Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think you can live a happy life with tinnitus

135 replies

Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 28/06/2024 14:26

The posts on here re: tinnitus have really got me through the last two months, so I'm just back to ask (pleadingly) - if you were really down about it in the beginning, and really fixated, did it change for you? I know it sounds so melodramatic but I just think it means I can't live the same life I did before. I guess I'm worried too that it could all get so much worse (quite mild in the day, no hearing loss, annoying at night)

Can you really learn to block it out? Do most people manage that? I read posts that say people can go for weeks or months forgetting they have it but it's on my mind all the time (and I know, I'm doing what I can to not have a stress response to it but it's so alien).

I've got ETD and fluid in my ears which also make it hard not to overthink it. And I'm a writer by trade, so I miss my silence. Sorry for the whingy post.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Loulou4022 · 27/07/2026 19:31

I don’t really notice mine now. I sometimes notice it at night but I’ve usually got an audiobook on to help me sleep anyway.

saraclara · 27/07/2026 17:44

Thank you for bumping this thread @ValueofNothing , and with such a positive post. I really needed to read that.

When I was last on this thread, it was about my late husband's mental health destroying tinnitus. Now I'm back with my own issues.

Unlike him I have the classic high-pitched housing/whistling type. I'd had a much milder version before, which had gradually faded. But after going to a physio a few months ago it's back and much worse. I went with a shoulder/neck muscle issue. She pummeled the area aggressively, and that clearly aggravated the nerve in the neck that can cause tinnitus.

The Facebook groups I read are all so depressing. But posts like yours, and others on this thread, give me hope. There are times when I can forget mine (in company and in busy environments) and I'm hoping that those periods will expand.

I hope that this thread will continue to be active, and that it can be a source of hope and advice for a while yet.

ValueofNothing · 27/07/2026 17:14

YANBU. When I first got high pitched continuous tinnitus, I genuinely thought my world was ending and was nearly suicidal.

But in the intervening years I quickly got used to it and barely hear it. I can go weeks, months even, without thinking about it or noticing it. Mine was caused by TMJD and does seem to be louder when I'm stressed, very tense, sleep deprived or pre-menstrual and quieter otherwise.

I also have on and off again pulsatile tinnitus but that didn't both me so much when I first developed it for some reason.

Anxiousnewmum · 27/07/2026 17:04

Hope are you now OP? I’ve had tinnitus now from noise exposure in a club and I’m in the trenches with it!

Horses7 · 21/07/2025 10:07

I’ve had tinnitus for years and mostly I can ignore it or mask it with keeping busy or background noise of tv or radio. The noise is like white noise, rarely I get high pitched ringing but that doesn’t last long.
It does seem to be getting worse - think this is linked to Covid jabs too but of course no proof.

mjf981 · 21/07/2025 04:40

Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 03/07/2024 09:41

Thank you so much everyone.

Okay last weird question: If the brain blocks it out eventually, how come you can’t hear silence? I miss silence too. It’s mild enough that I can generally do a woods walk and birdsong though so that’s a blessing.

How are you doing now a year on OP? I'm 3 months in to tinnitus and it is driving me absolutely mad.

Original poster
Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 03/07/2024 09:41

Thank you so much everyone.

Okay last weird question: If the brain blocks it out eventually, how come you can’t hear silence? I miss silence too. It’s mild enough that I can generally do a woods walk and birdsong though so that’s a blessing.

OP posts:
Junaluma · 03/07/2024 01:41

I have had tinnitus for about 5 years. Hearing test/MRI showed no concern. It was hard at first but tbf it doesn’t really bother me anymore. My life isn’t any different from pre-tinnitus but I do sometimes miss hearing the silence

norasand · 02/07/2024 22:53

longtompot · 02/07/2024 10:51

I just wanted to thank you for posting this link. I sent it to my ds and he tried it & said it did actually work for a short while, but thinks it will really help when it gets loud.

Show quote history

Brilliant! I hope it's useful to him 🙂

Justspeculating45 · 02/07/2024 11:15

Like several PPs , I've had tinnitus all my life. I thought the noise was what 'silence' was until I was 17 and started working in audiology. My hearing at that time was really good.
I notice it if I've been in a loud place bit it's never bothered me as it's always been there. My hearing is not so good now (too many loud gigs and pubs other the years) .

You will be OK OP there's been some excellent advice on this thread. Your brain will adapt.

longtompot · 02/07/2024 10:51

norasand · 28/06/2024 17:45

Oh and I learnt this finger flicking trick that I find helpful when I get one of those sudden attacks of it sounding louder or changing pitch

https://youtube.com/shorts/YyT9ZwWy5Jc?si=xyviN58oP2JlpAu1

I just wanted to thank you for posting this link. I sent it to my ds and he tried it & said it did actually work for a short while, but thinks it will really help when it gets loud.

Original poster
Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 01/07/2024 12:59

Thanks @TheTempest, I really appreciate that.

OP posts:
Original poster
Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 01/07/2024 12:58

@Sam0207 That’s such a lot to deal with. I’m really glad you haven’t let it get in your way.

OP posts:
Rubyupbeat · 01/07/2024 10:26

I am certain my son was actually born with it, when he got to age he could move around he would be bashing his head or smacking his ears , as he got older he could explain about the noise in his ears and his head. He is also Deaf, and we found that letting him sleep with his hearing aids on and the tv on, helped him so much, we didn't know about white noise machines otherwise we would have tried one of those instead of the tv, although the tv did distract him.
He is 36 now and I asked him recently about it, he said he switches it off by keeping busy, but if he thinks about it, it's there.
So many Deaf people suffer with tinnitus and menieres disease.
You will learn to switch off from it, it's new and scary for you right now, I send you best wishes for some relief.

Original poster
Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 01/07/2024 10:05

Whilst I have so many seasoned pros in one place - does anyone else get inner ear vibrations at night? I think it might be either the tinnitus or the Eustachian tube dysfunction.

(Have had a clear MRI to rule out anything sinister)

OP posts:
SisterAgatha · 01/07/2024 09:11

i honestly only hear it when I open this thread or if there is zero background noise 😂

BigGrubbyFlowerPot · 01/07/2024 07:27

I've had it as long as I can remember, I only notice it when it stops from time to time! It's a strange situation.

SnakesAndArrows · 01/07/2024 07:24

Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 30/06/2024 11:33

So are most of you really waking up in the morning and forgetting you’ve got it? Wow.

Mostly. But sometimes when I wake up on a weekend when I’m hoping for a bit of a lie in that’s when I hear it, so I just get up and get mumsnetting busy and it’s insignificant again.

SnakesAndArrows · 01/07/2024 07:21

Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 30/06/2024 11:23

@Feelingstrange2 Oh god now I kind of hope there is some hearing loss so I can get an aid!

I hear you. So did I, but apparently my hearing is perfect for my age. It’s still OK though.

Original poster
Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 30/06/2024 16:50

I know I sound like a drunk prick but I love you all.

OP posts:
Original poster
Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 30/06/2024 16:50

I’m in the (bloody lucky) position of it being easily masked in most rooms at the moment so if I can just adjust to the bedtime/ crazy quiet rooms it’ll be amazing.

Oh and sack off the ear fluid. That’d be nice.

OP posts:
freshbluesnow · 30/06/2024 13:55

Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 30/06/2024 11:33

So are most of you really waking up in the morning and forgetting you’ve got it? Wow.

Well, not since you've reminded me with this thread! The brain really does adjust. A bit like the eyes with floaters.

SisterAgatha · 30/06/2024 12:08

Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends · 30/06/2024 07:51

@Feelingstrange2 Ooh that’s tempting. So the aids sorted the T? I don’t think I have hearing loss though…

@SisterAgatha Yeah I can see how T would’ve been less of a concern than losing hearing. Did you find it atleast settled once the infection cleared? I do wonder if I’ve a bit of barotrauma from the ETD that might calm down.

Barotrauma, yes but mine was mostly balance and sickness, i was falling over for a long time during the healing phase. It did increase the tinnitus a little in that it made it higher pitched but that’s gone down a lot.

the fullness in the ear I haven’t had in two years since the microsuction and keeping them dry.

SisterAgatha · 30/06/2024 12:01

HildaOgdensMurielle · 29/06/2024 23:57

Do you mean never submerge/get water in your ears? Surely it isn’t never wet at all… how do you shower?! (I’m glad it works for you, it just seems so awkward!).

Show quote history

It is awkward but it’s a life changer. I just use swim ear plugs in the bath/shower.

CutthroatDruTheViolent · 30/06/2024 12:00

I have tinnitus. I've said before here that I didn't realise how bad it was till we moved house, and the "traffic" I could hear every night was actually just in my head.

You need to learn to not notice it. When mine gets bad and I'm constantly noticing it, I listen to wave noises or similar. The more I pay attention, the worse it is.