you can find googling either "neck exercises for tinnitus" or for TMJ.

The TMJ exercises help b/c my ear damage on one side means my tube blocks easily ---- one too many repetitive injuries.

So, yeah, I get you.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
Thanks, y'all. It IS like insects, mtd, like cicadas. I think mine's from lack of sleep and then it becomes a chicken or the egg situation if it goes on for the next night. I'm liking your idea of TMJ exercises, Leo. Gracias.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
The ringing has subsided quite a bit on its own today. Wish I knew how, I'd pass the remedy on. Thanks for your support for my coping with it. It really caused me PTSD insomnia, so I'm looking forward to a solid night's sleep tonight.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
I had a GOOD night's sleep once the ringing started to subside yesterday. The best part about pain? When it STOPS. Thanks for your support through it.
mtd
mtd
I think when we zero in on the ringing it seems louder and worse verses when our attention is occupied by other things. I can go all day without noticing it because I’m preoccupied by the tasks at hand, but when I’m quiet it becomes noticeable.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
You're right, mtd. It's louder right now as I settle down for the night whereas during my day it didn't seem so loud.
Andromeda8
Andromeda8
I have ringing in the ears too Muji, and it sounds like cicadas. When I block my ears, I can still hear cicadas singing, 24/7, and I am a little hard of hearing at times. My doctors say that my tinnitus is caused by autoimmunity, I have to take immunosuppressants to reduce the ringing. Perhaps you can check with your doctor to see if you have an underlying autoimmunity, because trauma can trigger acute autoimmunity which may be long lasting.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
Yup, cicadas is what it indeed sounds like to me, too, Andromeda8. Hey, could you say more about that autoimmunity you mention, or post a reliable link to it that's been helpful to you? I'd like to follow up on what you say here.
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