Hi everybody
I have had tinnitus for just over a year now and find that although there are times when I’m out and about where I forget about it, the worst time is when I sit down to watch tv. It seems to ramp up in volume. I’ve tried having masking in the background does anyone else have this problem please.
When watching tv my “masker” most deffo is affected by tv, as I go out of room and bingo, all ok, it drives me daft as I don’t hear mtT at this point but some ungodly squeal in my ears does the same where ever I watch tv???
How weird be interesting to see if anyone else has the same . My masking is from my phone do not directly into my ear, wondered if this makes a difference?
Is is hard programe, something you concentrate to understand and remmber, if it is that type, like politicis or something then reason is you get stressed
When i watch TV it gets worse if the programe i am watching is quiet. If its something like an action movie ect then i dont notice my tinnitus. I also use TV or radio as background noise. I use to get moaned at for having the TV on and not watching it.
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately my tinnitus is too loud to be masked by tv. I’m glad yours is though .
I was asked once, what my tinnitus sounded like. So i went on line and downloaded noises that sound very sim to thee ones in my head. I tweeked them a little to get it sounding as near as i could get to it. Now i have it on my phone. So that if anyone asks me i can let them hear it.
When I sit down to watch TV, I stick one of my wireless buds in my offending ear and play a masking sound like “peaceful morning” from the “Resound” app on low volume. It works for me.
Hi, Thankyou for your reply, can you tell me what ear buds do you use? Also if you didn’t use them Is your tinnitus worse when you watch tv? I’m getting better at ignoring it during the day, but during relaxation is really hard .
Hi. I use Bose wireless buds but you can use any buds or headphones that work for you. My Bose buds are a bit big to tell you the truth but they never fall out. You could download the “Resound App” from the App Store and play sounds on any device. Think it’s free. My T is deffo more noticeable when watching tv.
Thankyou, I will have a look online and see whAts available. Thanks again for your help, struggling at the minute .
Very happy to help. Keep busy!
Hi Scarlett, I am a therapist who also happens to have tinnitus. The way I have found to manage it, and this may take a little while to practice, is when you have a negative thought about it (which lets be honest, there are plenty to have) respond with something more helpful, you may not believe it at first, but keep doing this as accepting it stops you fighting against it and it becomes part of your life rather than something to be challenged. The aim of us all is for it to go completely but i found the more I accepted it the less intrusive it was and the better I coped. To start with when I first got it, I would watch tv and say to myself' I am going to listen to this programme, and really focus on the words and images on the screen, gradually I zoned out from the noise in my ear, it may come and go but you get more skilled at zoning out. Keep trying, this worked for me. It is a frustrating condition to say the least but you can get to habituation. I always tell my self a cure will be found and this is helpful too. Dont let anyone say this is unrealistic as with all things related to health, eventually the funding is there and someone finds the cure we are all waiting for.
Thank you so much for your reply. I will try to take your advice on board . It’s great to get positive encouragement , I feel I need it in boat loads just now as do many others I’m sure.
Hi Scarlett,
I have found Audiology to be generally unhelpful and do not appear to know very much about Tinnitus. I have been told of a Specialist in Tinnitus who works out of Manchester NHS and I plan to meet with him and get some advice and appropriate recommendations on even better ways to manage Tinnitus. My GP has made a referral so as soon as I have met with him I will send a reply.
Best Wishes
Pauline
Thank you so much that would be very kind.
Hi
Have you met the tinitus specialist who works out of Manchester NHS.if yes can you please share your experience.
Take care
Jenjen.
Hi Scarlett
I hear mine all the time now even in the noisiest environments.
Watching tv is especially difficult as it does seem to turn the t up. No idea why.
Do you have hearing loss as aids do help, but the t is still there 😡
It’s so frustrating just hope research finds some sort of help for us all soon. Helps to keep optimistic. There’s a lot of money to be made out of finding a cure for this debilitating illness, so fingers crossed.
Take care
Ingrid xx
Hi ingrid,
I have mild hearing loss in one ear, but the audiologist I saw was really unhelpful. I had been referred for tinnitus therapy as my tinnitus was intrusive but after waiting four months to see her the therapy consisted of her telling me that I was so far forward compared to a lot of the people she saw. And that she was there for me! What a joke, no follow up appointment at all. I managed to talk her into letting me try a hearing aid but it has no masking on it, and again no follow up with her. Have asked to see another audiologist in a different hospital so waiting to see if that’s any better. It’s a very cruel thing to have isn’t it? Just when you think ok I can cope with this it decides to rear its ugly head again. Thankfully this forum is here with the support from other sufferers.
Hi Scarlett
I’ve been seeing my therapist on and off now for 23 years. She’s retiring this month and I’m worried what her replacement will be like. I don’t think they can offer much except talking and reassuring. Mine has been very good tho, even lending me spare aids when I’ve gone on long holidays in case mine broke. I’m lucky in that I can just phone or email her and she will fit me in to see her, not sure her replacement will do this.
I agree it’s a totally cruel illness that no one understands unless they’ve got it. My husband has had it for 9 months. He hears it all the time, but says it doesn’t bother him. That’s how I normally am, but when I go through a flare up it can last months and it’s so depressing. I’m lucky tho as I have no trouble sleeping.
A cure is out there tho, just hoping it’s soon.
Take care
Ingrid xx
Morning ingrid
I hope I can find someone like that, I think it will make a difference if at least I can find someone that understands. I hope your replacement is good for you. Thankyou for taking the time to reply to me.
Mine is far more noticeable when watching TV in the evening and on quieter days such as Sunday. My theory is that there is less environmental sounds around at this time to mask it, e.g less traffic outside, making the T seem louder. Additionally, watching TV involves focusing on sound as well as the screen so I feel I'm more aware of the T because of this focus on actively listening.
Thankyou for your reply, do you use any masking while listening to tv?
Not at the moment. If I do it makes watching TV more satisfying, as even playing masking sound at a very low volume compared to the TV takes the focus away from the tinnitus. I did this for the first month of a bad spike that I'm still experiencing and it helped a lot. But I'm trying to get to the routine of watching TV normally again and only use sound masking to get to sleep.
Thankyou, that makes sense. Hope your spike gets better soon
Thanks. All the best to you too and hope you'll eventually be able to watch TV without the tinnitus being intrusive.
Yes but with me it’s the opposite when I watch tv I kind of forget about lol
It’s so damm tricky !
DSH🇺🇸
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