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todd
USA
4 Posts |
 Posted - 11/18/2005 : 15:02:22
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| Hello, I'm new here and would appreciate any advice. I'm 30 and have had tinnitus for around 6 months. Also, seemingly getting worse, I find myself clenching my teeth upon waking up. My jaw hurts mildly but fairly constantly, and turning my neck in any direction creates a "crackle" sound in my neck, high up, somewhere around the base of my skull. Also around this area there is a discoloration spot on the skin about the size of a golf ball, but not raised or anything, just discolored. My upper back/neck hurts moderately bad all the time. The tinnitus is constant in both ears, but changes when I press against my forehead and I've noticed it to change sometimes when I walk quickly. A general practitioner told me my blood pressure was 155/100, and to take some pill and come back in 4 weeks for a blood test. I'm not satisfied with this and would greatly appreciate any help whatsoever from someone here. |
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2005 : 15:37:33
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Hi Todd,
Did you have a fall or other mishap recently?
Stop trying to prod your tinnitus with pressing on your forehead, that's not going to tell you anything. Chill out and cease trying to figure out all these physical symptoms. Just ignore them until you see the doc next time for your blood pressure.
If the doc says that the bruise on the back of your head and your blood pressure is of no consequence, then all the other symptoms you list could be TMS or TMS equivelants. Get/read a copy of Healing Back Pain or The Mindbody Prescription by Dr. Sarno if you have not already done so. And if you have, then re-read and start doing the work.
So tell us, Todd, what's going on in your life?
Take care, -Stryder |
Edited by - Stryder on 11/18/2005 15:38:05 |
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todd
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2005 : 16:05:02
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| Thanks for the advice Stryder. Let me respond to what is going on in my life. Until this last year, I would say I've been a heavy drinker, but not so bad that it affected my employment status. I have always been healthy with no problems, alcohol aside I guess. A month or 2 before I noticed tinnitus however, (maybe 8 months ago) I hurt my lower back while working out. It was a real pain in the rear and felt like electricity down my left leg, which seems like sciatic nerve damage, though admittedly I never saw a doctor for it. Otherwise, I'm a f/t student living on student loans and have been for some time, partly because the lower back pain was bad enough that I couldn't walk easily, and recently because the job market seems very bad. So, maybe there is some stress. Could also mention that my diet is probably better than most. I do not eat fast food or fried foods, mostly vegetables with dip, deli sandwiches, and brown rice dishes and occasionally pasta. Thanks again for your help Stryder. |
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wrldtrv
666 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2005 : 22:46:48
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Todd--I have a tinnitus experience to share. I don't know if it applies to you, but it certainly demonstrates the power of the mind to create some pretty bizarre symptoms.
Several years ago my oldest brother came to visit. He had just been diagnosed with severe tinnitus after years of increasingly worsening hearing. He was so anxious and depressed about it that after listening to his vivid descriptions of his tinnitus for several days I began to hear the ringing in my ears! At first I figured I was suggestable and that it would disappear after the novelty wore off. Instead--and I still can't believe it--I was plagued by tinnitus for the next 1 1/2 years. I had hearing tests; I was checked for TMJ; I even had a brain MRI; all these were completely normal and eventually the ringing disappeared. But at the time I would have sworn I heard the ringing as clearly as my own voice. At times I would wake in the middle of the night in a panic because the ringing seemed deafening.
I guess I needed the official verification of all the medical profession had to offer before I could agree that, no, there was probably nothing wrong with me. I would like to say that I learned my lesson and have been free of this kind of thing. Not so. Since then I have had a steady stream of other bodily symptoms for which no tests have ever revealed anything amiss--frustrating to say the least. Sure, I'm thrilled to have nothing wrong, but not thrilled to seemingly be at the mercy of whatever in my unconscious if creating these symptoms.
I don't know if this helps, but at least if your blood pressure, etc, turn out fine you can look inward for the answer. Good luck. |
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Laura
USA
655 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2005 : 11:12:04
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Hi Todd,
I have suffered in the past from tinnitus and I know what you are going through. It's awful. People try to tell you to "ignore" it and forget it, but it's hard to ignore something that is in your head 24/7 making you nuts!
Let me share a story too. About four years ago, I was just about to undergo a lumpectomy. They thought I might have breast cancer. I was really scared. I had a lump and just knew I was going to die. For months, they had me on high doses of vitamin E and Evening Primrose Oil with the hopes that would shrink the lump. No luck. It kept growing, as did my fear. At about this time, I noticed a clicking or tapping sound in my one ear. It drove me absolutely crazy. I focused on it a lot. This went on for weeks, all throughout the days leading up to the imminent breast surgery. My husband said to me one day "It's stress. When your surgery is over and you find out it's nothing, I bet it will go away." Sure enough, the surgery was performed and the lump was benign (large fibroadenoma). That day, while recuperating on my bed, I realized the clicking/tapping had stopped and it never returned.
Try not to focus on it, as difficult as that is. I find if I concentrate on it, I can hear a faint hum in my ears. The sound is at a difference pitch in both ears. I also suffer from hyperaccusis which drives me nuts in loud situations. I tend to clench my teeth and grind but I know that's all TMS.
Good luck to you. I feel for you.
Laura
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todd
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2005 : 21:47:47
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| Wrldtvr, thanks for writing. I've considered meditation but have yet to really start the practice. I do think a positive outlook is very important and am trying to establish one that is more positive than it has been in the past. |
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todd
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2005 : 21:55:27
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| Laura, I do agree that not focusing on the ringing is really important. Since I've decided to try to forget that it exists basically, it hasn't been the biggest concern at all. It can be annoying sometimes, but nothing like my other concerns. Have you tried meditation or know anyone that has? Definately best of luck to you and thanks for the reply. |
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wrldtrv
666 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2005 : 22:45:50
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| I would try mindfulness meditation. When I did it on a semi-regular basis a few years ago it was very helpful for relieving my stress. There are plenty of books on the subject as well as practice groups. |
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esher
11 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2005 : 22:54:33
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"Have you tried meditation or know anyone that has?"
My brother, who has had TMS-type symptoms for many years, swears by insight meditation. I'm afraid I don't know a lot about it, but it seems to revolve around dispassionate observation and following the breath in and out. He says that if his back starts to hurt while doing it, he can basically just observe it, sort of saying "ah, pain" mentally without actually reacting to it. I wonder if a similar approach might work with your tinnitus; if you don't react to it, and it's TMS-related, your brain may just give up on causing it since it has obviously failed to distract you.
I don't pretend to know a lot about meditation, but people have been doing insight meditation in one form or another for 2500 years, so they may have learned a thing or two along the way. Good luck to you!
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 06:43:28
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| In fact, Dr. Sarno recommends meditation in his books, and Dr. Schubner, another TMS doc, actually has made a meditation CD just for people with TMS. |
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miehnesor
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 13:01:04
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| Blood pressure at that level for a 30 year old sounds way too high. I believe that another manifestation of TMS is high blood pressure. This has been the case for me. The tricky thing is that most people don't link HBP with repressed emotion. It's a sad commentary on the medical establishment. |
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Fox
USA
496 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 13:20:45
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| For tinnitus problems, see www.tinnitus.org - This system cured me of the problem after 3 years of misery. I did see a TRT trained audiologist in Greensboro one time, but actually everything she told me to do and to think, including noise conditioning, is on that web site. |
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elise8
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 15:33:55
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Peter, what is the name of the meditation CD for TMS'ers by Dr. Schubner, and where do I purchase it..
thx
Elise
Elise8 |
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n/a
560 Posts |
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PeterW
Canada
102 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 22:05:54
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Todd, I thought I'd mention that there's been discussions about tinnitus on this forum in the past. You can search the archives. One fairly recent thread is at:
http://tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1244&SearchTerms=tinnitus
I have heard that high blood pressure can be linked to tinnitus, though with me that certainly wasn't the case. There was a time I dipped to 90/60 or below, and it didn't change a peep.
Regardless, and as others have mentioned, the less attention you can pay it the better. |
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anka
Canada
8 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2005 : 15:50:46
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quote:
Originally posted by PeterMcKay
In fact, Dr. Sarno recommends meditation in his books, and Dr. Schubner, another TMS doc, actually has made a meditation CD just for people with TMS.
Do you have contact info for this meditation CD ? |
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n/a
560 Posts |
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tinnitus and neck crackle/pain
