Singing ears

[Wellhouseafc1976]

Hi I have singing /hissing sounds /tingling down my left side my ears are sore to touch can you help me please Robert Noble

[Ruud1boy]

You need to speak to your GP to get your symptoms checked.

[NicTinnitus]

Hello and welcome to the British Tinnitus Association forum Robert - I'm sorry I wasn't around earlier to welcome you, but I've been on holiday. Do feel free to ask any questions, I hope that you find this a helpful and supportive place to help you manage your tinnitus.

Tinnitus does generally get better over time. And even if it doesn’t go away completely, it can get to a level where it isn’t intrusive, and it isn't noticeable - in the same way you probably don’t really notice traffic noise when you walk down the street.

The time tinnitus takes to disappear or reduce in intensity varies from person to person, but there are some tips and techniques you can do to help. These are the things we at the BTA generally recommend:

Information - you will probably feel better when you find out more about the condition, that it is very common and that you are not alone.

Counselling - techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be helpful, either as a standalone therapy or combined with sound therapy.

Correcting any hearing loss - if your tinnitus is accompanied by any hearing loss, then trying to correct this loss with hearing aids is often very helpful. Do make sure that these are adjusted correctly, and that they are worn – they do not work if they are kept in a drawer!

Sound therapy - if the noises seem louder at quiet times, particularly during the night, it may help to have some environmental or natural sound from a CD, a sound generator, or even a fan or ticking clock in the background. Some people use in-ear sound generators.

Relaxation - learning to relax is probably one of the most useful things you can do to help yourself. Those who practice relaxation techniques say they reduce the loudness of their tinnitus and helps them become indifferent to it. Yoga and tai chi can also help.

Mindfulness is showing some very promising results after recent clinical trials, so that is something else you might like to try.

I would say that none of these solutions is an "instant" fix - they take time and perseverance. Some people do expect tinnitus to subside after one session of breathing exercises, for example, and that just isn't the case.

There is no drug or medication which directly helps tinnitus, so we do not recommend any.

There’s a lot of good information on our website tinnitus.org.uk - try to avoid sites which promise “tinnitus miracles” or “tinnitus cures” as there’s no such panacea - but with time, you will learn to manage your tinnitus well.

We have a free tinnitus management e-programme as well takeontinnitus.co.uk which you may like to try.

Our Helpline 0800 018 0527 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm) (outside the UK you can call [phone]) can also answer your questions and give you support.

I hope this is helpful, and we are here to answer any questions you might have, or offer support.

Warmest wishes

Nic (BTA Communications Manager and Forum Administrator)