Tinnitus: Ozone

Some laser printers have been identified as having possible health risks associated with the emission of ozone that can be inhaled deep into the alveoli of the lungs and enter the bloodstream. This can create all kinds of acute and chronic health issues like respiratory problems, heart problems, central nervous system issues, behavioral changes, asthma, cancer, and tinnitus. The National Institute for Health has deemed laser printers to be genotoxic (e.g. DNA killers).

As far as I know, scientific researchers have not offered any specific information about a possible link between the ozone released by some laser printers to tinnitus. My theory is that because certain drugs exist that are known to be ototoxins, it is possible that the ozone released by some laser printers are acting like ototoxic drugs once inhaled.

Most people with asthma use an inhaler. The inhaler usually immediately arrests the asthma attack. Now imagine sitting next to a laser printer that is releasing ozone particles that you are breathing. It would be like using an inhaler full of toxin for hours or like sitting next to a car exhaust.

Plug-in ionizers can also produce ozone. Never purchase an ozone ionizer if you have tinnitus, it could cause your tinnitus to flare-up or get permanently worse. Never purchase a "positive" ionizer if you have tinnitus. The National Institute for Health has determined that ozone treatment for tinnitus is not valid. A "negative" ionizer that is not ozone producing may be somewhat beneficial to human health. The problem is that the company's that sell ionizers don't often share whether the ionizer is ozone producing or positive or not, in their marketing literature. We've been marketed to believe that ions are good. It is not true. Positive ions are bad.

I believe F.G. Sulman was right to point out that ozone triggers the pineal gland to produce excess serotonin in some people leaving them with a kind of euphoric mood and may improve sleep in the short term. In the long-term breathing ozone is harmful.

Here is an example of an ozone producing ionizer:
http://www.amazon.com/AAP-50-Plug-In-Adjustable-Purifier/dp/B007Y9RBX4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383973536&sr=8-2&keywords=Adjustable+Plug+In+Air+Purifier

Researchers, please look into this issue. If it is true, and I'm right, then there may be people suffering from tinnitus who were exposed to laser printer ozone. The patient would have had no sudden noise induced event or traumatic brain injury as the cause yet would have had long exposure to laser printer ozone.

More information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22095199
http://www.news.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/News.woa/wa/news_item?ni=10855
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23100082

Tinnitus: Noise Canceling Headphones

If you are suffering from subjective tinnitus and or hyperacusis, Bose Noise Canceling 20i Headphones may help you to recover some of your quality of life. If you are avoiding movies, airplanes, trains, long car trips, sporting events, general staff meetings, wedding receptions, etc. then you may want to try these headphones. You do not even need to plug these headphones into a device. You simply press a button and the headphones quiet down annoying background noise and may prevent your tinnitus from getting worse.

You can try the headphones for 14 days if you purchase them from your local Apple store.

There's only one problem. The battery in the headphones may not last for longer than an hour and a half or so. You may want to consider purchasing a mini-usb charger to keep the headphones powered for hours.

This link will give you an idea of the type of charger that I'm talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/Duracell-Instant-Charger-Includes-Universal/dp/B002FU6KF2/ref=pd_bxgy_cps_img_y

If you purchase both you may find some much needed quality of life improvement. You can go to that wedding, special event, movie, the county fair, etc. Drop me a note if this works for you.

More information:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/HB764VC/A/bose-quietcomfort-20i-acoustic-noise-cancelling-headphones?fnode=3d

Tinnitus: Hyperbaric Treatment vs. SCUBA Diving

I tried a hyperbaric chamber yesterday for one hour. I was unaffected by the pressure. The tinnitus was as loud coming out of the chamber as it was when I entered the chamber. I do get some relief when I SCUBA dive in the open ocean and I am now even more perplexed as to why that relief happens in the ocean.

It is only logical that pressure or temperature would be the source of relief. I've tried ice vests, cold water, and now the hyperbaric chamber...I'm stumped. Perhaps the brain just shifts gears while diving. Perhaps the salt water environment somehow alters the brainwaves or EEG levels at depth. Who knows? It is an odd phenomena. Divers with tinnitus, please comment and let me know if you experience relief while SCUBA diving.

Tinnitus: Cars That Cancel Traffic Noise

A noisy car, squeaky brakes, and traffic background noise can amplify subjective tinnitus and or hyperacusis. As a result, a long drive can be very difficult for people who suffer from these conditions.

Good news! According to Consumer Reports (April 2013) the automobile industry has begun to sell cars that have noise cancellation technology built-in. The technology is similar to modern noise cancellation headphone technology. Here is a list of vehicles that have the technology built-in.

Acura (ILX, RDX, and TSX)

Chevrolet Impala

Honda Accord

Crosstour

Odyssey

Cadillac 

Lincoln

Ford (C-max, Fusion Hybrid)

If you are considering purchasing a new vehicle then you may want to research this topic further. Here's the link: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/02/cool-car-features-you-can-buy-now/index.htm

Tinnitus: Discrimination

Yesterday I heard a BBC radio report about a man with Parkinson's Disease and how he was detained by police because he looked as if he was fidgeting and showed hardly any facial emotion. It was his non-verbal communication that the police perceived as suspicious behavior.

I started wondering about tinnitus sufferers and how we may be inadvertently sending similar non-verbal communications signals to people around us. If we lack sleep we may appear lazy, bored, fatigued, uninterested, and distant.

After a few evenings of total sleeplessness we could be more easily agitated and fidgety. If the tinnitus is very loud we may not know that we are talking over it and so what we perceive to be normal speech may be misperceived by other people as shouting or aggressive behavior. People with hyperacusis and tinnitus may begin to slur words due to grogginess. Slurring words could be misperceived as being drunk.

A friend of mine was accused of being drunk at work, as a flight attendant, and she was placed on administrative leave until, after some tests, it turned out that she was suffering from early signs of muscular dystrophy (a non-visible disability at first). The false accusation really was a stressful ordeal for her.

Tinnitus, like Parkinson's Dissease, is a non-visible disability. Discrimination is typically just a misinterpretation of unintended non-verbal communication. This is why I make sure to communicate my condition during important situations where the stakeholders need to know. Think of police as stakeholders. If, hypothetically, I get pulled over for a broken tail light I would immediately communicate to the police officer that I sometimes speak over my auditory condition and that it can be misunderstood as nervousness, shouting, and anger.

Other stakeholders (people who need to know about your tinnitus) may include:
Spouse
Family
Friends
Medical Practitioners
Supervisor
Co-workers

Tinnitus: Aspirin

According to the National Institute for Health aspirin does cause tinnitus. Since I already have tinnitus, I learned that aspirin increases the volume and annoyance level. Usually the volume will come back down in a day or two.

I realized that, for me, a major headache that lasts for hours is more endurable than major tinnitus that lasts for days. I now avoid aspirin. I use an ice pack applied to the back of the neck as a natural remedy for headache and I simply go outside and walk. You'd be amazed at how a quick change in environment can cure a headache. I try to take a ten minute walk twice per day.

If you have heart problems and your doctor says that you must take aspirin then you should follow your doctor's instructions.

More information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18225604

Tinnitus: Inexpensive Masking

If your tinnitus is so loud that you require hearing aids with maskers but you can't afford them then the next best thing would be to purchase some noise canceling headphones like the ones that Bose has just announced. Plug it into your iPhone or iPod and select a masking app that masks your tinnitus. You can find pink and white noise apps on iTunes. Before you do this you should seek the advice of an audiologist who can help you to adjust the volume level of the masker so that you don't make your tinnitus worse. If you are suffering from hyperacusis as well as tinnitus then a masker may not be an option for you. The masker may be amplified by the hyperacusis which could make your tinnitus worse.

If you can afford them, hearing aids with maskers are a better option because the masking will be specific to your unique tinnitus and fitted by the audiologist specifically for you.

I have no affiliation with any of the companies that produce these products and do not benefit financially from informing you about this option.

More information:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=981896&is=REG&Q=&A=details

http://store.apple.com/us/product/HB764VC/A/bose-quietcomfort-20i-acoustic-noise-cancelling-headphones

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/white-noise/id289894882?mt=8