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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think there's no way on earth you can 'ignore' tinnitus?

60 replies

ILikeToBeBesideTheSea · 09/01/2021 14:23

Had sudden tinnitus start 3 months ago, cause not found. Various different noises in each ear/head. Seems to change volume throughout the day and pitch also fluctuates. I've been told over time you can get used to it and tune it out, how can I do this when it's changing so much all the time? Feeling low and so down that this will be with me for life now. I just can't believe something so random exists!

OP posts:
Original poster
ILikeToBeBesideTheSea · 09/01/2021 15:37

Thanks for the encouraging posts. Three months feels like a lifetime already but I guess I need to work on my patience.......

OP posts:
Shehasadiamondinthesky · 09/01/2021 15:38

In the early days it drove me mad, really nuts, then I found I was going several hours a day without noticing and it was loud.
It suddenly went around 10 years later and i never did know why. It comes back occasionally but only if it's very cold or I'm taking new medication.

AntiHop · 09/01/2021 15:38

I've had it for years, 10 or more. The volume, pitch and type of noise fluctuates a lot. It honestly barely bothers me now.

I've seen an ad on Facebook for earplugs called Calmer that are supposed to help. I haven't tried them myself.

Warsawa31 · 09/01/2021 15:46

I've had mine for 4 years now, you do just get used to it - your Brain slowly learns that the sound is not a threat and stops "hearing" it - I only hear mine now when I think about it - like now lol and when I meditate or lay down to sleep - but although I hear it I don't "notice" it. Yours might fade away but give it time either way you will be ok

Original poster
ILikeToBeBesideTheSea · 09/01/2021 15:47

I'm glad I had no prior warning this was going to happen. What a weird thing to wake up to! I can't imagine forgetting that I have it, it's too weird a thing to happen. Feels very surreal still.

OP posts:
Hotchox · 09/01/2021 15:51

Yeah, I've had it as long as I can remember. Alcohol (most likely the dehydration) makes it worse, but you do find you tune it out after a bit. I would guess how long it takes for that to happen varies a lot. To be honest in my case it's reached the point I don't like people mentioning it, as it makes me aware of it more. Put some music / radio / telly on if it's getting too much, as I have found it can be drowned out if you focus on something else.

There's also a lot of ideas out there for reducing tinnitus, I found the tappping behind the ear worked quite well, although only for a short time. Facebook keeps advertising these in-the-ear noise mufflers that the makers found (by accident) reduced it. They didn't look very expensive, so might be worth a look into....?

40somethingJBJ · 09/01/2021 15:53

I’ve had tinnitus for 7 years now, ever since I had a brain injury. It drove me crazy at first, but you do tune it out after a while. I have a fan running at night for some white noise, as the noise in my ears is noticeable more when it’s silent, but it doesn’t bother me as often nowadays.

HildegardNightingale · 09/01/2021 15:57

I’ve had tinnitus for 30 years now. You do get used to it eventually. I have hearing loss and when I wear my hearing aids it is less noticeable. I do feel for you though, it really can get you down sometimes.

Echobelly · 09/01/2021 16:00

I have had tinnitus and learned to ignore it - I had to wear white-noise emitters and have white noise on at night and got rid of it.

Fuss · 09/01/2021 16:04

YABU. You tune it out.
It actually helps me sleep sometimes because if my head is busy running through crap I listen to the whistle and tune into it, clears my head.

Watchingbehindmyhands · 09/01/2021 16:08

It’s a nightmare, OP. Had it for years. I can hear it now but that’s because this has made me aware of it. Most of the time I don’t hear it. There are tinnitus maskers on the market if you struggle to sleep but these never really worked for me. Give it time and try not to think about it.

Mustbe3ormorecharacters · 09/01/2021 16:10

I have had it for over a decade you really can just tune it out.

SnoozyLou · 09/01/2021 16:12

I've had it for as long as I can remember. It's worse when I'm ill - in which case it can be deafening - and the morning after I've drunk too much. The majority of the time, it doesn't trouble me. I can hear it, if I think about it, but I never sit in silence as I don't find it particularly pleasant (and I have a baby and a toddler, so very unlikely these days).

If I'm ill, it's so much louder, and that's when it gets to me.

Clarich007 · 09/01/2021 16:18

Hi OP.
I can really sympathise.I've had it for as long as i can remember.I'm 70, so a long time.The first time I reall y noticed was at school whilst helping out in the school Library.The silence was literally deafening!.
It's just something you have have to get used to.I'm afraid.Mine is constant it never stops but i listen to the radio and put the tv on at night in the bedroom and druft off.
I recentky had a hearing test and the audiologist just happened to be a tinnitus expert too.He asked questions and I told him I was very careful around loud noises and had some proper musicians ear plugs for concerts and loud cinema films.
He said firmly do not use them, you are giving it too much importance and creating anxiety that makes it worse.He also said that experiments have been done with young people with no hearing problems, put them in a quiet room and every one of them reported some noises.
He made me think differently anout the problem and I honestly walked out of the hospital feeling so much better.It barely bothers me now.
He also said that some ancient tribes considered it an honour to have it .They felt chosen.I think that's going a bit too far though.Grin
I hope you can learn to cope and ignore.You are not alone.

Clarich007 · 09/01/2021 16:20

So sorry for all the typos !

MereDintofPandiculation · 09/01/2021 16:43

Did you do anything specific? Dragged my brain round and said "stop looking at that. Pay attention to this instead". Every single time.

Resisted the urge to stop and think how loud it is, whether it's louder than yesterday, how long I've had it etc.

blueangel19 · 09/01/2021 16:55

Yes, you get use to or tune it out. Happens by itself. At the beginning is a horror.

Original poster
ILikeToBeBesideTheSea · 09/01/2021 17:31

Thanks for all the replies. I'm also struggling with not feeling like I'm 'me' any more. It's a change. Maybe I'm giving it more importance than I should be.

OP posts:
MissMarpleDarling · 09/01/2021 17:35

Can confirm you do learn to ignore it OP. It is annoying isn't it.

Pipersouth · 09/01/2021 17:39

You have to otherwise you’d go a bit mad - I’ve had it on and off for years. You just have to try to concentrate on other things.

Original poster
ILikeToBeBesideTheSea · 09/01/2021 19:05

It's very annoying. I have days where it's not as bothersome but then days that are really bad and I can't think of anything else. I think the bad days are getting less i.e at the start I was only having bad days but some days I can cope better now. I still have a bit of hope that it might fade since I haven't had it for very long let but realistically I know that's extremely unlikely.

OP posts:
BogRollBOGOF · 09/01/2021 19:16

I can't remember not having it. I suspect it originates from one of a sucession of childhood ear infections.

It tends to get covered by background noise. As a child, I had a front bedroom by a main road. I struggled to sleep at my cousins because it was annoyingly silent.

I've noticed it more in the past year because traffic is quieter at night than usual, plus DH has changed his habits so I don't go up earlier and listen to music/ radio.

Normally the one I notice in the day is when my ear randomly turns off and whistles. Oddly I don't notice it resume normality.

Original poster
ILikeToBeBesideTheSea · 09/01/2021 19:20

I don't drink alcohol so that's not affecting. I do eat dairy though, not huge amounts so I wouldn't think this would make much difference.

OP posts:
Elieza · 09/01/2021 23:52

Acupuncture fixed mine. And I also cut dairy out and that sorted out the heartbeat in my ear.

Everley · 10/01/2021 00:48

I have pulsatile tinnitus, had it for about 4/5 years now. The doctors can’t find any cause for it but when I take decongestants for blocked sinuses (Sudafed) it either minimises or completely clears up the whoosing/heartbeat/thumping sound in my right ear.

At first it was really annoying and at times even distressing. When it started I was working in a large open plan office and the background noise combined with the tinnitus and then say trying to listen to the telephone just used to make me so agitated. I remember a doctor telling me I had to learn to get used to it or ignore it and I honestly wanted to cry. But I genuinely have learned to live with it. It’s there 90% of the time but doesn’t annoy me as much as it used to. I do have the odd bout of it being louder than usual and I go back to feeling distressed by it but most of the time I just either forget it’s there or can tune it out. But when I first had it I would never have imagined that possible.