To ask for reassuring stories about tinnitus?!

[VeepVeep]

I posted last week that i was having a bout of tinnitus, and whether to stop my exercise class (which plays loud music).

I am here again! It's 10 days later, and it's still 24/7. There have been long stretches where it's low level, but at night I have had several unsettling nights - even listening to a white noise app - and then it freaks me out as it feels like it's never going to go.

I have seen my GP, and as it's unilateral (in one ear) he sent me for an urgent referral and I used my health insurance. I saw an ENT consultant who is going to test my hearing and I'll have an MRI but he was pretty a) nonplussed 'tinnitus is a medical phenomena' was the opening line. He doesn't think they'll find anything in the tests, so what I took from him is that it's something I'll have to live with.

He 'didn't think' it would become persistent - most people he sees have intermittent tinnitus - but obviously can't say.

He also told me a) it had nothing to do with listening to music loud on my earphones in my thirties when i went running b) not to change a thing about my life now. ie.keep going to my classes.

I feel really wretched about it today. The night was bad. I feel very scared that it's going to hang around FOREVER. I work in silence. I love silence. And I'm terrified that;'s gone for good.

Please, does anyone have any reassuring personal tales? Or any thoughts?

OP, I developed tinnitus in my last year of university. My GP told me I had damaged my hearing and to stay away from loud music, even with earplugs. Which was most of my social life destroyed. I was depressed for months, I couldn't go out partying on my 21st birthday.

Luckily my mum was aware of (and willing to pay for) a top tinnitus specialist in London, so I went to see him. He did hearing tests, showed me the results are fine and I will never (20 years later!) forget his words 'To tell you you've damaged your hearing is wrong, quite wrong'. I was so relieved! He told me it's common in musicians (I am a keen singer, though not a professional) and explained how anxiety can make us tune into the 'music of the brain' - with his help, which was basically cognitive behavioural therapy, I got rid of it within a year.

It does sound like your case is psychological like mine rather than physiological. It is probably still hard to get treatment on the NHS, but look up tinnitus CBT. There may be useful resources online now. Good luck!

I hate the idea of no silence.

It's very important not to hate it. If you have an emotional reaction to it, that tells your brain it's important, and the neurons closest to the raw noise signal from your ear will rewire themselves to pay attention to it.

I learnt the above from the web-site of a consultant in about 2010, when I (I believe) inadvertently gave myself tinnitus by listening out for buzzing noises on a new plasma TV. (I'd read on the internet it was a potential problem with the model.) Over a period of a couple of weeks I started to hear the buzzing I'd at first thought was from the TV all the time, including in bed at night, at work, etc.

Web-site explained that there's always a huge amount of random background noise going on in the inner ear, which is usually filtered out by lower-level noise processing of the brain. If for some reason on a rare occasion some noise gets through the filter, and you have an emotional reaction to it, the brain rewires itself to always pay attention. (Because things that cause an emotional reaction are important to deal with.)

He did recommend various things, including white noise, but one of his core recommendation was to train yourself not to be annoyed or upset by it, but to try and ignore it. When I heard the noise while lying in bed at night I'd think to myself, "this doesn't matter" and try to think about something else. The problem vanished fairly rapidly.

(It's possible that there's more than one type/cause of tinnitus, and what worked for me won't work for others.)

Sorry, didn't read the whole thread before posting, I see one or two have posted similar ideas to mine. Going back to read now.

I've had tinnitus my entire life. It sounds like a steam train. However I can block it out and the majority of the time I don't even realise I've got it. However the most noticeable time for me is when I go to bed. I find that I can't sleep without additional noise so I always have the radio on at bedtime. I agree with PP in that you shouldn't assume it's permanent. I think it's different for everyone.

I think acceptance is probably key. I'm working on it.

Thanks again, all.

I had my hearing test today. Very very mild hearing loss - high frequency - in the ear with unilateral tinnitus. As in, if I wasn't experiencing tinnitus, I probably wouldn't have noticed.

The tinnitus itself has got better the past few days. Still there, a high pitched whine but not as intrusive.

But as it's there 24/7, and I have this 'very mild hearing loss' - is it set to be permanent?

Just a question OP have you had your blood pressure tested? I went to see a nurse at the surgery because that is who I was booked in with when I had tinnitus. She told me it was my age. I was 44. I have never listened to loud music (apart from nightclubs as youngster). She said there is nothing you can do, get used to it.

My GP I went to a year later for an unrelated reason, took my BP and said it was high. I told him my tinnitus was now in both ears and constant. He told me it was my high BP causing it, I am now on BP tablets and it went and I only get it very occasionally now.

Bloody annoying that the Nurse totally dismissed it, I could have had my BP treated a year earlier and not had debilitating tinnitus for a year. It got so bad I couldn't hear people on the phone.

Dr checked my blood pressure...perfect...

I've had intermittent and sometimes unilateral tinnitus for 30+ years.

I hated it at first (used to wake me and keep me awake) but as I now know it comes and goes I have learned not to fear it any more.

Mine always seems to come back - but then it goes again.

Mine has been permanent since 2015 - it started after taking a medication, side effects listed did say tinnitus. Even after stopping the medication the tinnitus continued and now I’m reading this thread about tinnitus it is louder and more noticeable. I’m going to take time to read through properly and see if there are any tips.

I do sleep with the rain playing on my iPad to drown the noise out, drives my husband mad but it also helps drown out his snoring

Thanks for starting this thread VeepVeep...ive found it helpful.

How are you getting on?

I seem to have developed tinnitus in my right ear 2 weeks ago - it was the day after a gig (but strangely only seemed to start late morning the following day, not straight afterwards). Went to doc who seems to think I have glue ear so am on antibiotics.
I asked about anti anxiety medication but doc wouldn't prescribe - would people recommend them to help cope better with anxiety which is undoubtedly making it worse?

I've just had worst night so far and am struggling to cope. I have 2 children (boy 6 who's autistic and 13 year old daughter) and a loving partner. I am not sure how I can cope with this long term and admit to having some dark thoughts.

I find myself thinking about all the fun times we've had and feeling the tinnitus will prevent me having more / enjoying life. A good friend came over yesterday to offer support but I was struggling to even focus on what he was saying.

I know the key seems to be about acceptance and not seeing it as a threat - and retraining your brain. Can anyone give practical tips on this...and idea how long it might take?

I've also heard about reflexology and cranial massage etc which may help switch focus on body instead of mind.

I am going to research tinnitus CBT - can anyone make any consultancy recommendation? I live in Midlands but happy to travel.

Any support, recommendations much appreciated. X

Hi there any updates on your tinnitus ? I had tinnitus two months after you, it’s hard so I feel for you, but my aunt had it too and she doesn’t notice it anymore so I’ve got positive stories of people who are over it so to speak

Hi! Needing some advice.. about 4 weeks ago I developed this awful buzzing sound in my ears and in my head!! 😢 I have been to the drs, he checked my ears and said there was a fluid in my ears and give me a nasal spray as thought I was made getting a cold. He said he was sure it was nothing to worry about. Well 4 weeks later and it’s still here!! It’s really really stressing me out and starting to get me so down. Of course I have googled and have freaked myself out because it’s saying tumour! I’m actually so past myself at the minute 😪 I can’t even think straight!! I don’t hear it all the time and it doesn’t disturb my sleep or anything but when I do hear it it drives me crazy!! All advice and stories are welcome 🙂

@VeepVeep I know this is an old thread but did your tinnitus go? I think mine is being caused by a jaw joint issue but I'm so worried it'll be with me forever. Driving me mad.

I went to counselling for mine, and I was told that the more aware of it, the worse it is (easier said than done) and there's currently no cure for it.

I've not noticed mine for a year now, before it would flare up unbearably and the only thing would be to play music to drown it out, I found myself with earphones in all day and sometimes all through the night. I wanted to bang my head against a wall.

I found it was worse in loud environments such as in the office, or when I was stressed. It also reduced loads when I was pregnant.

No advice apart from to just try drown it out and distract yourself and hopefully it will just fade away for you.

[quote FeatherySquawkington]@VeepVeep I know this is an old thread but did your tinnitus go? I think mine is being caused by a jaw joint issue but I'm so worried it'll be with me forever. Driving me mad.[/quote]
Just replied not realising it was old

@Chickenfingers Thank you for your response, any experiences are welcome!

@Monny2 Did yours sort itself out in the end?

Not sure if this will be useful for any of you suffering with tinnitus, but I get it after work sometimes if I have been in loud environments. Google 'Tinnitus head drumming'. It involves drumming the fingers on the back of the head in a way that somehow disrupts the ringing. For some, it has helped stop it (though probably in fairly mild cases) and others it can give relief for a period of time. Like anything, it might not work for everyone, but maybe give it a try!

I have it in both ears along with some hearing loss. I have trained my brain not to hear it as I too enjoy silence and prefer to work in this environment. I can hear it loud as now I have focussed on it but day to day and at night I can effectively tune it out. I'm never thought I would be able to but over time I have. I also have some big floaters in both my eyes right in my vision line, I never thought I would cope but again I have trained my brain not to see them and most if the time they don't bother me. I'm sure you will develop the ability to tune out as it appears many posters have. Don't let it get you down.

I have pulsatile tinnitus through chemotherapy. I hope it doesnt get worse as chemo goes on. Also I have now developed terrible vertigo when I get up in the morning which worries me more, Im clinging onto the bed for dear life as I feel im going to be flung off into the cosmos !