My doctor suggested I join a discussion group to share experiences of my tinnitus with other fellow sufferers. I have had tinnitus for about 4 years (hissing in both ears after an earth shatteringly loud ACDC concert. I have good days and bad days with it. The key for me is to keep busy and focus on doing something positive to take my mind off it. Exercise helps too. The hissing flares up when I'm stressed and makes me weep at times. My hearing is mildly to moderately affected - high pitch sounds escape me and I watch TV with the subtitles. Do they all mumble on TV now or is it just me?? I long to experience silence again and appreciate quiet moments to myself without my hissing enemies disturbing me. Would it be worthwhile looking into hearing aids or do they make the tinnitus even worse?
Where is the silence?: My doctor suggested I... - Tinnitus UK
Where is the silence?
Hi Yogagirl,
I have tinnitus too (ringing, swooshing and roaring). Mine gets so much worse when I am stressed or feel overwhelmed. I find deep breathing and meditation help me a great deal. Also positive self talk.
I am not sure hearing aids will help you or not. I'd be more worried about the hearing loss. If you are having trouble hearing go to an audiologist or ENT and see what your loss is. They can fit you with the right hearing aids for you loss. Most of the time people just learn to live with tinnitus. Since you can still hear you can mask it. Masking is where you play other sounds to drown out the sound from your tinnitus. I do hope it gets better for you.
Hi Valorrian
Positive thinking is certainly a good therapy. It's better to remain positive than think negatively all the time. Thanks for the advice and I'll ask my GP for a referral to the audiology department. Stay positive and make the most of your good days.
Hearing aids will only help if you have hearing loss and tinnitus combined.
Thank you. I'll certainly look into it
You seem to be doing all the right things so far as distraction is the best way to combat T sounds. I’ve also got loud hissing noises in both ears and I have a mild hearing loss. My tinnitus came about from work related noises from pneumatic machines close by. Like you I also attended loud live music concerts when I was younger so that must have added to my T. I now have 2 hearing aids both fitted with masking sounds. You should seek an appointment with an audiologist through your GP so that they can give you a full hearing test and assess your hearing losses in both ears from an audiogram produced. Hopefully you’ll get sorted out from that. Good luck!
Thank you for the advice. I'll ask for a referral to get my hearing assessed and see what they can offer me. It's fortunate that I'm very positive about my condition and remind myself there are worse ailments to have. Your hearing aids seem to do the trick for you. Definitely worth thinking about.
Hi there I suffer the same screaming tinnitus fir 7 months waiting for MRI results . Have some hearing loss according to ent but tinnitus s in left ear. I try to keep busy too but am exhausted through lack of sleep . I have joined a local groups but they only meet every three months . Good luck
Do you find the local groups helpful? They run these groups in my area too
Hi Yogagirl, so sorry to red bout your T im into my sixth year with it march 13th 2013 I refer to everything before that as B.T. before tinnitus, I have hearing aids and they also have white noise which does help sometimes and the aids help your brain to listen to the wordly sounds you might normally miss with your hearing loss, so I think you should go along to audiology and speak to them but mind you so many people have had bad experiences with them and a pvt hearing shop will charge you plenty for aids. I have a pair I bought when I first got T they have ZEN on them which is noise or music different things you can play but theyre sound range inst as good as N H S ones if you can get them and the shop charged me £2000.00 and that was a discount she saod by giving me the remote control to switch the zen on and off free!!!!!!!! good luck cheers craw.
Yes, I remember life BT too! If only I could turn back time. I will certainly go down the NHS route before I would consider parting with that kind of money. Thanks for the advice and stay positive
Hello yogagirl2014
I have had T for 20 years. My nuerilogist ordered a brain scan to check for tumors. Nothing came up but my tinnitus went crazy from the scan. Yesterday was the first day of a deep dive into the UCSF system to take a look at how they handle tinnitus not only for me but in the UCSF protocol. I spent the day meeting with all of the related department heads. Although I will continue to peel the layers of the onion, the hearing aid was not recommended for me. There needs to be a very in-depth study of your ears on several fronts to determine if and what hearing aid could help you without causing more problems. I wish there was an ENT consulting with this forum to help explain the complexities involved.
Meanwhile, it will take weeks before the team working on my case determines a course of action.
Yes, the film industry has reduced the sound clarity and the new television speakers are useless. Digital band width is being throttled as well. If you are listening to earphones, that’s more clear but bad for your T.
As I experience the new increase in my hyperacusis and T, I’m learning ways to cope. So far, what they really offer is coaching on self mental training. They present the hearing aids and more in their literature but almost always decline to offer them.
They are considering trying some meds on me that have helped a small percentage of trials.
Please let me know if your ENT or audiologist has hearing aid technology that can safely mask your T or enhance your hearing perception.
Hang in there and keep focused on something else you love to do.
You've certainly given me food for thought. It's definitely not a straightforward course of action. Probably trial and error but I would hate the T to worsen by taking the wrong route. If I have any joy at all with audiology and hearing aids, I'll certainly share this. In the meantime, I'll continue to take my mind off the T by focusing on the nice things in life. The power of the brain is amazing.
hello i hope your coping best you can ,i had t for 6 year s and it wont go away it s here to stay , im sorrys to say but if can except it help s but it take time you get high and low , i hope you join a support group they are very good and always s there to help , take care and plod on the best you can john
Will def go to next support group meeting. Take care too and stay happy
Hey pebble we miss you - any chance of you coming back !!
If so I`d check there`s a meeting - we haven`t had one for a couple of weeks - should be back to normal soon though.
Love Lynne xx
Thought I must just say YG, yes, most people do mumble on TVs and films these days. I know a number of people who mention it now!! It's too common to hear lots of noise but not be able to follow the speach😱😁 People seem to think the louder everything is the better!!
Thank goodness for the subtitles. Glad it's not just me
Hello and welcome to the British Tinnitus Association forum. 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:
Helpline 0800 018 0527 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm) (outside the UK you can call +44 (0)114 250 9922)
Warmest wishes
Nic (BTA Communications Manager and Forum Administrator)
Thank you for the useful links. I'll definitely check them out
Hi Yogagirl,
I have various noises and moderate hearing loss and wear hearing aids.
My hearing aids definitely help me especially with the hissing noise - when I am wearing my aids the hissing noise is barely noticeable.
I think it would be a good idea for you to get a hearing test. Just to be able to hear everything is wonderful.
Lynne
Hi Lynne, that's great your hearing aids help you. I have doc appt today and asking for referral to audiology. Hopefully I'll get some relief too. Take care
3 noises!
Is your tinnitus only a sound or pain-like?
Loud Music
Acceptance is key, but understanding is the key to acceptance
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