My tinnitus has got worse over past few months and I can hear it all time in daytime now , whereas previously it would fade at times in daytime - it is now strong solid intrusive tone , on both sides and over head , and higher pitched - it is literally driving me crazy . Does anyone else hear their tinnitus ALL the time and quite loud?
Can you hear your tinnitus all the time and is... - Tinnitus UK
Can you hear your tinnitus all the time and is it loud
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Suz_2
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63 Replies
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Hi yes I have very loud T all the time.Hardly a second where it’s not all through the day. From the time I wake up to the minute I fall asleep, it’s there super load and intrusive. I keep thinking it’s because I have not habituated but have no idea how to do that as some people say they have.
So very loud and so ‘in your face’ I’m amazed that I’ve not cracked by now.
However because of that I have a severe depression and feel like poop every minute of every day. I just assume everyone has this the same as I know no different.
Really hope you get some rest bite and it goes away again.
Take care
Graham
can i ask how long has it been like that ? Do you do sound therapy Graham , i tried but doesnt seem to work that well for me
I have a medication which can help and I am going to have to start taking it
You sure can Suz65, for me I woke like this in 2015 after a virus and it’s never stopped. The same virus took my ability to smell and taste so it was a ‘buy one, get one free’ situation.
Some days I really have to try hard to consider doing all this again tomorrow.
The only sound system I use is my pillow playing rain at nighttime through my Oasis sound machine.
Very best Graham
Hi Graham, like you I have very loud tinnitus 24/7, with no respite other than when outside in a noisy environment (e.g. traffic noise combined with birds, plus sound of water flowing, plus wind blowing etc). I found I also cannot stand yet further, manufactured, noise on top (such as sound machines and the like). I'd really urge you to try CBT. I was extremely sceptical about it but found a brilliant online course that you can do at your own pace (Debbie Featherstone - ex NHS so very sensible) which is hugely educational and basically trains you to learn to live with it. It didn't, for me, make any difference at all in the tinnitus itself but I do now find that I am able to get on with life and not let it take over, for most of the time. I really recommend it. Best wishes,
Many thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. That’s very kind.I’ve had a couple of things in the past but they have been general therapy based from the NHS via the GPS. About 8-10 weeks and not specific to my T.
Is this person private may I ask please?
Very best Graham
Hi Graham
Yes, her web address is debbiefeatherstone.com - you complete a couple of assessment forms re your specific situation and the output from that then informs the best type of course and level of personal counselling/input from her, for you. Definitely worth a look?
Even if you don't decide to sign up for a course, you may find at least some articles on there that are useful. Good luck!
Many thanks for that, best Graham
sound therapy makes my T worse - i am really stuck - as hearing aids made it worse as well
Hi Suz_2 I'm sorry to hear you're struggling. You too Graham-E I have loud T all the time in one ear and moderate T all the time in the other - even with my HA's. After two years it's still a physical burden but not an emotional one. I can accept it . I hope & pray that you'll get there too.
thanks - how are you doing with the HA's - does the T seem louder when not using them?
Yes. I'm afraid so. I'm taking a break because I've got a problem with my ears. I feel a bit defeated by everything if I'm honest . How are you?
i am ok - better than last week , which was v difficult - I have hearing aids as well , but i am worried they could make the T permntly louder
Good to hear you're a bit better . I know you've had a tough time lately. It's not always easy to know what to for the best . If I was you I'd let your T settle before you try HA's again.
Yay Suz26, I also have it very loud 24/7 too. H/aid didn’t do anything for me either. I just treat it as my BFF as we do absolutely everything together. It is more than hard, especially in the early days, months, years but when there are no other options that’s all one can do.
Luckily I don’t get spikes but I can’t imagine it being louder than it already is. Lack of sleep tends to make it seem louder but I reckon it’s just the ability to deal with it is diminished. Everything seems much worse when you’re exhausted.
It can be a very harsh learning curve but many people manage to habitate it. (That’s a very old joke now. I always said I’d spell it correctly when it happened😂)
Best Wishes
Xene
thnx Xene - can I ask , how long did u try the hearing aids for? and did the HA's make the T seem or become louder
Yay Suz26, probably a year or more. The H/A (I only have one hearing ear left due to complex surgery) had no effect whatsoever on my T, in fact I was amazed at all the little sounds I didn’t notice I’d lost I could hear again. Unfortunately I started to get really bad earache every six weeks or so. After various mri scans which thankfully were clear but the earaches continued to happen so I ditched the H/A and no earaches since.
Over the years on here some members write about their concerns about H/A’s making their T worse in fact I worried about it too but I always advised them to give them a try. We are all unique as to what does and doesn’t help our battle with T.
Good luck and I do hope by whatever means you manage to cope better with your T.
Yes Suz it's all the time (as is I think usual). I only notice it:a) when I am replying to posts here
b) when it is masked by something else.
In the second case, as an example, I was walking through a multi-storey car park with my husband the other day and mentioned that the traffic outside (a main road) was almost the same noise as my T and almost masked it.
From this, and from using a ceiling fan these last few hot days, I know that masking does not and will not work for me.
But I am habituated. How? by just accepting it and getting on with life.
It's a bit like an annoying person you know - a few years ago I got chatting with someone at a bus stop, as we retirees do, and ever since then this man treats me as his new best friends. He is quite challenged mentally and I deal with it by either pretending to ignore him or, if I have to, say a brief 'good afternoon' and pass by quickly.
The same with Tinnitus - if I notice it, its like an annoying person that won't go away and I ignore it most of the time.
There are far worse things to cope with in life, such as bereavement or serious illness such as multiple sclerosis or painful such as arthritis. It's just life.
many thnx Rosie - yes there are some really awful conditions that people have to endure and you are right , life could be worse than having T. Does yr T volume rise in reaction to noise ,like traffic , car journeys etc
Yes suz I heard my T all the time and sometimes very loud. all time loud but sometimes very loud. anxious all the time.Nothing mask my T😭.
Hi! I can hear it all the time, exactly in the places mentioned by you. It has got worse in the last years, since 2017. I am used to it in daytime,but it’s quite hard at night. I can fall asleep naturally, but around 1am I wake up , I read to focus on the book, not on the sounds and then I take 1/2 of Imovane, a sleeping pill.
Good health!
Yes high pitched and In the background thanks to Betahistine
Are we saying that betahistine has made it better or worse?Thanks
Better. Though it's not recommended for T. For me, it's bearable whilst investigations continue x
Thanks for the clarification
My T is in my face from dawn until dusk.I just love riding motorbikes but I am starting to realise that even with all manner of steps being taken to protect my hearing including expensive earplugs ,I suffer the consequences.
Mr T is vindictive ,If I ride the bike for just 2 hours ,he will punish me with huge spike that might last a week or more
Hi. Yes. Mine can get so loud that I cannot hear people beside me speak.
I am trying hard to stop an emotional reaction to it.
24/7 for me for just over a year now.
Try to distract yourself by doing something you love. That is the best advice I have.
I wish you well.
Hi Suz26,
Very loud T in left ear all the time. The only time I get relief is when I go to bed at night. The louder my environment, the louder it gets. It's relentless, but I just deal with it and get on with my life. I have learnt that if I fight it, it just fights back all the more. The more attention I give it, the more it craves. I just try and ignore it and the more I ignore it, the more I don't notice it.
As you will have noticed from the replies, you are definitely not on your own and we all understand what you are going through.
All the best 
many thnx Molko - is yr T high pitch or more mid tone?
You’re welcome 🙂
It’s very high pitched. Like someone whistling in my ear, but then it can change to a high pitched hissing. It just does what it wants, when it wants. I never know from one day to the next which noise it’s going to make.
thnx Molko - mine was a mid tone buzzing ,then changed after April to a higher more solid tone. I suppose its easier for me than many on this forum coz i am 63 and retired - but for those who have to go out to work with a bothersome tinnitus , it must be so difficult
I work in an extremely quiet office, but the more quiet it is for me the more my T behaves. It just loves noise and ramps up big time. To be honest, I’ve got used to it now. It just doesn’t surprise me anymore. I just get on with my day 🙂
my T is like that - noise pushes it up - car journeys are the most difficult aspect of this , so I really dont go too far in car anymore.
I know what you mean with regard to car journeys. My T doesn't like them at all! I have to travel to see my parents and when I get home from visiting my T is through the roof.
I have learnt to accept whatever it does. I'm still going to live my life and do all the things I did before I had it. I am mindful of it, but It doesn't dictate what I do on a daily basis.
Mine is loud all the time. Sometimes worse than others. Mood/stress
- I now take Sertraline. However, I found other medication didn't help. ADs and finding the right one is a personal thing. Speak to your GP.
- use sound therapy / background music at night. Try different sounds to find one that suits you (like AD I suppose). Remember it's background noise, so do not use it to drown out your tinnitus. I use a speaker headband.
- during the day find something to do to avoid thinking about it. Again don't drown it out.
It WILL get easier.
many thanks Dave - AD's ? is that anti depressants. I am occupied in daytimes and get on with stuff . I am scared the T is going to get louder . It is now louder over past 4 months after a 40 min MRI spine scan in April - which is probably one of worst things u can do if u have T
Yes, Antidepressants. My tinnitus is louder, buts it's often a matter of perception. Managing stress is key here.
Last night my tinnitus was worse that it been in months, though that could be how I perceived it. I'd had an especially busy day at work. I had trouble focusing on the TV so did some reading. After a few minutes I'd forgotten about my Tinnitus as I'd switched off from work
When I went to bed I found myself focusing on it. I tried an audiobook, but again I couldn't concentrate. I actually decided I would listen to my tinnitus for a few minutes. When I tried the audiobook again I was able to get away from my tinnitus
All the best. Again, it WILL get easier.
thnx Dave - does the Sertraline reduce the T perception or volume slightly because it reduces anxiety
I think it's the perception and allows me to cope. It reduces my reaction to it. In the past I've had other ADs, unrelated to tinnitus, and found they didn't help or in one case made me angry. I can't remember which ones, but what works for some eople and reactions to them vary.
hi Dave - just read yr reply to y post again - can i ask which sound therapy headband that u use ? thnx
Sleep Headphones Bluetooth Sports Headband, Wireless Sleeping Headphones Breathable Music Headband with Bluetooth 5.2, Perfect for Jogging,Walking and Yoga (Grey) amzn.eu/d/1O3iZqC
many thanks Dave - yr messaages are always very helpful ⭐
Around the beginning of the year my tinnitus went from occassional to a continous high frequency tone. It's not loud, but it never stops.
After consulting with an audiologist and an ENT specialist, medical problems I had last year created several possible causes for this.
Over a period of about 18 months I had pneumonia, Covid-19, and chemotherapy. Then I finished out the year with botched chemo that put me in the ER with kidney failure.
Apparently, all of this could have caused the change -- week of IV antibiotics for the pneumonia, a monoclonal antibody drug, and the kidney failure. I never thought that any of this stuff would affect my ears.
But now I have a bunch of potential causes, but no solutions.
I hope your tinnitus gets better!
Hi Suz26I am suffering very loud tinnitus all of the time both ears and across my head, T changes tone during the day which can be more manageable..
I have accepted tinnitus in my left ear for many years, however, the last few months noises are all over and very loud.. I have a humming whistling noise mostly with an addition of pulsating T in my left ear… I wish someone else could hear my noises it’s quite laughable how one can cope with the racket but we must carry on and put our minds on something else which is the best advice I can give….
Suz26 I can fully appreciate and understand how you are feeling, you could maybe look towards Yoga or relaxation classes which may help, join a local tinnitus group being with people who have tinnitus, sharing ideas etc.,
As others have said you are not alone….
All the best
Jean
Yes all the time, one ear pretty loud, the other not quite so, and a mix of sounds. For me being busy is what works best. If I'm involved in something, and it doesn't have to be a loud something, I tend not to think about it so much. So a good book, a walk with a friend, playing pickleball, sewing whatever it is as long as it requires concentration. I have had it for about twenty years now and have to some extent got used to it. I know mine could be worse because there are days when it has been, but at the moment I can deal with it. I hope you learn to as well. I don't use anything to specifically try to deal with the tinnitus, and hear in the States no-one is much interested in it that I've seen. I have Menieres and so they focus on that, particularly the hearing loss as I'm no longer having vertigo spells, but the attitude to tinnitus is very much - 'I'm sorry, but there's nothing that can be done for that yet' which is supported by all by reading but doesn't make it any easier.
Hi have just joined BTA as have constant tinnitus in left ear since last December. I already have hearing aids in both ears as am slightly deaf (have had problems with hearing over last 15 years). My husband died last year and I have depression the tinnitus isn’t helping. Always very loud when I wake up. I have piano music playing when I go to bed but still have disturbed sleep. Aiming at just getting used to it.
Hi Suz26 as everyone has said I have high pitched whine all day and night aswell. I'm on betahistine for vertigo and it's really worked no episodes for several months but it hasn't changed the tinnitus sounds. I'm curious everyone seems to know which side they have tinnitus. I can't tell if it's left or right side it seems to be both ears to me so does that mean I have it in both ears? Would it be very obvious if it was just on one side? Anyway waiting for my ENT appointment to come through as GP has finally referred me. I am pretty sure I have hearing problems but I am worried about hearing aids as I don't want to put them in my ears as I have exzcema in my ears which is pretty horrid too. Anyway all the best hope things get better for you soon take care.
Agree with you Beagleears mine isn’t really “in” the ear it’s in the head - though when I get a whine it sometimes decides on one ear or the other!
I have had a hissing sound for many years and it is very quiet so I can ignore. I also have a tic-toc sound , again not loud, mostly when I wake in the night - if it is a nuisance I invent some doggerel to make it flow, and finally I have some bangs at odd intervals during the night, seldom during the day. I suppose I have become used to it all and don't notice !
I have tinnitus in my left ear, I hear it 24 hours a day, it's desperate. at first it was lower but I have the impression that it gets worse every day!I'm sorry because it brings us a lot of suffering, quality of life disappears and we just exist, we don't live.
Hi Suz I feel for you, I’m in the same boat. Reactive tinnitus is a particularly difficult sub set of tinnitus as a lot of the techniques to help with non reactive tinnitus can exacerbate it. This leaves us with working on tinnitus distress mainly from an emotional perspective. You have to dig around to find the right person but I can recommend MCBT as the way forward - if you learn it and work at it your reaction to your T will improve and the problems start to dissipate. Hard to believe I know but please give it a try and keep trying. The gentleman in the link is the leading authority on MCBT for tinnitus in the UK and a good place to start. uclh.nhs.uk/our-services/fi...
yes has got worse since July.Been a sufferer for 17 years but tolerable until the last 3 months.
dou use sound therapy Ethel? I was given hearing aids but found these difficult to use - but the sound oasis sound therapy on all day at a lower level than the T (not loud at all) - seems to be working. I should have done this before now as I have had T for a year
Hi.Can i ask where you get the sound therapy from please.
Started 5 weeks ago ,24/7 since,Hissing ringing noise Rotates from ear to ear some times seems as it Just in my head , More in the Right Ear than the Left ,was given AD basically stoned on them so packed up after a couple of days , Bloods have been done awaiting outcome ,This is causing me Mental issues I am not thinking properly and getting some very Strange thoughts Now . Has this happened to anyone else ?
hi Clarkes -do u hear yr T all the time or does it fade in daytime if busy ? Did u have a hearing test ? are you getting enough sleep? maybe u are having withdrawal symptoms from the AD's
FOOD & DRINK - Its taken time for me but I am finding ways to manage the T and one of the main ways of doing this is by paying attention to yr diet - cut caffeine and drink decaf coffee/ tea - reduce salt - avoid alcohol - read food labels and try to avoid food and drinks with too many artificial additives . I had really awful spike this week because of sulphites in a M&S Elderflower drink. Sulphites are one of worst culprits - another spike that I had recently, was because of eating raisins coated in sulphites
Some Medications can aggravate the T - esp SSRI anti deprssts and NSAID painkillers, such as Ibroprofen ( take paracetamol or other) . GP's are not at all aware of this as they cannot possibly be expert in every subject and their knowledge on what affects T and managing Tinnitus is very limited. You have to do yr own online research really and gain advice from this forum.
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