What sounds help

[Expod]

Hi everyone I’ve just started getting Tinnitus in the last few weeks. It’s pretty loud and almost constant now. Anyone get any relief with apps that play sounds to cancel or distract from it. What type of noises help? When I’m walking on the seafront and it’s windy and I can hear the waves this really helps (especially if there’s bird song) distract from the high pitch whining.

[doglover1973]

Hi Expod Welcome. Sorry you have tinnitus of course . Sound therapy is a personal thing. It sounds as if you like wind, waves & gulls. I do too. Nothing brings me more relief than a stroll on the seafront. There was a post recently by a forum member Soundscaper . He's captured sounds like this perfectly. If you click on his name it will take you to his post.

[rabbits65]

I live near the seafront too and the sound of the waves is very helpful for my tinnitus. . Of course lately with these very high winds I haven’t gone down there. The sound of rain is soothing too.

[daverussell]

As doglover says it's personal. I like to have a range of apps and music.

resound.com/en-gb/hearing-a...

sleeporbit.app/

notched-music.com/english/t....

Tinnitus is made worse by stress, so in addition I use meditation music too. Tinnitus relief and mediation playlists can be found on music subscription services. I subscribe to YouTube music, though I'm sure they're equally available on Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Music.. or indeed freely available.

[Antinni1971]

has it high frequencies and volume? Is it higly intrusive in your life? Can you sleep?

[surreycccfan]

Hi, I used Resound Relief App resound.com/en-gb/hearing-a... (but lots of others out there), I liked this one as could mix several different sounds. I used the sound of waves, rain and thunder which I found very calming. Although, mapping to the sound of your T is a personal thing. Audiologists tell us to map the volume of the sound to just below the volume of your T, so your brain can hear other external sounds as well at the sound from the sound generator.

Stay safe

[Hidden]

Hi ExpodI have had T for 4 months in my left ear only and at one point it was quite loud, my Tinnitus (T) is a hum. I decided to treat myself like a guinea pig and have therefore tried various things to reduce or manage my T.

I read a medical paper that stated that there is a link between arterial pressure/blood flow an T but the cause is unknown. My doctor also said this. The close proximity of the carotid artery near the ear being a prime suspect. Any reduction/restriction of blood flow would seem to me to be a likely cause. One clear indicator of this as a potential problem would be your blood pressure.

This is what I discovered so far and what works for me: -

Your blood pressure. BP affects the volume of the T. Do not assume that a healthy BP 120/80 is normal for you. The lower you can get your BP within the normal range, the better and the quieter the T. My BP was initially 140/90, now it is typically 110/75 and my T is now generally low volume. I will continue pushing this down to about 100/70.

Exercise: This is essential. I found that moderate paced swimming 40 lengths in a 25m pool in about 45 mins stops the T completely for between 5 and 20 hours. The longer the period of swimming has over time extended the period of no T. I have swum almost daily over the last 2 months. This is a bit of a pain but it is low impact and I have become a much better swimmer!

I struggled to find any other exercise that can mimic the beneficial affect of swimming but have recently found that jogging at least 7k over 50 mins almost eliminates the T like swimming. I have needed to get my pulse to exceed 170. I am slowly increasing the distance I jog until I achieve the same results. I jog every second or third day.

Lose weight if necessary, my BMI is now 23.6.

I believe that exercise works because it dilates the blood vessels so improving blood flow and this dilation remains post exercise for a period of time. Furthermore, this would imply that BP is not the cause of T, but localised restricted blood flow. This is supported by the fact that I can change the volume of the T by changing the orientation of my neck?

At night, which is always the worst time, I use either water or olive oil in my ear to block the ear and often also use an ear plug to hold the liquid in place. Olive oil is better if the noise is louder. This eliminates or substantially makes quieter the T. Ribbed silicon ear plugs are the best.

Go to bed when you are tired and try to have a regular bedtime, this helps to nod of quicker. I also use sleeping tablets when necessary but keep to a low dose and only use sparingly.

Download the free white noise app onto your phone, I have found that a sound that is similar in frequency to your T helps, but this may be that it works for me as I only have T in the one ear. White noise of an electric fan also helps, as does an open window.

Reduce your salt intake, ditch junk food, drink plenty of fluids but limit the alcohol. Avoid a headache at all costs. I have also reduced coffee intake but I am not sure this makes any difference.

This is my sum of my knowledge to date. My goal is to achieve a stable exercise regime that reduces my T to zero, or as near as I can get to it.

[rabbits65 in reply to Hidden]

Your reply and findings are very interesting indeed . You have done very well . We need people like yourself to find out more for this dreadful T . 😂. from Penny

[Expod in reply to Hidden]

Thanks very much some good advice there. Even if it doesn’t help with the T it will certainly improve my health.

[purenostalgia]

Hi Expod,

There are many variations of noises with tinnitus, high pitch whining describes mine.

I compare it to a fluorescent tube when they produce a high singing noise.

I always make sure there is plenty of exterior noise around me during the day, radio on constantly

I sleep with my phone under the pillow.

Mike

[Sadie2022]

Hi Expod - just a warning , please don’t sleep with your phone under your pillow - the phone needs air around it to stop overheating and the battery failing or even exploding - there have been some tragic accidents. I just bought a sound pillow and that just has speakers and you can connect to your phone via wire and use apps in the same way - it works well for me.