Hey all,

I've been having sleeping troubles for years. Tried melatonin and now am trying Ambien.

I noticed in the past 2 weeks that I have a background ringing in my ears that is worse at night. It started happening before I tried the sleep aids and prompted me to finally take something. I rarely notice it during the day or after I'm out of bed for a few minutes. It seem like the longer I lay down, the louder it gets. It's never really loud, just annoying enough I can't get back to sleep.

Anyone had/have this?

Are there supplements for it?

Can it ever go away?

Thanks for any information!

What you have is called tinnitis. Here is a link for an overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus

There are a multitude of causes, some medication related.

Steve

Another cause that wasn't mentioned in the article posted, is damage to the temporomandibular joint (the jaw joint). I work for a TMJ disorder doctor, and we get a lot of patients in who have ringing in their ears. This can be caused by pressure from the joint pushing on the eustachian tube (the ear area), or from inflammation in the area.
Here are a couple of good sites to help determine if you might have a TMJ problem that is causing the ringing:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tmj-disor...0355/DSECTION=2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporomandib...ns_and_symptoms

Bellyfat, if you can learn to relax, there will come a time when you may beable to ignore the ringing--I do. It is very rare that my ringing keeps me awake. In the beginning it did. I think it bothered me most about 3 yrs ago, when I first noticed it at night and someone told me to get earplugs--DON:T DO THAT! I don't know why anyone thinks that helps, but for me, it only intensifies the noise--traps it inside my head.

The best thing for you to do first--see an Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist. A doctor can determine if it is an ear, nose, or throat problem--such as TMJ and rule any problem out. The doctor ruled out any of the normal reasons with my ringing and has determined it is one of those situations we may never understand why! It may go away, it may not. Somedays I hardly notice it, somedays it nearly makes me crazy. The last few days I want to call an exterminator to get rid of the cicadas in my head, they have been so loud! Yet, at night, I sleep, the ringing never keeps me awake, I seem able to tune it out. I am finding it is worse in the winter months when the heat is on and the air is dryer, just as dry eye seems worse at the same time. Sometimes in the summer, if I get too much wind, it is worse.

Learn to let it be part of your day and you will learn to ignore it.

I have ringing in the ears too. For years. It comes and goes in volume, and doesn't really bother me anymore. Would be nice if it wasn't there but I am used to it. I don't know of anything to do about it. I don't notice it if there is other noise going on, like tv or music. Maybe a white noise generator would help you sleep at night? I think that is one of things that people use them for. I've not tried it myself though. I got used to the ringing long ago.

Thank you for the link Steve, it was very informative. I didn't realize so many things could cause it.



I don't seem to have any pain in my jaw or problems chewing. I will pay attention to it more now though just in case it is an underlying cause.

I was wondering about the chronic sinus problems I had prior to going gluten free. I was always stuffed up and on allergy meds almost year round. Now I have been on the diet for 6 months and I'm wondering if I'm just hearing things I never heard before because of all the stuffiness and inflammation. I'm totally off all allergy meds and breathing great all the time.



I just started running the humidifier a couple nights ago because of the dry heat and cold weather. If it doesn't seem to help in a couple days, I will visit my doctor and get a referrral.

I use earplugs off and on for sleep problems. I'm extremely sensitive to any sounds and wake up so easily. It does make the ringing a bit intensitied though, but I think I'd rather hear the steady ringing than random noises in the house that annoy me. I could try one of those white noise machines. That would probably work great for me.

I'm trying not to stress over it. Luckily it's not bad at this point. I don't know how you can relax when it sounds like cicadas. Do you take any medicines for it when it's bad like that?

We must have posted at the same time. I just posted about the noise generator because it doesn't bother me either during the day with all the random noises going on around me. I think it's worth a try if it doesn't go away soon. Thanks for the suggestion.

bellyfat-i think i might be able to help! my mother has had ringing in her ears for awhile now and she saw a doctor and he said she is taking in too much salt and she needs to cut her sodium down. So she is on a low salt diet and takes a water pill occasionally if she feels she has been having a lot of salt lately or going out for dinner...hope this helps!

bellyfat-i think i might be able to help! my mother has had ringing in her ears for awhile now and she saw a doctor and he said she is taking in too much salt and she needs to cut her sodium down. So she is on a low salt diet and takes a water pill occasionally if she feels she has been having a lot of salt lately or going out for dinner...hope this helps!

I started having tinnitus about three years ago. I don't believe that it gets louder at night. It is just that it is so quiet at night, especially when lying down and not moving, that the ringing SEEMS louder. It is much easier to ignore in the daytime when you are busy and there are noises all around you (and you make enough of them, doing stuff).

I find that when I strictly adhere to my crazy restrictive diet and don't eat anything I am intolerant to, the ringing decreases.

I have my doubts that it has anything to do with salt intake.

Hi Jemenii36,

You know, I have been munching on Planters nuts everyday now since I was dx'd in August. And my salt intake has definately increased from it. I never ate that many of them or anything else salty before my dx. I will cut them out for a while and see what happens. Thanks for the suggestion!

I am sleeping better now, but it is always there and very clear when I wake up. I do think I can hear it at times during the day if I am in a quiet place.

If it doesn't clear up on it's own soon, I will drag myself back to the doctor. Something I really just don't want to do right now.

totally not related to celiac and being that that can be the sign of something serious, i wouldn't just take the advice of a total stranger on this forum and self diagnose if i were you.

One of my friends recently told me, she heard a discussion on tv the other day about ear ringing. They have been doing a study on this and have come to find out that sometimes it really doesn't have anything to do with the ears, that it is a glitch in the brain. Now they are trying to figure out how to bypass this glitch to stop the ringing, which is something I am looking for.



We really do not know this. We don't know what is related to celiac, or what isn't related to celiac and it's not fair to make this statement either. The ringing could be caused by a vitamin deficiency, that was caused by the celiac. I honestly do not think that all of us totally recover from years and years of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. If we were undiagnosed for over 30 yrs, I hardly believe that 5 yrs of gluten free is enough time for all to be well. I do believe my ringing is related in some way. I have been gluten-free for 7 1/2 yrs now and I had peripheral neuropathy before going gluten-free and I will always have it. It was caused by a B12 deficiency, which was caused by my celiac disease, and I will always have neuropathy.

Wow Marian that is very interesting. I think it's amazing that the first chiropractor was able to make it go away successfully.

Do you think you have TMJ? I've read that can be a cause. Or do you believe it is a result of your chemical sensitivities.

The odd part for me is that it didn't happen before gluten free or was not noticeable enough for me to realize it. But I did have bad allergies and stuffed up head prior to going gluten free so I'm wondering if it's just a result of all that pressure being relieved and healing. I go to the dentist regularly - and have x-rays either yearly or every two years so I doubt it could be TMJ for me. I could be somewhat chemical sensitive, but not overly so.





I hope they do find a way to bypass the glitch and help the people who have it severely. I'm sure as time goes on, there will be better solutions.

I agree with you that it could be cuased by Celiac. I've seen some amazing results in my life since going gluten free 6 months ago. Things that are not considered Celiac related by the regular doctors and literature you read about symptoms.

I also had the very beginnings of peripheral neuropathy. Most of the issues subsided within the first 2 months and my vision totally wacked out for 2 full weeks, but went back to normal and is getting even better than prior to gluten free. Vision problems were part of my Celiac symptoms.

Some things I'd like to try are a massage and candle-ing, or a wax removal kit at home first. My mom goes to a woman who does the candle-ing because she's had ear problems for years (itching, excema etc...) and her problems have cleared up.

Anyone ever tried the candle-ing?

4 months ago I was at a stop sign and a lady going 30 mph rear ended my car. I have had ringing in my ears ever since...I keep hoping it will go away eventually

I have had the ringing come and go, some days I notice it, and other days I notice it's not there. One trend I have related to the ringing is how well my digestive system is doing. If I eat things that slow things down too much, I'll get the ringing, and when I resolve that, the ringing will subside or cease.

As for the white noise generator, there are some gadgets designed for blocking out background noise. Some are made to simulate the sound of a waterfall, which might be less annoying than white noise. If you want to see how such a device might work for you, simply tune an FM radio to a blank spot (where there's no station), and turn up the volume to your preference.

I've recently heard of this product, advertised for ringing and such, but I do not know how good it really is, or if it would work for anyone posting on this thread:
http://www.lipoflavonoid.com/

I have already been to an ENT and my ear ringing is not related to my ears in any way that they can determine. I have slight hearing loss, but very slight, it's not TMJ, and they could not find any other problem relating to my ears. So, I am one of those, "We really have no answer for you, it may go away, or you may always have the ringing, we can't say for sure, we do definitely understand your frustration with this problem, yet, really have no answers for you." They did a sinus catscan and some blood work, which also came back with nothing conclusive, back to square one.

My neurologist sent me to the ENT because of a hearing test he had done, along with 2 MRI's. I do have a slightly herniated disc in my neck, but the ENT didn't think that was the problem either. So, I have had the tests to back everything. My neuropathy was diagnosed as carpal tunnel probably 10 yrs ago and I have been gluten-free for 7 1/2 yrs now. My carpal tunnel is an inoperable type of neuropathy and I have small fiber neuropathy, which the progression has slowed since going gluten-free, but never improved with gluten-free. I think it is wonderful for those of you who did find improvement. I wonder if the ear ringing has anything to do with B12 for some of you, I have read it does. I wish you all luck!

I visited my family doctor today and he said there is fluid in my right ear. Put me on Cipro and said it could be causing the tinnitus. Hopefully that's all it is.