Tinnitus Advice

[Steve H]

Had it in my right ear for about 15 months now following a virus last summer.

When I went to the GP around the third or fourth time with it still not going away, I was told there wasn't really anything that could be done about it.

What may be interesting to you if you are finding it tough to adjust - the doctor did offer me 'tinnitus councilling'. I didn't take it, but I'm guessing this might be a useful way of learning to live with it if you are struggling to sleep etc.

 

[fossyant]

The councelling stuff is worth considering - it teaches you how to 'deal with it' - I've got a six week course (2.5 hours a week) coming up in January to learn how to deal with my nerve pain in my arm - worth looking into.

 

[Ellis456]

Had my t since I was young, just learnt to live with it, can only hear it when it's quiet at night but sometimes I can get different variations of the noise at night, I also sometimes get t spikes, those sudden spikes of loud t that last 5-10 seconds, horrible.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

Thanks for all your advice, I would love to hear counselling experiences.

I find that earphones work, but I need to listen to something more boring (whale noise perhaps ? ), the podcasts I have been listening to seem to interesting and keep me awake :-)

I am having a hearing aid fitted next month, not sure if this will help or not, more follows.

Ciao Bellas.

 

[Sumo1973]

Hello all I am a keen cyclist .. I regularly cycle moderate distance . however have developed tinnitus. I would like to know more if cycling is proven to be exaggerate tinnitus . Should one discontinue cycling.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

I acquired mine after Ear surgery, cycling doesn't have any impact on it in my case. I did 40 iles today and it is no worse after than when I left the house.

 

[col]

I have it in a milder way, sort of a humming in the background. But I found a gadget that imitated raining noises did it for me when I needed to get to sleep.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

I use Sleepmaker iPhone app, with a pillow speaker. It helps.

 

[bicyclos]

I have it as well. Right ear the worse. The noise has changed over the years (25yrs) and get it more if I am over tired especially after work, its like a low level drone drifting back and forth or like a clothes drier rumbling away in the distance. About twenty years ago my tinnitus was like two people whispering where you just can't make out whats being said, which frightened me a little bit as I was aware of it sometimes when I was dreaming and woke me up on occasions. I get a "boom,boom boom" noise which has made me jump out of bed a few times and look out of the window, like somebody banging on the front door. Thankfully not very often. I have learnt to live with it and can sleep no probs......its rumbling away now as I type.....

 

[slowmotion]

Mine started about four years ago as a high-pitched "white noise". I think it's become a bit louder over time but it really doesn't bother me at all. I mentioned it (together with a bunch of other stuff) to a friend. "How old are you, Martin?". I told him.
"What do you expect!!!!. YOU'RE AN OLD GIT".

Quite so.

 

[User16625]

I recently developed a quite serious case of this, following illness and ear surgery. The sound is like a cross between the noise when you're on a plane and a lorry engine. It's quite loud most of the time.

I am losing sleep and it also affects my balance and my bike handling. It's dead annoying too.

Any advice ?

Chances are theres nothing you can do about it. Cant you ask your GP to refer you to an ENT? I have tinnitus which seems to come on bad sometimes, maybe for weeks. Other times it goes away. Mine sounds like a high frequency ringing but doesnt affect my balance. If it affects you balance then your medically unfit to be on the road. You could get in serious trouble if you have an accident and the cops find out. If you drive, then you most likely will be required to report you condition to DVLA.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

I am under the care of an ENT consultant, but basically little can be done. I have been cleared to drive now but it can be very frustrating and disruptive.

Thanks for all your insights and advice.

 

[pig on a bike]

Have heard that a heatlh product called Ginkgo Biloba over time can help.

 

[Globalti]

I've had it mildly for as long as I can remember but in the last 6 months it had become much louder. It seems to be worst when I'm tired. I ignore it for 99.9% of the time. Suffering from tinnitus is a bit like driving a Land Rover - if the noise irritates you, turn up the radio!

 

[02GF74]

don't have it fortunately but my final year project was related to this..... and that was may years ago. there a different causes so in some cases drugs can be used to treat it but mostly a masker - a hearing aid device that plays white noise - the noise you get when a radio is off-tune - can help.