Tinnitus

[lane]

You could put it on ignore

Yeah I know. It's really uncanny though dont notice it until something like this thread reminds me.

 

[colly]

I've had tinnitus for years - so you have my sympathies. Mine manifests itself as, what I would describe, a sort of hissing sound (like a constant gas leak somewhere).
Strangely it doesn't really bother me when cycling (or running). It's worse when I'm in a quiet or near silent environment. I was having difficulty sleeping because of it - but found that listening to "white noise" helps. You can get recordings of things such as sounds of rainfall - not an unpleasant sound, and your mind focuses on that and it helps "drown out" the tinnitus.
You do seem to "get used to it" over time and almost focus it out- but if and when you become aware of it? Jeeze its sticks around for days.

I realised a couple of years ago that I have always had tinnitus. Very similar to you in that it's a loud hissing. Mostly it doesn't intrude but I become aware of it when things are really quiet. I can recall the same thing as a kid. I also get a sudden bell like tone sometimes. I can dial it out but the best way to deal with it is to be concentrating on something to do. Reading, working, listening to music.
I'm listening to it now and it's bloody loud.

 

[Drago]

Mines a high pitched tone. It's not too intrusive and, luckily, it's never caused me any psychological grief. Wibble.

 

[irw]

I can recommend a white noise generator as a sleeping aid, although I often use a radio too.

Orrrr, for fans of star trek:
TNG:

Voyager:

I actually have this one on quite often when I'm doing coding work. Wierdly, it helps me concentrate:

 

[Mart44]

Another tinnitus sufferer here. I think it is caused by loud music ..over headphones sometimes too. The ringing and hissing can be annoying but I've mostly learned to ignore it. It is only when concentrated on (like now) that I realise how loud it is. It doesn't affect hearing other things fortunately.

 

[MichaelW2]

For some weeks I have been searching for the source of a low frequency hum like an extractor fan that goes on and off. Sometimes it comes from the neighbours on the left and sometimes on the right.
Last night I think I figured out that it was not an external noise so I probably have tinitus in my right ear. I live in a very quiet house. No history of loud music. I did have a jaw operation in June and wonder if that may have triggered it.

 

[DCBassman]

For some weeks I have been searching for the source of a low frequency hum like an extractor fan that goes on and off. Sometimes it comes from the neighbours on the left and sometimes on the right.
Last night I think I figured out that it was not an external noise so I probably have tinitus in my right ear. I live in a very quiet house. No history of loud music. I did have a jaw operation in June and wonder if that may have triggered it.

I have something similar, sounds like a distant tumble dryer...