Tinnitus

[Tanner25]

Years ago, I heard crickets when watching TV at night. Since, it went away after a few minutes, I never did anything about it. Now, after an ear inflection, it is full blown buzzing. I am going to an ENT next week. Anyone calm it down or cure it? What's been your experience? After talking to some family, I've learned some people just accept it. It's worse at night when it is quiet and not noticeable when working or playing golf.

Edited May 31, 2024 by Tanner25

[Socrates]

Depending on the cause, it might go away.  Most times, from what I know, it really doesn't once you have it.  For the most part, I tune it out.  Some days are noticeably worse than others.  It's not something that hearing aids help.  My fear is that it gets worse like my father's and it has made him almost deaf.  A cochlear implant would have helped him, but there is a problem with what has to happen if and when the battery dies. 

[ctonr]

I've had very low tinnitus for over 10 years. On January 28th it ramped up to a point where I could barely function. I have some hearing loss and tinnitus is common with that.  T is very different from one person to the next.  There are many conditions that can cause or contribute to T.  TMJ Disorder, neck problems, stress, medications, acoustic noise trauma...the list is long.  Google search will take you down many rabbit holes, most of them dark and worst case scenario. Be careful with that.  Resist the urge to buy every supplement or pill that someone said cured them.  Find an ENT that understands T, it's not easy.  Your T could be temporary.  Pay attention to what makes it worse or better.  Make sure you are sleeping, eating well, de-stress, and do your best to not focus on your T.

 

The first couple months are the hardest.  You'll get through this, don't panic.  After 4 months my T is about 50% of where it was at its worst.  It's there 24/7 but I'm doing well now.

[596]

I've had it for nearly 30 years in both ears.  Some days it is extremely loud and other days tolerable.  My left ear has 2 constant tones while the right has just 1 most of the time, sometimes 2.

 

I wear hearing aids in both ears.  I don't wear them for the tinnitus, I wear them as I have hearing loss in both ears.  With being able to hear more outside of my ear sounds the ringing isn't quite as loud but is there 24/7.  If there are any sounds that are the same frequency as my ringing, I can't hear it.  I have 3 frequencies in my tinnitus.  I can not hear my cat meow as it's the same as one of the frequencies in my left ear. Really sucks! 

 

 

[Tanner25]

6 hours ago, ctonr said:

I've had very low tinnitus for over 10 years. On January 28th it ramped up to a point where I could barely function. I have some hearing loss and tinnitus is common with that.  T is very different from one person to the next.  There are many conditions that can cause or contribute to T.  TMJ Disorder, neck problems, stress, medications, acoustic noise trauma...the list is long.  Google search will take you down many rabbit holes, most of them dark and worst case scenario. Be careful with that.  Resist the urge to buy every supplement or pill that someone said cured them.  Find an ENT that understands T, it's not easy.  Your T could be temporary.  Pay attention to what makes it worse or better.  Make sure you are sleeping, eating well, de-stress, and do your best to not focus on your T.

 

The first couple months are the hardest.  You'll get through this, don't panic.  After 4 months my T is about 50% of where it was at its worst.  It's there 24/7 but I'm doing well now.

 

Appreciate you sharing your story @ctonr. Right, the beginning is the hardest part trying to gather information. Like in golf, Youtube can lead to over thinking. 

[Tanner25]

6 hours ago, 596 said:

I've had it for nearly 30 years in both ears.  Some days it is extremely loud and other days tolerable.  My left ear has 2 constant tones while the right has just 1 most of the time, sometimes 2.

 

I wear hearing aids in both ears.  I don't wear them for the tinnitus, I wear them as I have hearing loss in both ears.  With being able to hear more outside of my ear sounds the ringing isn't quite as loud but is there 24/7.  If there are any sounds that are the same frequency as my ringing, I can't hear it.  I have 3 frequencies in my tinnitus.  I can not hear my cat meow as it's the same as one of the frequencies in my left ear. Really sucks! 

 

 

 

Thx, 596, it seems like Tinnitus is more common than I thought. It is something that doesn't get talked about much. Sorry, to hear about your cat's meow. I have three cats. One likes to meow and yawn at the same time! 

[aenemated]

I've been playing drums in loud rock bands for like 30 years. Sure would like to be able to tell 15 y/o ae to always wear hearing protection. 

 

It comes and goes for me. Sometimes it's a big ring, sometimes it's subtle. As long as there's some sort of ambient sound; I don't really notice it though. 

 

As far as I understand it; it is what it is and you just have to deal with it. 

[Michael Shanker]

This works for me. I do 50 reps, not 20.
It has seemed to work over time as well. Not a cure, but a treatment of sorts.

Maybe not for everyone, but it's been a godsend for me.

 

 

Edited June 1, 2024 by Michael Shanker

[RoverTiger]

I've had it for ages; I blame lots of late night listening to metal on headphones.

 

Thankfully it's normally only noticeable when I go to bed and/or focus on it.

[Tanner25]

One of the YT'ers Julian says Tinnitus starts when the body is stressed and the central nervous system is reacting to it. It seems it can be improved by removing the stress and focus. But, like all of these "cures" it can take 6 months or so to see any improvement.

 

https://www.youtube.com/@JulianCowanHill

[ctonr]

Stress is a big factor.  It affects us physically and mentally. My T spikes during high stress periods.  Exercise, sleeping well and healthy eating help a lot. 

[596]

Some people, like me, have a number of reasons for the tinnitus.  Not all tinnitus is caused by the same thing.  I've had trauma to both ears and the left one twice.  Plus hearing loss.  Add that all up and I've got it.  Stress can affect the volume. But reducing stress or any of the other tinnitus "cures" won't cure the trauma that caused it in the first place.  My tinnitus is mostly a physical cause.  

[Jim53]

Had it for many years and there is never quiet, getting the new hearing aids helps but is not a cure. To me it is like a million crickets all the time, you just learn to tune it out.

[jordan2240]

Mine is a very high-pitched ringing that is sometimes steady but usually pulsates.  Have had it for 8 years and counting.  Certain sounds seem to make it worse temporarily, as does exercising.  Supposedly alcohol contributes, but I'm just a social drinker and have no intention of stopping.  I've tried some of the nonsense remedies (like holding an electric toothbrush behind your ear) that proved to just look silly.  Some days I find it annoying, but I pretty much just got used to it.

[mizuno player]

I've had for years. I was a auto mechanic for 15 years. Played in bands. So lots of decibel levels above ideal for me. 

 

I got COVID on January of 2020 and ever since it's been 1000 times worse. At night I have to play my radio on my phone so I can fall asleep. Quiet is really bad. As far as I know there isn't a cure. It's caused by injury to the hairs on the ear canal. They do not re grow or heal. 

 

Mine is real high pitched ringing. 

[dashanks]

HUH?

[dcmidnight]

Stop reading about it. I mean it. The worst thing you can do for it is read about it, read about solutions, read about ridiculous products people are using, read about worst case scenarios - just stop. Every time you do that you pay more and more attention to it. I swear the best thing I've done for mine is just stop reading about it.

 

My dr says I have no infections and I'm clear of any serious other issues, thats all I cared about.

 

I've slept with a white noise machine for probably going on ten years - I even use a white noise app when I travel. So I hardly notice it now. Except for when I read threads about it lol.