Does anyone have ringing in the ears (tinnitis) believed to be from neuropathy? I had neuropathy pain in my feet and other areas for about 7 years before the ringing started. I suspect it may have been caused by my consuming large quantities of Altoids gum containing aspartame, since I got a great deal and bought 20 tins of it. I don't have any proof it was the aspartame of course but the ringing started about this time and I have read of others who believe theirs was caused by aspartame.

I listen to talk radio (actually podcasts) in my car about 1 hr per day and turn it up loud enough to hear everyone, which seems to aggravate the ringing. And listening to music especially aggravates it. It is worse in left ear than right.

Any suggestions on what I can do about this? Any supplement ideas? I don't have any trouble with hearing things, I don't believe. Huh? I am a 41-year-old male. Thanks for any suggestions.
Electron

I have it for ages. The meds intensify it significantly. It returns to normal levels when I stop meds

There are two basic causes of ringing in the ears.

1) the nerves are damaged, from blows to the head, viral illness (my left ear suspected damage from measles), or from toxins, or long term exposure to loud sounds.

2) the circulation to the ears may be poor due to inflamed or clogged blood vessels.

Some people use antioxidants for improving the circulation to the ears. There is even a product advertised for it called LipoFlavinoid.
http://www.tinnitusreviews.net/lipoflavinoids.php

Grapeseed extract will also work, and you might try a quality high absorption curcumin as well.

Increasing blood flow to the ear may work, and the amino acid l-arginine is one way to improve blood flow.

Some drugs cause tinnitus too, aspirin, NSAIDs, and caffeine (does it for me).

You might want to check your blood pressure when the tinnitus is loud. High blood pressure is not good for small vessels, in the eye and ear.

Chronic exposure to loud noises, gun discharges, airports can damage the ears permanently. The little fine hair sensors in the inner ear are easily broken.

I've had reduced hearing and poor balance in my left ear since childhood. I had a test called the electronystagmagram, done in my 20's showing the damage. At that time the doctors said...measles or other viral infection or a blow to the head...from my abusive childhood. I can still hear out of it, but my balance is poor because of it. It has very loud tinnitus at times and other times it is quiet. I never connected it to my PN because it has always been with me...the PN came 30 yrs later.

Yeah I get it, but only really notice it when there is no other sound (i.e. lying in bed at night with everything switched off) as mrsD states "Chronic exposure to loud noises" this is my case as I was a night-club doorman (usually inside all night with the loud music) that was most probably the culprit.

I use a fan at night when all else is quiet. I try to focus on the fan, drowns out the static from my ears. I think mine was caused from long exposure to excessive noise.

I never thought about a blow to the head Mrs. D. Guess I missed that if you mentioned it before. I hit my head on the windsheild in a car accident 34 yrs ago..wonder if that caused mine. I did see an ENT and he could find no cause for my tinnitus..we did hearing tests, a cat scan, and he did some blood work that didn't reveal anything. My ringing has been bad for at least 6 yrs. It never goes away although I can ignore it at times.

I find it strange the things I do hear even with the loudness of the ringing. My bluetooth gets this little whistle in it, similar to the hearing tests sounds, and I hear that noise, yet often times voices are muffled for me and I have to ask the person to repeat what they said. It's like I can't separate the words in my head.

I may check into grapeseed oil.

Do you think my years of undiagnosed gluten intolerance could have anything to do with the tinnitus? I'm sure my vitamin and mineral deficiencies may have played a part in this too.

I don't have this but I too use a fan at night or even in the day. My hearing is so sensitive that I can't tolerate some noise.
Have you had an mri of the brain and ear? I had that when my ear was causing me so many problems.

Darlindeb25: It is grapeseed extract....not the oil, which has the antioxidant content. The oil is very different.

Thank you all very much for the info and replies. I will try some of those things mrsD.
Electron

I wrote down what you said, not what I typed!That's the way my brain works, think one thing, write another!!!

thank you!