Twitch icon Imane “Pokimane” Anys has been struggling with chronic tinnitus that’s keeping her from consistently streaming.
Pokimane recently stepped away from being a full-time streamer to focus on YouTube and TikTok where she shares beauty and travel videos. She has been trying to find a balance between creating vlogs and streaming games, but has been struggling to do so due to a chronic health problem.
In a
video posted about eight months ago, Pokimane opened up about having tinnitus, a condition that impacts hearing with an ongoing “ringing” sound. The ongoing sound can have a negative impact on the sufferer’s sleep and mental health. Recently, she planned to come back and stream this past week, but the tinnitus stopped her from doing so.
“Sorry, I wanted to stream today, but my tinnitus is acting TF up. Gotta go figure out why,” she tweeted. “For anyone dealing with a chronic condition, I feel you and encourage you to take care of yourself first, no matter how much it sucks to miss out on other things.”
Pokimane first went into more detail about her tinnitus in the fall of 2022. In the video, she explained that it started as just a ringing sound that her doctor felt was due to an ear infection.
When medication “made life a living hell” for the vulnerable streamer, she decided to go to a specialist who gave her fake teeth to wear in an attempt to realign her bite. The specialist wondered if she was experiencing the ringing due to inflammation on one side of her jaw from her incorrect bite.
Unfortunately, this was also not the answer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQqodxcojU0
Since first dealing with the problem, it appears that Pokimane has found out she has tinnitus. When she shared the news on Twitter, fans provided her with an outpouring of support and advice for dealing with the chronic illness.
Many told her to take the time she needs to feel better while others shared their own experience with tinnitus and other chronic illnesses. Most of her fans told her not to apologize or feel bad for taking the time she needs to take care of her well-being.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.