Discussion
I've been aware of this for a while, not really bad but noticeable maybe some slight hearing loss too. Most of the time i dont notice it. 65 year old male with a 45 Yr diabetes history.
I know not much can be done so is it worth
A) Going to GP?
B) Hearing clinic at specsavers?
C) Grinning and baring it?
I know not much can be done so is it worth
A) Going to GP?
B) Hearing clinic at specsavers?
C) Grinning and baring it?
I had tinnitus for several years and just put up with it, my partner urged me to book an appointment at Specsavers, which I reluctantly did, long story short, I came out of there and it was like entering a different world. I thought I had good hearing but now I can hear the grass grow and my tinnitus is gone.
It May not work for you but definitely worth trying, the amount of wax that they removed was unbelievable.
It May not work for you but definitely worth trying, the amount of wax that they removed was unbelievable.
Worth taking into account that because someone has tinnitus it doesn't authomatically mean they progress to a hearing aid.
I went to my GP, he sent me to the ENT clinic at hospital where I had a full examination including hearing test. Whilst my levels are slightly down (one stage from the top level) this is more relative to age as high frequency perception tapers off I believe, I was not offered any 'aid' to compensate it.
My concern with a high street examiner will be their vested interest in trying to sell you something you don't really need and hearing aids aint cheap if you go outside of what the NHS offers you for free. MIL got an NHS set and actually they're quite discrete, not the sort I imagined that came with a battery the size of a small rucksack.
I went to my GP, he sent me to the ENT clinic at hospital where I had a full examination including hearing test. Whilst my levels are slightly down (one stage from the top level) this is more relative to age as high frequency perception tapers off I believe, I was not offered any 'aid' to compensate it.
My concern with a high street examiner will be their vested interest in trying to sell you something you don't really need and hearing aids aint cheap if you go outside of what the NHS offers you for free. MIL got an NHS set and actually they're quite discrete, not the sort I imagined that came with a battery the size of a small rucksack.
PositronicRay said:
Grinning and baring it?
Hopefully you won't need to "bare it". They'll probably be looking in your ears...Leaving that aside, there's a difference between "having tinnitus" and "suffering from tinnitus". It's a condition the experience of which can vary greatly with stress etc.
Out of interest, is yours a high pitched whistle, a low pitched rumble (like a diesel lorry parked with its engine running in the distance) or both?
Worth noting Tinnitus often linked to stress and exacerbated by Bruxism i.e. grinding of teeth at night.
Also often increased by alchohol and sugar consumption.
Not necessarilly related to earwax buuld up in the ears.
Tinnitus seems more prevalent after Covid and many have ongoing issues after being infected.
Also often increased by alchohol and sugar consumption.
Not necessarilly related to earwax buuld up in the ears.
Tinnitus seems more prevalent after Covid and many have ongoing issues after being infected.
ian in lancs said:
B no unless you want your wallet emptied… starting with a circa £50 ‘removal’ of ear wax
This, my left ear occasionally blocks up so I booked an appointment with Spec Savers. There was a several week wait, and by the time the appointment was close my ear had unblocked itself anyway. I went along as I thought it would be a good idea to have all traces of wax removed and to see if this made any difference to my tinnitus.The whole appointment took less than ten minutes, the actual wax 'removal' was about 30 seconds. I was expecting my ears to be absolutely spotless after this, but when my girlfriend looked inside she could still see wax.
Waste of £50.
Wax in itself rarely causes tinnitus - it just makes it more noticeable because you aren't hearing external sounds as loudly.
Many people have tinnitus and aren't even aware of it.
Hearing starts deteriorating naturally in the high frequencies from your 20s onwards, which can expose any tinnitus later in life.
More often than not it's incurable, but eases off through relaxation and reduced self perception, ie. 'not letting it bother you'.
Many people have tinnitus and aren't even aware of it.
Hearing starts deteriorating naturally in the high frequencies from your 20s onwards, which can expose any tinnitus later in life.
More often than not it's incurable, but eases off through relaxation and reduced self perception, ie. 'not letting it bother you'.
I have bilateral hf hearing loss and a low level of backgroun white noise tinnitus.
The gp checked for wax, balance and used a tuning fork then referred me to audiology at local hospital. There my frequency response was measured, NHS hearing aids programmed and issued with loads of batteries and spare pipes and cleaning stuff.
All good so far ..,, three years later there’s some funding /contract change meaning I start over!
I’ve got as far as having my ears checked for wax by my gp practice nurse (perfectly clear anyway according to my ent consultant b-I-l) and offered a choice between 3 spec savers and two NHS clinics. I chose the latter.
My mother was extremely deaf from 18 to 94 when she died. Deafness exacerbated by surgical damage. No hearing aid on earth would fix it. However specsavers managed to convince an old lady their £2k aids would help her hear better. Eventually we got the money back. I was fuming over the unfulfillable expectation, unfair advantage taken and monetisation. / profiteering. Suffice to say they’re not on my Christmas list!
Ian
The gp checked for wax, balance and used a tuning fork then referred me to audiology at local hospital. There my frequency response was measured, NHS hearing aids programmed and issued with loads of batteries and spare pipes and cleaning stuff.
All good so far ..,, three years later there’s some funding /contract change meaning I start over!
I’ve got as far as having my ears checked for wax by my gp practice nurse (perfectly clear anyway according to my ent consultant b-I-l) and offered a choice between 3 spec savers and two NHS clinics. I chose the latter.
My mother was extremely deaf from 18 to 94 when she died. Deafness exacerbated by surgical damage. No hearing aid on earth would fix it. However specsavers managed to convince an old lady their £2k aids would help her hear better. Eventually we got the money back. I was fuming over the unfulfillable expectation, unfair advantage taken and monetisation. / profiteering. Suffice to say they’re not on my Christmas list!
Ian
Panamax said:
Out of interest, is yours a high pitched whistle, a low pitched rumble (like a diesel lorry parked with its engine running in the distance) or both?
I'd describe it as buzzing, like an extractor fan or refrigerator. A bit like the sort of thing when you go through a pressure change.Edited by PositronicRay on Tuesday 13th June 19:11
PositronicRay said:
I'd describe it as buzzing, like an extractor fan or refrigerator. A bit like the sort of thing when you go through a pressure change.
Understood. You are not alone. It's certainly worth getting checked out by the medics in case there's a simple explanation but so far as I'm aware there is no "cure" for tinnitis. At the end of the day it's one of those awkward "attitude" things. If you can package it up and say to yourself "yes, it's there but I don't care" you'll be in a much happier condition than someone who lets it dominate their existence.
One thing I would say is try to avoid very loud noises going forward. This doesn't mean sitting in silence and asking people to whisper! Proper musicians' ear plugs from the likes of Alpine offer good protection from e.g. rock concerts and motor races without needing to let tinnitis dominate your life.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpine-MusicSafe-Hearing-...
I’ve had for a few years. Stress mainly plus non respect of health (noise) and wax
I strongly suggest to see a specialist based in Farnham Common - Help in Hearing - A lady called Selma
Professional
Specialist
Compassionate
Definitely gave me strength support and helped me cohabitate
I strongly suggest to see a specialist based in Farnham Common - Help in Hearing - A lady called Selma
Professional
Specialist
Compassionate
Definitely gave me strength support and helped me cohabitate
[quote]
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpine-MusicSafe-Hearing-...
[/quote]
Thanks! I’ll try them in the gym! They play crap radio stations, crap daytime tv or shout into a mic over distorted crap music for circuits. I tend to use industrial foam earplugs for the latter or Bose noise cancelling headphones for the rest!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpine-MusicSafe-Hearing-...
[/quote]
Thanks! I’ll try them in the gym! They play crap radio stations, crap daytime tv or shout into a mic over distorted crap music for circuits. I tend to use industrial foam earplugs for the latter or Bose noise cancelling headphones for the rest!
ian in lancs said:
My mother was extremely deaf from 18 to 94 when she died. Deafness exacerbated by surgical damage. No hearing aid on earth would fix it. However specsavers managed to convince an old lady their £2k aids would help her hear better. Eventually we got the money back. I was fuming over the unfulfillable expectation, unfair advantage taken and monetisation. / profiteering. Suffice to say they’re not on my Christmas list!
Spec savers were desperate to sell my father some hearing aids, I am sure they were quoting something in the region of £5K. They also tried to tell him that the hearing aids would help with his tinnitus.Luckily my mother was there and sees right through this sort of BS, but my father would have been signing on the dotted line if he was allowed to go by himself.
I have tinnitus - shooting in my youth without ear protection and music too loud in a recording studio.
Mine sounds like a tropical rainstorm to loud 'white' noise - like the loud hiss of air.
Some days bad, some days (like now) it's there but can be ignored.
I bought some in-ear hearing aids which I wear when it's bad, they do offer some relief as they replace the lost high frequencies and give you something else to focus on!
Mine sounds like a tropical rainstorm to loud 'white' noise - like the loud hiss of air.
Some days bad, some days (like now) it's there but can be ignored.
I bought some in-ear hearing aids which I wear when it's bad, they do offer some relief as they replace the lost high frequencies and give you something else to focus on!
I have tinittus too, most likely caused by Bruxism which I now have a mouthguard for.
Mine sounds exactly like a clean fistank filter humming away submerged in water. I have no idea how long I have had it becuase I only noticed it when I took the fishtank out of my bedroom.
I can only hear it when it is silent, keeping the radio on on playing chillout music on low all the time helps, but I can't do that when I sleep or the mrs gets pissed off. if I don't wear my mouthguard it is less intrusive that night.
Mine sounds exactly like a clean fistank filter humming away submerged in water. I have no idea how long I have had it becuase I only noticed it when I took the fishtank out of my bedroom.
I can only hear it when it is silent, keeping the radio on on playing chillout music on low all the time helps, but I can't do that when I sleep or the mrs gets pissed off. if I don't wear my mouthguard it is less intrusive that night.
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