When I fist was diagnosed with tinnitus the idea that I could somehow train my brain to ignore tinnitus seemed absurd and perhaps a little too simple to be true. So like many tinnitus sufferers I ran the gauntlet of conventional medicine and the rollercoaster of alternative medicines. None of which came close to easing my ear ringing. However, I had all but given up on my quest for relief when I stumble upon a little know and somewhat novel concept. And that was can I train my brain to ignore tinnitus?
Can I train my brain to ignore tinnitus?
But lets start right back at the beginning…..Like you I had tinnitus and it was driving me crazy! You know the drill, the sleepless nights and the agitation. Slogging through your day grasping at the hope that “they” will find a cure or it will somehow go away on its own. Well, I hate to burst your bubble because as you might already know if you’ve had tinnitus for over 6 months, it’s pretty much there to stay.
However, hang on in there with me and DO NOT DESPAIR! This story does have a silver lining.
So I was desperate to put a stop to the insidious racket within the confines of my cranium.
I’d previously been told by my doctor, the ENT and an audiologist that the tinnitus will more than likely never go away, in fact it could get worse the older I get. I didn’t like that prospect whatsoever. I’m the type that has to go down fighting or at least find a happy medium.
I was desperate to find that peace which I once took for granted. Over a two year or so period I tried just about everything, nothing short of filling my own ear with cement and hoping it would release me from the torment. (I’m kidding about the cement, it’s never a good idea to fill your ear with cement!)
I wanted to fill my ears with cement (not literally)
From acupuncture, to vitamin therapy, to laser light therapy to chiropractic nothing seemed to work. I was told to try masking, which I did and of course it helps to drown out the noise, allowing one to get a good night sleep. However if you have a partner who’s a light sleeper they soon get tired of waterfalls and crashing waves. Plus it can get tiring explaining to none tinnitus sufferers why you are constantly followed by white noise.
But no matter how much of your life you try to mask, the bottom line is you’re simply sweeping the problem under the rug.
Ultimately what I really wanted was to no longer be bothered by my tinnitus no matter where I was or what time of the day it was. Masking to me was like patching a water spot on the ceiling instead of finding and fixing where the leak was coming from.
A chance encounter changed my life
Years past and my tinnitus hadn’t eased and neither had my agitation. It was by chance that I met a retired South African doctor at a yoga convention of all places. This man with one simple analogy changed my life with tinnitus for good!
During our casual conversation he happened to mention that he had severe hearing loss and subsequent tinnitus, all due to a shooting range accident 30 years prior. Of course I immediately brought up my own battle with tinnitus as a means of continuing the topic of conversation.
He went on to tell me that his hearing loss was off the chart and in the early days his tinnitus was severely debilitating. But that he no longer considers himself a tinnitus sufferer.
“He no longer considered himself a sufferer of tinnitus”
Ok, now this caught my attention! I was all ears (excuse the pun) “How is it your tinnitus no longer bother you?” I asked.
He told me that over the years as a doctor, he had met with, treated and witnessed many tinnitus sufferers and had seen first hand what tinnitus can do to someone’s life.
He said his advice now to tinnitus sufferers is as follows.
“You can have tinnitus retraining therapy or you can Google the next vitamin, herb, potion, alternative medicine or practice that promises to cure you of your tinnitus. But honestly in my opinion save your money, there’s nothing that tinnitus retraining therapy or any other alternative therapy can do for you that you cannot do for yourself!”
“Ask yourself, why is it some people who have tinnitus are simply not bothered by it? Whilst others are burdened to no end? Research shows that it has nothing to do with the volume, pitch, tone or type of your tinnitus. But rather everything to do with the way an individual’s nervous system responds to the stimuli. As a doctor people who have persistently troubling tinnitus are often prescribed anti depressants, which seem to reduce the patients tinnitus. But in reality it does nothing for your tinnitus, the tinnitus is still there. All it has done is simply altered your perception.
So there in lays your answer, change your perception and you’ll change your reaction. Or alternatively change your reaction and you’ll change your perception.”
This was a eureka moment, exactly what I needed to hear. You see tinnitus seems to have the ability to insulate us and force us to become myopic in our thinking. This inspired me to think outside of the box. Why has no doctor ever explained this principle to me in such a logical way?
The advice was a eureka moment for me! I could train my brain to ignore tinnitus after all
The doctor pointed me in the right direction regarding helpful literature and self help practices, mostly in the area of controlled exposure and acceptance techniques. Over time with a lot of personal research I had enough information gathered from many different sources to start practicing a combination of unique techniques on myself.
These primarily followed the principles of CBT and Emotional feedback techniques as well as a tinnitus modified mindful awareness and acceptance technique. Can I train my brain to ignore tinnitus.
Some of the techniques work to override the irritating emotional side effects of tinnitus, whilst others focus on acceptance and awareness. I have now honed my practice to also incorporate a physical aspect, which I firmly believe relieves the tension brought on by tinnitus or the tension that can cause or worsen tinnitus.
For many (myself included) tinnitus can be heightened by anatomical changes, physiological changes or environmental changes. So I addressed these aspects with subtle but powerful movement based practices to my daily tinnitus routine, which seem to add a more rounded aspect to my tinnitus busting routine.
My combination of therapeutic techniques really has worked wonders on calming down my physical symptoms and my mental, emotional awareness of my own tinnitus. I’d happily say my tinnitus no longer registers with me whatsoever.
Now, I’m not claiming that I coined the concept can I train my brain to ignore tinnitus. As the methods are already out there, and have already worked for many. I’ve simply just gathered, combined, and modified a unique combination that works for me and many others.
Can I train my brain to ignore tinnitus? Absolutely I could
In closing you can train your brain to ignore tinnitus you just have to do your research and find the help you need. These treatments, methods and techniques absolutely (in my opinion) work better than any direct or none direct method I’ve ever tried. And they do not require equipment, drugs, vitamins or expensive specialists. They just require patience, focus and a little dedication.
I no longer need masking devices, I no longer seek out any specialists, I take no drugs, I take no vitamins and I no longer spend anytime looking for tinnitus advice online.
A little bit of dedication, focus, belief and attention is all YOU need to answer the question “can I train my brain to ignore tinnitus?”
To learn more about training your brain to ignore tinnitus visit Tinnitus Retrain System
