I do believe that emotions play a big role in tinnitus.  Being overly
stressed can increase the loudness of my tinnitus, as does being overly
fatigued (from not sleeping well).  As far as the 'lag time' ... I don't
think so.  As witnessed by me, after watching and listening to 20 minutes of
a fireworks display on July 4th without my earplugs (I forgot and left them
in my car).  The resulting increased loudness was instantly perceived...no
lag time!
~Patty~

What are you DOING on the bad and good days?
What could your body be reacting to?

Tinnitus is a pain in the neck
Elly's Tinnitus Resources
http://eebee.net/

For email: elly at eebee.cjb.net

A lurker responds:
I've had tinnitus for 7 months now.  I've studied what I do, what I eat or
drink, examine my every move, and yet I can find no rule for my tinnitus
days.  Nothing seems to cause it.  At times I thought I had recognised a
pattern, only to have it blown out of the water.  So, here I am, seven
months later, and there is only one single true fact about my tinnitus, and
actually it's a good fact: I NEVER have it two days running; if I have it
today, then I definitely will NOT have it tomorrow.

Of course I cannot judge your specific circumstances, so I cannot
simple tell you "The cause of YOUR T. is such and so."

However, in my opinion, allergic reactions causing the symptoms of
tinnitus are far more common than many people expect.

In my case it took me some 3 years to figure out that my steadily
increasing tinnitus (sizzles, distortions, beeps) was caused, beyond
any doubt, by a very late reaction to fruits of all kinds, especially
oranges, lemons, mandarines etc, but also apples, kiwis, bananas,
strawberries, raspberries etc etc etc, and also hazelnuts, traces of
hazelnut etc.

So for me fruits are off limits, as is orange juice, fanta, most
chocolate bars (contain traces of hazelnut), healthy bread rolls that
contain nice healthy little seeds, some vegetables, the packs of
yoghurt that contain raspberries, strawberries, cherries, etc, slices
of apricot cake, you name it.

It took me so long to find out because today I would eat an orange and
only TOMORROW would the sizzles start, lasting for 2 or even 3 days.
Reaction to apple & hazelnut, however, would be within 20 minutes.

To some foodstuff I have a fast reaction, starting within the hour,
lasting 2 or 3 hours, finally giving way to quietness, and STARTING
AGAIN the next day or even the day after, lasting for 3 days. All
caused by 1 1/2 raspberry mixed in one half cup of nice healthy
yoghurt-with-raspberries.

The allergic reaction to fruits is a well known and statistically well
established side effect of tree pollen allergy, esp. birch pollen
allergy, a condition that I have suffered from for 20 years and more.
It happens in about 30% of the cases. Unfortunately this so-called
cross reaction is ONLY well known once you know it. Many doctors, even
specialists, do NOT know it, so they send you in the wrong direction.

So IF you have a two-sided subjective tinnitus NOT clearly related to
hearing damage or physical damage, THEN an allergic reaction COULD BE,
in some cases, the cause. Worth to look in to.

Other aspects like muscle tension, fatigue, blood pressure, general
feeling of well-being, environmental noises are well mentioned on this
newsgroup.

Ernesto.

"You don't have to learn science if you don't feel
like it. So you can forget the whole business if
it is too much mental strain, which it usually is."

  Richard Feynman