1. Hi, tell us a bit about your condition. How long have you had tinnitus? What symptoms have you been getting? Is the sound you hear there all the time, or is it intermittent?

I have it for more than 20 years and it is always there on the background. The left side is related to the junction of the jaw and the right side is more internal. I believe it was caused by an infection of “Neurocysticercosis – Taenia solium (ie, Tapeworm)” or Diphyllobothrium that is a genus of tapeworm which can cause Diphyllobothriasis in humans through consumption of raw or undercooked fish.

2. How did it use to affect your day-to-day life when it started? What impact has it had on you in the past?

It was terrible on the beginning but I after experimenting with music, fan, air conditioning found some peace but sleeping was the major difficulty.

3. Have you had somebody to diagnose it? Have you been to see a GP, audiologist, or any traditional health care providers about it? What treatment did they offer?

I saw many doctors with no avail. More than one recommended Gincko Biloba that I took for more than 10 years. Snake oil…

4. Have you tried any alternative treatments, dietary/lifestyle changes, or treatments not offered by traditional health care providers? Have you had any success with of them?

I have been taking 81 MG Aspirin daily. It is considered one possible cause.

5. Have you sought counseling or therapy? In particular, have you looked into sound therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy? Did any of them help?

A specialist helped me with specific massage on the neck. Helped a bit but did not make any major difference. There are many writings on the unnecessary usage of aspirin.

6. How did you eventually start to cope with it? Do you manage it better now than when it first started? What impact does tinnitus have on you today?

First you have to accept it and try to ignore. Have a fan on the background and to sleep I found an almost total cure with a CPAP therapy. It is great!

7. These days, what do you do to manage your tinnitus? What do you do when it gets particularly bad?

Continue to ignore it and pay attention to music or other sounds. During the day it affect less.

8. Do you believe there’s a single “silver bullet” cure for tinnitus? Do you believe there will ever be one?

I think that the modern medicine will find some reasonable help. Not sure about people that listen to music with earphones or go to concerts that have high or very high sounds.

9. Anything else you’d like to tell us that we might have left out?

Life is good! This thing will not take my confidence or drive me nuts… I tell many people to try the CPAP therapy because the air sound if is not significant but puts the brain focused on it and you sleep as an Angel and do not sit on the bed or in a sofa without resting. The CPAP that is recommended for people with Apnea also takes away the snoring. It has a triple value. Is well worth the try and most insurance companies will pay for it as long an specialist Neuro or Sleep Doctor recommends it. You can always by yours with prices starting around US$400 and always use a full face mask or the ones to put air on the nose and keep the mouth shut.

Thank you