Tinnitus - Is this just me?

[james_tigerwoods]

I suffer from permanent tinnitus following a fairly major ear infection about 10 years ago - some days are better than other and some days it's ever present. Stress seems to bring it on more.

However, there are many occasions where I can be doing something or nothing and suddenly there can be a loud "explosion" of "that" ringing that blocks out all other noise that lasts 10-15 seconds and then fades back to the "normal" tinnitus.

There doesn't seem to be a pattern and it always takes me by surprise by it happening and the almost ferocity of it.

I accept it as one of those things, but is it normal? Is it just me?

[james_tigerwoods]

backwoodsman said:

I had the same problem, doctor sent me to audiology department, and I ended up with hearing aids.

T.B.H. I still don't understand how it helps with tinnitus, but it does.

The way it works, if I remember rightly, is that you wear them and they produce white noise to train your brain to ignore the white noise.

I opted to not get them as my hearing is actually perfect, just with an overlay of ringing.

[james_tigerwoods]

Today is a "noise" day - I can hear everything with annoying clarity. The washing machine on the other side of the house, the boiler, a radiator ticking, the fridge compressor, the drone of an engine outside across the road (not even revving), the CPU fan on my laptop idling and, of course, my tinnitus.

I think I may put the radio on before my head explodes....

[james_tigerwoods]

CAPP0 said:

Willy Nilly said:

ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss for 25 years sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

Interesting, mine's eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee at a very high pitch, constantly, sometimes worse than others. Like now, for instance. But I didn't sleep well last night.

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

That's mine - well described

I slept badly and am in a crappy mood today and it's worse as a result.

[james_tigerwoods]

WinstonWolf said:

Cholesteatoma

Jeeeeeeeeesus....

[james_tigerwoods]

V8A*ndy said:

I had some sort of sinus infection a couple of years ago that totally floored me for 3 months. At times I couldn't even see and hearing was badly affected.

Been having the same problem as the op ever since. Really annoying as I (not now ffs) was a sound engineer. Can't get to the bottom of it at all.

Have you had a hearing check as I have and I can hear ok, but just with the constant ringing.

Worryingly, however, I was listening to Jeremy Vine on Monday (I think it was) and they did some kind of hearing/noise check and I couldn't hear something with some background noise applied.

I might get my hearing checked again, now I think about it.

[james_tigerwoods]

There was something on his show about how as you get older, your ability to hear conversation in a crowded room diminishes even though your hear may, on the surface of it, seem fine.

That never occurred to me and since I've had this tinnitus, while I can hear fine, I can struggle when I'm in a crowded room (especially when I've had a drink)

[james_tigerwoods]

Hub said:

I get tinnitus that I would describe as a sort of Morse code like bleeping in one ear sometimes worse than others but only audible at night. Almost like there is a blood vessel affecting things or something. Docs couldn't see anything when I went about it years ago.

I also in either ear can get temporary weirdness as you describe - like the ear switching off for a few seconds and a high pitch noise then back to normal!

Have you tried learning Morse code to find out what the "voices" are saying?