How common is Tinnitus?

[Mcoco]

I developed tinnitus in December in one ear after an ear infection. I am habituating now, slowly but I am getting there. My question is how common is tinnitus? Does anyone else have it too? Do you find you can just block it out?

I also have hyperacusis and agree it’s somehow worse than the tinnitus. I was told these two conditions can go hand in hand for some people. Good to know loop earplugs help - do you mind if I ask which ones you have?

In the early days I did everything to mask it, but this meant I wasn’t really getting used to living with the noise. I’m sitting here typing this in a quiet room and I’m only really noticing the tinnitus because we’re all talking about it.

You’ll get to a place where when you walk into a quiet room it isn’t just suddenly ‘there’, because you’ll be so used to it as a part of you.

I’ve had it years, since my mid to late twenties, I’m in my early fifties now. You do learn to live with it, it’s worse in my left ea but some reason. I hate being in very quiet or silent environments as then it’s almost deafening, also noisy environments make it worse. It’s bloody annoying but you just learn to cope.

Mine is mostly in my right ear (had an MRI to rule out acoustic neuroma as above) and sometimes the left one joins in just for fun.
It’s mostly liveable with, but really pisses me off when it goes up a notch when I’m listening to music (can’t resist a bit of bass but know I’ll pay the price).
One thing that really gets to me is the fire alarm at work - the tone of it really sets it off, and there is one place where I can hear two different alarms going. I have to cover my ears!

I keep thinking that I mustn't keep masking it actually just to get used to it. It's so good that you can sit in a quiet room and unhear it so to speak! I feel bad making you hear it again with this post! That's all so encouraging to hear for those of us at the start of our journey. I am happy it's summer as with the windows open I can hear back ground noise, which helps. Hopefully by winter I have habituated anyway.

Do you mask it in a quiet room with music? Or just try to ignore it?

I am really glad you still listen to music life has to go on! Darn annoying about the alarm. I am paranoid about loud noises now. Often covering my ears. I avoided going near someone with a lawn mower yesterday!

I know it’s not the same for everyone, and I’m hoping to pass on some positivity about it. I know that in the early days I was searching for anything to help me cope with it, Don’t feel bad that I’m hearing it. I’ve had it so long now that I can look back and say, well I’ve coped with it for all these years and it hasn’t ruined my life as I genuinely thought it would!

Good luck with it, @Mcoco You have the right attitude, I think!

I developed it recently: a sort of buzzing noise in both ears. I haven't seen a doctor yet but I plan to soon. I can manage fine during the day, and when I am working I mask it with music or the TV playing in the background (I work from home.) But I do have trouble going to sleep, and it's interfering with my sleep patterns to some extent. Once I get very sleepy, I can go to sleep, but sometimes that is late into the night. I want to avoid taking something to get to sleep.

I honestly can’t remember a time WITHOUT the ringing in my ears.
I will say that now we’re talking about it I’m acutely aware of it and it’s so much worse in a silent room- I can tune it out in general day to day life. I do listen to podcast/music when I’m trying to get to sleep though!

Thank you for your words of encouragement and I am so glad to hear that you are coping and living your life. Your post has given me so much hope and I think it has for others too.

I am trying to keep positive and already feel better about it than I did even a month ago so hopefully I am accepting it.

Also i should add, I listen to soft classical music to mask it, nothing loud or with a strong beat.

This thread is very helpful. Mine is very recent and of course I consulted Dr. Google, but it is encouraging to hear how others have managed it.

Yeah, I've had it since 1999. I sort of hear 'through' it but it does make listening very tiring - I always have the subtitles on because of this. It feels pretty loud, and steps up to a sort of howl when I'm tired or anxious. Of course, the minute I saw OP's title I started noticing it and now my world is filled with tuneless, insistent ringing 😬🔔😬

Thank you for your input hope you can quickly tune it out again. It shows how amazing our brains are to be able to do this.

I think just about every every rock star has tinnitus. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Phil Collins, Chris Martin, Ozzy Osbourne and Will.I.am have all said they have it. It’s clearly an occupational hazard in that line of work.

Of course tinnitus won't be present when you are under a GA, you can't hear or feel anything,that's the general idea! I had tinnitus in my left ear 6 years ago, went to the GP about something else,was put on the 2 week emergency pathway.ct NAD. September 23 COVID first time, severe tinnitus in the other ear and hearing loss. 2 week pathway, audiology nurse practitioner, hearing tests,booked for ent appointment told 3 months,it was a year. It's never gone away. I now have hearing aids with a tinnitus masker if I need it but it's a white noise. I always had problems with flying and going up and down hills in the car. Was told mine is eustachian tube and nerve issues. Occasionally an early infection will cause it temporarily. My DD has sinusitis 3 months tinnitus and it went completely. It's not actually caused by the ear,it's the brain misinterpreting signals and it fills in with sounds. In the winter I had blues and twos, hammer and anvil (ironic 🤣) I could hear a diesel arctic in the living room, and a permanent hiss. My son is now having CBT for his. The subsequent audiology appointments were amazing, literally full medical history,both mental and physical,any head injuries concussion yup ... falling off a fast horse.
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Being deaf all my life, I have tinnitus - mines more like a quarrelsome nest of sparrows varied with heart monitor beeps. You do get used to tuning it out like ignoring a club bore - but there are also days I could cheerfully head bang to get rid of the noise. Doesnt help that audiology testing beeps sound like tinnitus!

I’ve had pulsatile tinnitus in one ear for three years. MRI clear.
Clear as day. I can tell you my heart rate at any time just by listening. Bump, bump bump 24/7

Quite common I think. Mine tries to ruin my life if I'm even the littlest bit dehydrated, having to pee is better though. Just stays to a whisper I can ignore.

It does sound like it is a common condition to have after all. Nannyfannybanny so glad your daughters disappeared shame about your sons though. I wonder if it's genetic? Does CBT help him?

That is annoying. I have had pulsate tinnitus on and off for about 30 years. It's the new constant tinnitus I find annoying. I suppose any unusual noises takes time to block out.

I don’t know! I was trying to find out last week but I can’t find the original order or the box they came in anywhere. Sorry!

I have it after a burst eardrum
.Mainly notice it when I'm going to sleep but my hearing is affected in that ear.

I have otosclerosis causing moderate to severe hearing loss on one side and the hearing aid helps a bit with the tinnitus I've had on that side for a couple of years. I seem to have recently (since getting the aid a couple of months ago) developed tinnitus on the other side, but it is quieter and at a higher pitch. It is worse when the room is quiet and I listen to audiobooks through an earbud to help it.

Yes both ears for over 30 years, since getting hearing aids 2 years ago it's less noticeable