Lindy asked:

Hyperacusis: Hello, my name is Lindy, and I came across your web site while surfing the net for information on Menieres Disease.

I am now 46 years of age, in very good health with the exception of the ringing I have in my ears.

I have read your tinnitus web site, and I seem to fall under more than one tinnitus category, so I thought I would ask the professionals their opinion.

Fifteen years earlier I was working for a company that made refrigeration units. Our company made the unit that holds the Freon.

Yes, I did work in several areas that were very loud and ear protection was required. When I first started my job, I would (often) not take time to put on the required ear protection that was provide when I was in a hurry.

I would assume that may have been the start of my tinnitus problem.

The ear ringing actually started a week or two after a falling accident, where I fell in a night club after being hit by a portable wall partition that was on the dance floor.

The partition was accidentally knocked over, which in turn fell on me knocking me over and my head hit the floor, and I blacked out for a short time.

I fell to the right, and the right side of my head hit the floor. After a broken ankle and a few weeks of bed rest, I returned to my job with severe headaches where I would freeze up, and get nauseated.

I was unable to drive without getting these symptoms. I would have to sit down and put my head between my legs. The pain was so bad I started to see many specialist with no success.

It was my dentist that suggest TMJ, and sent me to a orthodontist. It turns out my jaw was out of line, and zig zaged when I opened and closed my mouth.

Fortunately the braces that were put on not only to straighten a few teeth, but to also correct my zig zag bite, stopped my headaches and the nausea, but did not stop the ear ringing, which the Orthodontist had hoped it would.

I then had my silver dental fillings removed, and the ringing still did not stop. Recently my sister sent me an article about salt intake, that it may be a culprit in ringing in the ears.

Through this article I found your web site.
Reading through your web site I found that I may fall under several categories of the suggested reasons for Ringing in the ears.
TMJ
Cochlea damage
Sinus related tinnitus
Hyperacusis
Hypothalamus (stress related)

The reason I believe I may fall under any one of these, are for the following reasons.
I do not sleep well at nights since the accident. I take different types of natural sleep enhancers and still do not get a full nights sleep.

I have had a high stress job for 10 years. I have recently changed jobs, and countries, and my stress level has dropped tremendously, but with my new life there are new stress levels for me, and I continually feel burned out and tired.

I can't seem to recoup from my last job and the stress I had gone through. I still feel mentally burned out. I can not tolerate noise, like the background noise of sports events when on TV.

I can not tolerate large groups of people and everyone speaking at the same time. I can not tolerate music which I love unless it is very mellow music.

I also try to avoid sweets due to the fact I get very, very hyper. I have reduced my salt intake, and am working on both my salt and sugar levels.

I am a person of average height 5 feet 5 inches. I weigh about 110 lbs. I am a vegetarian, working on becoming a vegan.

I have been diagnosed with severe Osteoporosis and take several natural forms of Calcium, from Barley green, silica, calcium tabs, and plenty of Soya products along with fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Dr's that I have seen, think it odd with all the forms of calcium I take that I have Osteoporosis. I don't seen to digest food well, so I have started taking a digestive enzyme to help digest my food, and to absorb the vitamins and calcium I take.

It seem to have helped. I try to take liquid forms whenever possible for faster absorption.

I have tried everything I could humanly possibly think of to help my ringing in my ears which I have had for 15 years. Your web site has been very helpful, but I am not sure which tinnitus category I fall under.

I also did not see an ingredient list on your products.

Any information you may have that may help me narrow down my present symptoms of :
Continual Ringing in Both Ears for 15 years
Lack of sleep
Lack of energy which I am sure comes from lack of sleep.
Occasional blurred vision with mild dizziness
When driving up the mountains here in West Virginia, occasionally my ears will pop and it is like I am hearing for the first time in my life, then coming back down I will again hear the ringing in my ears.

I look forward to your help so I can consider ordering the product you find will best suit my needs and condition.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Our Response:

Hello Lindy,

Thank you for your detailed information which you supplied via e-mail.

It is almost certain that the prior exposure to noise at your place of work has caused cochlear damage. This in itself will lead to high frequency hearing loss and tinnitus anf Hyperacusis.

I believe that the fall in the night club obviously aggravated the cochlear damage and triggered the tinnitus and hyperacusis you are now experincing.

I have explained cochlear damage, tinnitus and hyperacusis in detail in the link below.

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