Tinnitus hell👹

[LollyBeebee123]

I have developed tinnitus. It’s only in my left ear and is a continuous high pitched screeching sound, with a background hum. It’s driving me totally loopy and I just can’t sleep. Since it started in early January I’ve only been getting approx 2-5 hours sleep every night. I am struggling with work, children and house work. Any advice very much appreciated! 💕

[izzybobsmum]

Hello, I have had it for about 15 years now. You can learn to cope with it.

My best advice is not to try and drown it out completely. If you have music or the TV on try to have them at a level where you can still hear your tinnitus slightly. This will help you to habituate to the noise.

Stress and caffeine make it worse. I meditate and use the Calm app if I am stressed.

You can learn to live with it. Google British Tinnitus Association for lots of advice and help xxx

[SunInTheSkyYouKnowHowIFeel]

I saw something about a new app for tinitus, not the calm one mentioned above but specifically for tinitus, I dont remember what its called unfortunatly.
Must be really stressful, hope it disappears or at least becomes more managable soon for you

[AllTheWhoresOfMalta]

My mum has it and was initially driven practically mad with it. It made her anxiety terrible and she was a wreck. She found hypnotism worked well and swears it’s helped her cope with it. The change in her was immediate and dramatic. Worth a go maybe.

[Haworthia]

I was reading reviews of olive oil sprays for my son (earwax issues!) and was surprised to find people saying it made a huge difference to their tinnitus. Going to try it myself.

This is the one:

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001E5CF0S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Letitbegin]

I feel for you I know how hard it is to cope when you first get it. I've had it in my right ear for 10 years.
When I first developed it it drove me crazy I was sleeping, I was so stressed because of it. But eventually I got used to it and it doesn't bother me anymore.
Advice I would give is try and not focus on it, I know this is difficult. I found it easier to listen to something going to sleep so I had something else to focus on.
I can't say it will go away but I can say it will get easier in time to cope with it.

[Keepthebloodynoisedown]

I play nature sounds at night, which helps distract me so I can fall asleep.

[Ffeyone]

I’ve had in my left ear for 12 years. Drove me crazy at first and had high anxiety. I’ve used a rain sound app on I phone ever since and it doesn’t bother me now.

[AdaColeman]

I’ve got it both ears, with different sound patterns. Stress makes it much worse.
White noise seems to help a lot of people get to sleep.
Lots of sympathy from me.

[Egghead68]

Try white noise.

Google tinnitus retraining therapy or similar.

[BrigitsBigKnickers]

I feel your pain- I have had bilateral
Tinnitus for quite a few years and it drives me nuts. Worse when I am ill or tired- but it's a viscous cycle as it stops me sleeping! I have tried all sorts of weird and wonderful things but nothing really seems to work. I work with audiologists and they advised me to see the GP for referral to a Tinnitus therapist but there isn't really any treatment for it - just behavioural conditioning which can help you to train your brain to filter it out.

Just a word of advice- if you only have it in one ear you should get it checked out as there are some underlying conditions that can cause this.

[BoucleEponine]

Yes, get it checked out if it's just one ear. It's highly unlikely to have a serious cause but you need to see your GP.

Your brain will habituate to it. If you like I will link to a talk on YouTube which helped me enormously.

Can't do it just now as my phone is being awkward.

I promise you will be able to deal with this.

[Sameold2020]

Yes go to your gp and you'll be referred to an audiologist. They will check your hearing. You will also be referred for an MRI. I took up the offer of counselling too. It's specific tinnitus counselling at the hospital. Lots of info. Hour long session. How to cope. Free sound box thing to play at night. Rainfall, white noise etc. Very positive experience.

[LunaHardy]

I've been suffering with tinnitus in my left ear on and off for about 2 years now. Drives me absolutely insane. It's worse at night and when I'm stressed about something. DH can't understand why it's so bad. I've cried at night sometimes wishing it to stop. Mine is like a whooshing/tapping. I've never actually tried anything for it. I've also noticed that when it's bad my left eyelid will also twitch. No idea if they're related, but strange that it's on the same side and often at the same time!

[Sameold2020]

Not to scare anybody, but they do like to check for tumours if it's one sided. Only 2% of people have them, and even if you do, they are usually slow growing and pose no problem, but they will monitor them. Hence the MRI. However, I learned that how you approach tinnitus from a psychological perspective can absolutely be managed.

[Boomboomboomboom]

Sorry not read the full thread but have you been tested for anaemia?
I get terrible tinnitus at night in particular if I am anaemic and it improves when I take iron tablets

[SpeedofaSloth]

Have you had an appointment with a Hearing Therapist yet?
Mine offered an in-ear masker device (white noise) and lots of advice about sound balls and distraction techniques, especially relating to sleep.

[gluteustothemaximus]

I sleep with a fan on a low setting. Good white noise to drown out the internal noises

[Tiredofwinter]

I developed this I one ear about 6 months ago. At first it was a bit stressful but actually I have grown used to it very fast and don't really notice it much now. For me it gets worse with sinus issues and stress.

[Starrr123]

Im currently two weeks in! Im so blocked up :( had an ear infection! Hoping it will fade. I have a baby and im struggling x

[CherryRedDMs]

It won’t always be like this, you will get used to it. I have had it for 35 years and it hasn’t bothered me for most of that time.

[TheCreamCaker]

I've had Tinnitus every minute of every day, for about 14 years now. When everywhere is quiet, it's much more noticeable.

I'm on Mirtazapine for depression, so that makes me sufficiently drowsy for a few hours, but when I wake up in the night, I listen to white noise on headphones

[TheEleventhMonth]

Please get your eyes checked and pay to have an enhanced OCT scan at the same time. I had mine done at specsavers. I'm sure other opticians offer this also. They picked up optic nerve swelling - long story short, I had an mri to rule out anything nasty and it did but it also picked up I have stenosis of the transverse sinus - this coupled with optic nerve swelling is the cause of my tinitis/whooshing noise - known as Benign Intracranial Hypertension. I'm on medication and a year down the line and the swelling has improved somewhat at the moment.

I don't want to worry you OP but this condition I have leaves me at serious risk of losing my vision if left untreated. Its a simple test.