Hello world! Sorry I have not written in so long. It has been a almost two years. Well, let me get back on track here and update you on my journey. Thank you to all those folks that have shared their journey.
Let’s start with now. My path has changed.
Up until recently, I was taking a solid set of supplements including taurine, turmeric, alpha lipoic acid (ALA), probiotic, cinnamon, fish oil, vitamin D and even ginkgo biloba at times. However, more currently, I am taking only taurine capsules but not consistently. Of all the supplements taurine is the one thing I have continued on the longest taking about 2 g per day. I take taurine partly because I think it has some cardiac benefits. However, in the past few weeks I have not taken it very often at all. I started on ceylon cinnamon again not so much for tinnitus, but to help with blood glucose levels.
I stopped the turmeric supplements when I ran out a month ago. I originally came up turmeric by accident and not because of all the news about how great it is. I found an article about how turmeric impacts ion channels in relation to cancer treatments. My hypothesis is that neurons have ion channels so perhaps turmeric would impact brain neurons as well which would help calm the tinnitus chatter. I am a believer in the model that tinnitus is caused by the neural pathways firing out of control. Hence, my integration of turmeric. Turned out turmeric is viewed as beneficial for a myriad of functions. This is similar to the unintended benefits like heart benefits, I think I get from taurine besides the benefits studied in rats and tinnitus.The good news is though, that I now add ground turmeric to my coffee with fresh ground black pepper. Apparently, turmeric benefits need elements called piperine in black pepper to help increase the bioavailability of the curcumin.
I also in the past two years used the sound therapy approach using frequencies above and below the frequency of my tinnitus. I found this site on which the author attempted to create tool based on an acoustic therapy protocol. I have not used this consistently so I cannot say if it works. I really appreciate though how much effort that the person put into studying and sharing his work.
Lastly, I am going to get a new occlusal guard today. I know I clench and grind my teeth at night which I can feel when I wake up in my jaw. I am sure this is not helping my tinnitus.
So now I am not taking any supplements consistently to classify any observations as scientific. From my years of supplement use, I have to say, that I do not believe that for me in my case supplements are an effective path to my cure. I do think they are helping me indirectly and perhaps I should and will keep taking them, but mainly for other health benefits. For others with tinnitus, supplements may be more beneficial in addressing their tinnitus including if they have a deficiency. Each person is different and each person should manage their supplement regime with their medical doctor.
So, what am I doing? Have I given up? Absolutely not. I will cure my tinnitus.
My focus is going back to my belief that the body is highly intelligent and knows how to repair itself. I just have to help it and at minimum not get in its way. A few years ago, I remember sitting on the train meditating on my tinnitus, really focusing on the ringing, I mean drilling into it, visualizing it stopping. Suddenly, I heard this silence for a moment. I opened my eyes with what must have been a surprised look on my face as another passenger was staring at me perplexed. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but for a moment or a little longer, I heard silence.
Unfortunately, in the past couple years, I have not been focusing on meditation and visualization at all. Also, I used to have occasional micro second episodes during which the noise stops. I have not had one of these in a long time. The way I meditate and drill into the tinnitus is not the easiest thing to do…it is not “hard” like a math problem, but it does take practice and discipline. I use meditation techniques I have learned to journey to the source of the ringing in my brain. However, over the years, I have also come to ignore the ringing more or rather accept it. I don’t focus on it or how it annoys me; it just is there..not bothering me…it just is there. It doesn’t bother me in and of itself. It does though interfere with my hearing. Now, that I am refocusing on meditation, I find that is much harder to reconnect to the ringing an drill down into it.
Bottom line – I am going to focus on meditation, visualization and mind-body synergies. I have also started to learn about Quigong through excellent youtube videos which I think has the similar premises to the path I am taking. I am going to continue to take some supplements like turmeric and maybe taurine which I have been taking so long…again though, for other health benefits.
Even if something did not cure my tinnitus, it has helped me learn and grow. It has helped me meet new people and ask questions. Nothing I have tried was a waste. The key for me is moving forward. As I learned from Peter Senge, “It is not what the vision is, it is what the vision does.”
I will cure myself.