New to Tinnitus

[Wobbs]

Hi Everyone, I'm New to T. I have recently been diagnosed by my GP with it. It first started 5 weeks ago when I was put on Tramadol for pain relief for my back, Tramadol made me anxious and feel terrible and that's when T started. Constant high pitch ringing I think is in my head not ears? I had wax removal and thought that would help but unfortunately not. How do I overcome this nightmare it's driving me mad. I try to keep busy and carry on but this is really having an effect on me. My GP said I should think about hearing aids which I may try if they help. Thanks for any advice in advance. Oh I'm 51 years old and live in Sevenoaks. 😣

[Hidden]

HI Wobbs,

Welcome to the forum and I'm sorry to hear that the tinnitus is giving you a difficult time at the moment. Many things can cause tinnitus including some medications. One of the most common causes is exposure to loud sound. Do you listen to music through headphones often or go to places where loud music is played? If so this could be the cause of your tinnitus.

Try to avoid being in a quiet room or surroundings especially at night. Using a sound machine by the bedside can be helpful. Please read the post below which gives information for anyone new to tinnitus.

All the best

Michael

New to tinnitus what to do?

The onset of tinnitus can be difficult for a lot of people to cope with. It comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. When it is mild, moderate or occasionally heard in quiet surroundings it is usually not too bothersome and a person can go about their daily affairs quite happily and unperturbed by this anomaly. This type of tinnitus usually comes on gradually and in some cases it’s associated with hearing loss, as we get older and the usual treatment is the wearing of hearing aid/s.

Tinnitus can be also be caused by an underlying medical problem, build up of ear wax (cerumen). Jaw problems. Some medications and even irregular blood flow through the body causing Pulsatile tinnitus. One of the most common causes is exposure to loud noise or music that has been played at high levels that can affect the cochlea in the ear. This type of tinnitus can be loud, intrusive and very debilitating. Often leaving a person at a loss and not knowing which way to turn to escape the noise. I fully understand how difficult it can be for someone new to this condition to take this in and believe it to be factual.

If you are having difficulty sleeping you might have been advised to try a nighttime sedation or an ant-depressant to help cope with the stress and anxiety that often accompanies tinnitus. These medications can be helpful especially in the early stages and they don’t have to be taken long term, so it’s something to consider. They can act as a safety net so you don’t become too down.

A referral to ENT will usually be recommended.

In the mean time try to keep occupied with something you like doing, as it helps to distract the brain from focusing on the tinnitus. Avoiding quiet rooms during the day by playing low-level non-intrusive music such as classical in the background can be helpful.

At night a sound machine placed by the bedside playing nature sounds or listening to favourite mp3 tracks or Cds are good. Keeping the volume just below the tinnitus is ideal and set to play throughout the night until morning.

It takes time to get used to sound therapy so please stay with it. Whilst in a deep sleep it supplies the brain and auditory system with sound enrichment. Over time the tinnitus is pushed further into the background helping to make its perception less noticeable during waking hours.

In the early stages of tinnitus, if one chooses not to use sound enrichment sleeping can sometimes be difficult and there is also the chance of the tinnitus becoming more intrusive as sleeping in a quiet room can allow the brain to increase it’s own background activity.

In doing so it will also increase the tinnitus making it more intrusive during waking hours.

There is a tendency for newbies to try and cure their tinnitus which is quite understandable. There are many remedies, treatments and concoctions out there. Some affordable others quite expensive. I am not averse to trying to help myself but want to say, there are charlatans and con artists eager to relieve someone in distress of their money so please be careful. Even tried and tested treatments I wouldn’t recommend a person try until they have been seen at ENT. Often a person after been seen at ENT is advised to wait a while.

Many people habituate to tinnitus within six months sometimes a little longer and it has been known to go away. The ear is a very delicate organ and many Doctors prefer to wait before investigating further and then suggesting a treatment. If other problems are experienced such as: pain in the ears, deafness, dizziness or balance problems this is of more concern and a person will usually been seen quicker.

It is best to have a word with your GP if you’re feeling stressed or depressed in any way, as previously mentioned there are treatments available.

Leaving things alone until your ENT advises you of the next step is the best thing to do in my opinion. Don’t try to fix anything or throw large sums of money at treatments that you have no way of knowing whether you’ll get any relief.

I advise not to listen to audio through headphones even at low volume especially if the tinnitus was "noise induced" and keep away from loud sounds. By all means go out but anywhere that plays loud music then wearing noise-reducing earplugs, the type that has attenuation filters would be a good idea. 18 to 30 decibels reduction should suffice. While reducing external sound they will not impair sound quality.

[Wobbs in reply to Hidden]

Hiya. Thankyou for your reply and advice. I used to work on building sites using plant and equipment but I finished that sometime ago and went onto an office manager's position. I have been using ear headphones at night, this may be the wrong action to take by the sound of it.

[Hidden in reply to Wobbs]

Exposure to loud noise could be the cause of your tinnitus and not the medication. I am just saying could be. I always advise people that if their tinnitus was caused by loud noise, never use headphones even at low volume. I have written a lot about this here and at other tinnitus forums.

Many people that have noise induced tinnitus, returning to using headphones and the tinnitus becomes worse. Headphones will not affect everyone with noise induced tinnitus but it's risky. I advise you to use a "standalone" sound machine by your bedside for now and not use headphones. You can use low level relaxing music for now until you get a sound machine.

I have written an article on tinnitus that you might find helpful. If you would like a copy, please send me your email address. Please send it by Private message and not post it in the forum.

All the best

Michael

[djv1985 in reply to Hidden]

Hi,

What about people who have T through ear infection? I've been using a (bad) bluetooth speaker to drown out the high pitched ring in my ear and have been thinking about starting to listen to headphones when I'm out an about. I tend to have white noise, mostly flash flood noises playing through the speaker and it would be the same with the headphones. Opinion?

Also what about bone conductor ones?

[NicBTA Partner]

Hello and welcome to the British Tinnitus Association forum Wobbs. 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

- you might find our piece on hearing aids helpful, as they do generally reduce the intrusiveness of tinnitus: tinnitus.org.uk/hearing-aid...

takeontinnitus.co.uk

- a free self help programme for tinnitus

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

Warmest wishes

Nic (BTA Communications Manager and Forum Administrator)

[Cruncher]

Hi! I too noticed ringing when taking a new medication. I stopped the medication but I still hear that sound! I have also noticed other sounds. To be completely honest, any pain I still feel about tinnitus is truly just psychological. As in yes, sometimes my ears make noises, it is not just my brain making these noises and it is real, but when I sit and focus on it that is when I feel it has defeated me. Psychologically, if I sit and obsess over it, that is the only time I feel defeated. If I am living my life with the sounds still there, but I am spending my time doing productive things and not obsessing, I do not feel defeated. I have gotten to the point where tinnitus typically does not bother me though and I do not obsess nearly as much. Lately I have been anxious about life events so I have been noticing it more at night, as my anxiety seems to amp it up and also make me focus on it. But honestly after suffering for some time with it last Fall/Winter, I feel like myself again and the tinnitus is like nothing to me. To me, cured either means it is gone, or I feel like myself again and I am living my life, even with tinnitus. You will be at peace again, I promise. It might be a bit of a journey but it will happen. What I like to remind myself of is that everyone has some tinnitus to an extent. I ask people all the time if they have tinnitus experiences and they do most of the time. And I recently found out my grandpa has had it for 50 years and until my Mom told him I have tinnitus, he never made a peep about it and that is how unimportant it is to him. I have known him for 20 years and we are close. And I remember noticing it when I was a kid, before I had any medication for acne or any ear issues, I was lying in bed and I remember thinking “huh, I heard noises in my ear”. I also remind myself that there are always plenty of background noises in my life anyways like AC, heating units, TV, people talking, bugs, etc., so background noises are nothing new and I equate tinnitus to background noise when I can and go about my day. Because I surely don’t care about the heat going on or my family talking, etc. I wish you the best, it will all be alright and you will feel like yourself again, even with tinnitus.

[Wobbs in reply to Cruncher]

Hi Crunchers, Thank you so much for your reply you have giving me confidence and lifted me. I will get on and get use to it I'm sure it's just I spose getting used to this annoying ringing. I am trying to focus on other things which is proving at tad difficult but I'm sure eventually I will get used to it. Thanks again & All the Best.

[Ingrid-p]

Hi, believe me after a while your brain will gradually lose interest in the t. I've had it 37 years and had a few bad spells, but I always come out the other side. It's distressing at the time, but after a few bad months with mine I'm OK now. It's still loud, but it's really not bothering me.

Ingrid xx

[LuverlyLucie]

When I was first diagnosed with tinnitus (T) I wondered how I’d cope but this amazing group have literally been lifesavers. The BTA video featuring people talking about their experiences of T was also useful. I have had my wobbles but I have come through them. I’ve accepted that T is part of me and that I’ll have good days, moderate days and bad days. It doesn’t define me and it doesn’t stop me being happy. It’s loud right now but I’ve had good days this week and that helps me get through. I hope this helps.

Lovely Luciex