lupus and tinnitus

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IHearU - 16 Sep 2006 13:04 GMT

why does lupus cause tinnitus in some cases?

what kind of a tinnitus experience would it be
would it vary in pitch or could it be constant?
would it flare at the same time as the lupus (and other symptoms) flares?

and another question.. a web page said that in the 1950's life expectancy
for lupus was 5 years. (megads!!!). could a person conceivable have lupus
for half a lifetime without diagnosis (or treatments) , then be diagnosed
later in life.? is late in life diagnosis common?

tia

and my sympathies for all lupus sufferers (I might turn out to be one
myself yet)

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Andy - 16 Sep 2006 13:35 GMT

[

>and another question.. a web page said that in the 1950's life expectancy
>for lupus was 5 years. (megads!!!). could a person conceivable have lupus
>for half a lifetime without diagnosis (or treatments) , then be diagnosed
>later in life.? is late in life diagnosis common?

Yes, oh indeed yes :)

Signature

Andy Taylor [Chair, N E Lupus Group]
See http://www.northeastlupus.org.uk for more!

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Maggie - 16 Sep 2006 20:06 GMT

> why does lupus cause tinnitus in some cases?

<snip>

Hi Tia,

Lupus can cause inflammation throughout the body. The inflammation
occurs when the body responds in protecting itself against the immune
system which has mistakenly attacked the bodies' cells while thinking
they're an invader of some sort.

Ergo, inflammation and/or the the immune systems attack of in the inner
ear, can bring about tinnitus.

Maggie

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IHearU - 17 Sep 2006 04:35 GMT

"Maggie" <maggitty@msn.com> wrote in news:1158433593.831129.115790
@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

>> why does lupus cause tinnitus in some cases?
> <snip>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Maggie

thanks,
I recently had an MRI scan of the inner ear, and saw a neurologist
- I had not mentioned (or heard about at the time) lupus at all -
he could find nothing wrong with the nerve (and suggested maybe going back
to the ENT).
should such inflamation show up on an MRI do you think?

(tia was short for thanks in advance - lol)

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Maggie - 17 Sep 2006 20:40 GMT

> thanks,
> I recently had an MRI scan of the inner ear, and saw a neurologist
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> (tia was short for thanks in advance - lol)

I knew that! LoL! Okay, I didn't, but I also knew a Tia. :P Hey! It
suits you, lest you be a dude.

Yes, inflammation would show up in an MRI. They would likely use the
word "enhancement," or they did with me. Tinnitus could have a lot of
different reasons for occuring, but better safe than sorry. If you
don't have any other symptoms of autoimmune problems, like joint pain,
muscle pain or a family history of autoimmune disease, it's unlikely
that you have autoimmune tinnitus. The ENT should be able to provide
you with info on how to live with tinnitus. eg: using white noise to
drown it out. Tinnitus can be different in each person and it can be
highly suggestive. By that I mean if I see closed captioning that says
a phone is ringing, the tinnitus will produce ringing. Other times, I
hear everything from music to crickets chirping. Some only get
ringing, others only hear the blowing of wind or something.

If you DO have a family history of autoimmune problems (past or
present) with Lupus, Cogan's, Psoriatic Arthritis, Type 1 diabetes,
Thyroid disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, etc., let the ENT know this.
Autoimmune hearing loss is rare, but it does happen and tinnitus is a
symptom of it & inflammation may not show up right away.

Maggie

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blank - 18 Sep 2006 00:48 GMT

>> thanks,
>> I recently had an MRI scan of the inner ear, and saw a neurologist
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> don't have any other symptoms of autoimmune problems, like joint pain,
> muscle pain or a family history of autoimmune disease,

yes to all the above symptoms (not swelling though), and quite a few
others.
my brothers just diagnosed as 90% SLE after decades of suffering (worse
than me)
no hearing loss though (tested) . tinnitus is very loud, left ear only,
and constant. got worse after assault last year (hit in that ear).
maybe the ENT can make more sense of the MRI than the neurologist.
so its worth chasing up. Illlet y'all know.

the thing with lupus I find is that the symptoms can be just about
anything, so the urge to find a singular cause for a multitude of
ailments needs to be cautioned, then again,it would all make more sense
if it was lupus. thank god its not a virus(?).

another question pls. as I ahvent come across it so far,
is there a link between lupus and hemeroids (bro and I have them)?

ta

it's unlikely

> that you have autoimmune tinnitus. The ENT should be able to provide
> you with info on how to live with tinnitus. eg: using white noise to
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Maggie

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Maggie - 18 Sep 2006 02:52 GMT

> another question pls. as I ahvent come across it so far,
> is there a link between lupus and hemeroids (bro and I have them)?

<snip>

Oh yeah! Because of the inflammation, hemmoroids can occur. I think
most people, if not all, with autoimmune disorders have some type of
bowel disorder due to inflammation and hemmoroids are likely prevalent
as well.

About the tinnitus. Mine started in one ear as well and I had it for 2
years before losing my hearing. The doctors didn't take it seriously,
so I didn't either. As I said, autoimmune hearing loss is very rare,
but it's best to monitor your hearing & be aware that it can happen.

Maggie

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Zinn - 17 Sep 2006 06:37 GMT

oooh, then the humming in my ears should be mentioned to the doctor,
gosh, learned many new things this day!! I will also get a sound of a
small <very small> helicopter with vibrations in my ears, so very
annoying.

I was first dx'd in 1999 after 4 specialists told me they would not
waste time on me because fat people did not get lupus. <then I got a
good doctor>.
Funny I have had 4 confirming tests by as many doc's, they stress we
go through them for their own records.
Only one doc out of the four was pleasant, so that is who I chose.

I found this website, most of the posters have probably already seen
it, I am not a seasoned poster or Lupie.

http://www.lupus.org/education/brochures/systemic.html

Sleep is elusive, even with many meds :( but I do have to lay down at
least most of my waking hours for the fatigue, hard to do.

5 years to live after dx in 1950's that has to be because there was no
tests and by the time patients got to a certain point then they could
do nothing because the knowledge was not known on treatment. Many
things people did not get help for back then.

Zinn

> why does lupus cause tinnitus in some cases?
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> and my sympathies for all lupus sufferers (I might turn out to be one
> myself yet)

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IHearU - 18 Sep 2006 00:38 GMT

mmmm.. starting to read all about lupus and thinking maybe I dont want
to know.

anyway,
alt.support.tinnitus
is a good group for the "cicaddas in the ear"

> oooh, then the humming in my ears should be mentioned to the doctor,
> gosh, learned many new things this day!! I will also get a sound of
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
>> and my sympathies for all lupus sufferers (I might turn out to be one
>> myself yet)

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Zinn - 18 Sep 2006 01:17 GMT

Good grief.... I really am not sure I can take much more!

I looked up 'tinnitus' and am so discouraged with this whole body mess
we seem to be in, the battle has been a lifetime one so far.

Thanks for the groups' url and the apparent name to my 'helicopter'.
sigh.
Zinn

> mmmm.. starting to read all about lupus and thinking maybe I dont want
> to know.
[quoted text clipped - 47 lines]
> >> and my sympathies for all lupus sufferers (I might turn out to be one
> >> myself yet)

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IHearU - 18 Sep 2006 07:30 GMT

"Zinn" <zinn_ponders@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1158538675.086812.318370
@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> Good grief.... I really am not sure I can take much more!
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> sigh.
> Zinn

best advise I've heard about tinnitus is
"your tinnitus doesnt give a f**k about you, so dont care too much about
it"
ie ignore it if you can, objectify it and treat it as something other than
yourself - a piece of furniture if you like.

caution though, as it can indicate other problems for some people.

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Zinn - 18 Sep 2006 19:23 GMT

Interesting.... hard to ignore, but treat as a piece of furniture,
kinda like a helicopter in the center of room, keep ducking the blades,
eh!

Thanks for the visual and the 'chuckle'.
Zinn

> "Zinn" <zinn_ponders@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1158538675.086812.318370
> @i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> caution though, as it can indicate other problems for some people.

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