Trying To Cope With Tinnitus - NEWBIE

[Jimmuck]

Hi Folks. I am a 66 year old Scottish male and have been recently diagnosed with tinnitus, although I suspect I have had it very slightly for several years. About three months ago, I started to get a loud high pitched sound like a dentists drill in my right ear, which I put down to having a cold at the time and feeling a bit choked up. However, once the cold had gone, the sound remained and got increasingly worse. I visited my GP and she referred me to the ENT dept at the local hospital. I had my hearing tested and I was shocked when the consultant told me, based on the test results, I would need two hearing aids. When I asked about the tinnitus, he said there was no cure but the hearing aids might help mask it! Other than a suggestion to put olive oil in my ears at night and a prescription for amitryptyline, that was the only help and advice I was given. He also added that if I had never worked in a noisy environment, the condition would most likely be genetic. I have it in my right ear and as recently as yesterday, it has started in my left ear, so now I have the damned drill noise in stereo. The volume seems to fluctuate and some days, when it settles down a little, I can just about bear it but when it spikes, I feel as if it is overwhelming me. After doing quite a lot of research on line, I understand the condition and it's causes and I am heartened by the various coping mechanisms fellow sufferers employ but I have yet to find something that works for me. I am having my hearing aids fitted mid February and I sincerely hope they will help reduce the tinnitus volume but I rather think they might not be that effective. I was wondering if anyone on the forum with tinnitus, has had a positive outcome with hearing aids as I really need some good news! I would not wish this condition on my worst enemy and silence now for me is a thing of the past. Sorry for being a bit long winded and I look forward to reading some success stories soon!

[Curlew]

Hi Jimmuck,

Just a very quick reply as I'm on my way to bed but know how it feels when you are 'struck' with intrusive tinnitus!

Mine started about 8 months ago whilst taking medication for a chest infection.

It is an extremely loud whining hiss, to me the who,e room feels as though it us full of noise, I can't attribute it to either ear! In the beginning I was desperate, having not had any debilitating illness or condition before in my life, but this at first disabled me.

I read about 'habituation ' and although I wanted to believe it I could not believe it could ever happen.

Well I genuinely think it must be happening as I can now go for periods where I don't hear my T and during the times when I do hear it it doesn't bother me as much.

As people have said, this does and will happen.Try to stay calm, I know it seems hard at the moment, but I lived by the ethos, fake it till you make it and after the initial stages I forced myself to carry on as normal until now 8 months later I have, in the main, got my old life back.

Take care and project yourself into the future when it will seem a lot better.

C

[Curlew]

Btw, a lot of people seem to find hearing aids help them a lot so they may well help you too.

Excuse poor spelling etc., I'm rushing!!

[Hidden]

64 year old Scottish male, have been coping with this for several years.

You should not put anything in your outer ear unless a doctor tells you to. The problem does not originate there.

My hearing aid went in the drawer after a few weeks.

You don't mention using white noise and if not get it organised. It's something you can do immediately and it can make a big difference.

I get quiet days now and then. This is a new thing so the sound of silence is good to hear.

I suggest making a diary or notes to try and see if you have triggers. Moderate alcohol, make sure you have distraction when it's bad (radio, TV, CD, anything to keep you from thinking 'ears' and keep busy). If you just sit about it will be much worse so get stuck in to whatever you have to keep you active.

It's probably not going away so you have to try to stop it being a big thing.

[Jimmuck in reply to Hidden]

Thank you all very much indeed for taking the time to reply to my post and it's great to hear from other people who have experienced the hell that is tinnitus. I took the decision today, to try something different and I purchased some CBD oil which I intend to vape, as this method of ingestion has had some very positive reviews in helping to calm the central nervous system, thus reducing the severity of tinnitus. I have various other ailments including arthritis and chronic back pain so if the CBD alleviates any one of them, I will be highly delighted but I really hope it will have some effect on the T. Interestingly, the chap who served me in the store today, was also a sound engineer. When I told him I had tinnitus, he explained exactly what the condition was and even drew me a diagram of the inner ear! He advised me to start using only a few drops of oil in my normal vaping liquid, monitor the results and then adjust as required. I have never tried anything like this before so fingers crossed and if it works, I'll let you know!!

[Curlew in reply to Jimmuck]

Lucky to find someone so 'clued up'. Hope it gives you some relief. Keep us posted.😊

[NicBTA Partner]

Hello and a belated welcome to the British Tinnitus Association forum. Do feel free to ask any questions, I hope that you find this a helpful and supportive place to help you manage your tinnitus.

We have some resources that you might like to check out in addition to our home here:

tinnitus.org.uk

takeontinnitus.co.uk

Helpline 0800 018 0527 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm) (outside the UK you can call [phone])

Warmest wishes

Nic (BTA Communications Manager and Forum Administrator)