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Original poster

Does Anyone Have Tinnitus?

27 replies

Bunnylady53 · 08/10/2019 19:50

I posted recently about excessive earwax but it turns out my ear problems are not being caused by that. I have had tinnitus in my left ear for a week & a half & it’s awful. Really bringing me down. My maternal Grandmother was very deaf & my Dad is too so I guess I could be inheriting their condition. It started really suddenly though. I didn’t have any hearing problems at all. At least the running water sound has gone but I now have a loud buzzing with some ringing. Waiting to have a hearing test then go from there. I cried when I got home from the surgery today as I was expecting to have my ears syringed & everything would be fine 😢

OP posts:
percheron67 · 08/10/2019 19:56

Yes. It is a nuisance but I don't think it has worsened over the last two years.

FaithInfinity · 08/10/2019 20:01

Yes but I’ve had it as long as I can remember so it’s just normal to me! I didn’t need realise it was unusual til I was about 19! Blush Unfortunately there’s no ‘cure’ as such but there’s things that can help (like I wear ear plugs at concerts because otherwise mine is worse for several days afterwards).

student26 · 08/10/2019 20:10

Yes, I’ve had tinnitus since 2013. It made me absolutely mad for the first few months and now I’m rarely bothered by it. I don’t like complete silence though and usually have something in the background. For days when it is loud, which thankfully are not often, I usually have my phone playing rain sounds which is very soothing and completes masks the ringing sounds. I have it more in my right ear than my left. I got mine after a very bad cold where I was extremely bunged up in nose and ears leading to antibiotics and all sorts. The Dr thinks it was caused by loud music. I never listen to any and certainly not through ear phones! It was definitely caused by that stinking cold. I’ve been told I have to live with it as there isn’t anything they can do. It sucks but you definitely get used to it. I’m happy to answer any questions about my experience with tinnitus.

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PersonalClown · 08/10/2019 20:11

Yep.
I have it in stereo. I've had it for so long, I don't now what true silence is anymore.

Itsreallymehonest · 08/10/2019 20:14

My DH has suffered with tinnitus for years. He eventually saw a hypnotist as a last resort as it was affecting his sleep. The hypnotist basically taught him how to "turn down" the noise. It worked!! The buzzing is still there but copable now.

DameSylvieKrin · 08/10/2019 20:15

I‘ve had it for 35 years. I don’t remember not being used to it. It only bothers me now when I can’t sleep for other reasons.

Aquamarine1029 · 08/10/2019 20:16

White noise at night helps immensely for sleeping.

CathyorClaire · 08/10/2019 20:54

I've had it a couple of times. It lasted about six months first time and drove me mad at first but after a while I kind of got used to it. As i understand it the brain gradually learns not to take any notice of it.

I was lucky in that it gradually got quieter and then disappeared. Hope that's the case for you, OP.

DefinatelyAWeeGobshite · 08/10/2019 20:58

I’ve had tinnitus for 13 years now, started after some awful tonsillitis and ear infection and never went away. It’s only in one ear though (right).

The noise changes from high pitched to a white noise. I don’t hear it anymore now really (although I’m totally zoned in on it right now because I’m thinking about it so it’s really loud).

I lost the hearing in my right ear for a few weeks, thought it was wax but it wasn’t. I’m waiting for an audiology appt to rule out things, my hearing has come back since then though.

SwedishEdith · 08/10/2019 20:58

I've recently started with it in my left ear. It's linked to another issue that's started - no obvious reason why and it's not all the time. But sometimes it is so loud, I think other people must be able to hear it (I realise it's not an actual sound).

redeyetonowheregood · 08/10/2019 21:03

I have had it for about 12 years now. It came on during a period of extreme stress when I doing my PhD. It bothered me tremendously at first but I have learned to live with it now. I have a sound oasis machine and under pillow speakers for night time and I mostly have background noise in all the time.

Mine is worse when I am very stressed.

mankyfourthtoe · 08/10/2019 21:04

Yes for a few years, because of another condition.
Fun, not!

SummerSazz · 08/10/2019 21:08

I have tinnitus in my left ear caused by a cold. I went to a hearing clinic and they said you can train your brain to ignore it. So it's like feeling your feet on the ground - you don't normally until you think about it as your brain says feet on ground is good and only if you trip does your brain kick in to say that's bad.
I don't like extra background noise as it just sends my brain into overload but I can mostly ignore it now - ie: brain hears noise, says that's ok and disregards it. I can hear it now because I'm thinking about it!

EnglishRain · 08/10/2019 21:10

I have a type of pulsatile tinnitus. Mine is quite weird, it's a clicking/popping candy kind of noise that other people can hear if they are sat close to me. It stops and starts and bothers me tremendously. Sometimes I don't get it for a few days other times it's constant. It wakes me up with a jolt quite often. Mine is caused by palatal myoclonus, and there is treatment for it but so far it hasn't had much effect. I get Botox injections in my soft palate, and this minimises the severity of it. It also gives me slight dysphagia though - the higher the dose the better the results for the tinnitus but the worse for swallowing, haven't found an ideal level yet. It's a long journey. Still, I should feel lucky that I can have some form of treatment I suppose.

gamerchick · 08/10/2019 21:11

I've had it for around 7 ish years I think. I can tune it out now though.

It helps if you can have some sort of noise going in the background for sleeping.

Doobydoo · 08/10/2019 21:12

Hi OP I do not have it but my Granny did and my son who is 12 does...he has prob had it for 4 ish years. He was sad that he would never 'hear quiet' anymore. Have you looked at the Tinnitus Association website that might be useful? Peoe have different ways of dealing with it.. white/pink noise and there are others.Also relaxation techniques. My Granny used to have a radio on but slightly out of tune.

Bananajam · 08/10/2019 21:14

Mine is in my right ear only, I've had it about 6 years. It's worse (very loud high pitched noise) when I get stressed and I'm rarely without background noise so j can tune it out. It doesn't particularly bother me now. It's just there.

Troels · 08/10/2019 21:14

I've had it in my left ear since an ear infection in the 80's. Some days it seems louder than others. I usually have background noise on in the day, the TV or music, that helps. At night for me it's better when I lie on that side to relax. Once I'm relaxed it doesn't matter which way I lie to sleep.
At night in the quiet it sounds like lorries are idling their engines outside my room.
I must have just got used to to it and it doesn't stress me out. I did find the more I listen to it the louder it seems to get.

Afternooninthepark · 08/10/2019 21:15

I’ve had it in my right ear for years now. Some days I barley notice it, other times it drive me insane. I also have TMJ disorder, bruxism and anxiety, they are all connected.

BobbinThreadbare123 · 08/10/2019 21:17

Yep. Had it since I was a kid. Never known why I ended up with it. Bloody annoying.

Windygate · 08/10/2019 21:18

I have tinnitus since I was four thanks to measles. For me it will never go away, I've just learnt to cope. You may have to do the same

stayathomer · 08/10/2019 21:24

Dm has had it for the last 30 years but says she's just used to it ( buzzing). I've the starting of it over the last few years and as someone says above if I'm stressed it gets worse. For me it kind of sounds like the sea bit with surround. I'm the same as you, went in for wax build up and came out shocked! Sorry to hear it OP but fingers crossed you'll learn to manage, it doesn't hugely adversely affect me

stayathomer · 08/10/2019 21:25

Sorry, not all about me thoughFlowers

InDubiousBattle · 08/10/2019 21:26

I got tinnitus in one ear after a cold (not even a very serious one)about 18 months ago. I had a hearing test and an MRI (as it was only in one ear the wanted to rule out a tumour )which concluded that there was no underlying cause for it. It drove me nuts. Have you been offered tinnitus counselling? I had 4 sessions and found it incredibly useful.

SpiderCharlotte · 08/10/2019 21:30

Had it for 28 years. Sometimes it bothers me if I have a temporary change of pitch but I'm so used to it now.

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