file.newsgroup.med.58065 Maven / Gradle / Ivy
From: [email protected] (JT)
Subject: Re: ringing ears
In article <[email protected]> [email protected] (Jim Fare) writes:
>
>
>A friend of mine has a trouble with her ears ringing. The ringing is so loud
>that she has great difficulty sleeping at night. She says that she hasn't
>had a normal night's sleep in about 6 months (she looks like it too :-().
>This is making her depressed so her doctor has put her on anti-depressants.
Sometimes I have a problem with doctor's prescribing medicine like
this. I of course don't know the exact situation, and
anti-depressants may work, but it isn't helping the ringing at all, is it?
>The ringing started rather suddenly about 6 months ago. She is quickly losing
>sleep, social life and sanity over this.
Mine started about three years back. Turns out I have tinnitus
bilateral (translation: ringing in both ears, basically ;). If this
is what it is, she'll probably get used to it. It would keep me up
and drive me nuts too, but nowadays, I have to plug both my ears with
my fingers to check to see if they are ringing. Usually they are, but
you get so used to it, it just gets tuned out. Yes, this is what I've
read about it... not just from my own personal experience.
>Does anyone know of any treatments for this? Any experience? Coping
>mechanisms? Any opinions on the anti-depressant drugs?
Millions have it, according to my physician. You just learn to cope
with it (like I mentioned earlier) by ignoring it. It eventually
becomes unconscious.
The doc also said it could be caused by diet (ie: too much caffeine)
and stress, but I haven't changed my lifestyle much, and it just comes
and goes (it is always there somewhat, but now I rarely notice it when
it really "kicks in").
Also, it doesn't necessarily mean there is any hearing loss, either
caused by it or causing it. I had an ENT (ear/nose/throat) exam, and
passed. In fact, my hearing is quite good considering I don't take as
good of care of my hearing as I should.
Her reaction is normal. If it is tinnitus, chances are good she'll
begin to not even notice it.
This info is taken mostly from a few "experts", my own experience, and
some readings (sorry, it was a few years back and don't have any
specifics handy).
JT