Long time tinnitus sufferer here!

[cheapo]

As per my profile, I remember hearing T when I was 15 after a bout of flu. Now I'm 71 I know I've been hearing it permanently for about 40 years. Ironically I am kind of relaxed about my T, and I prefer "tea" to coffee these days. 😅

These days I also have a sinus issue, which has never gone away, and always gets worse (exacerated?) if I get a cold. I can't say it makes my T worse, but it deffo affects my hearing a bit.

My latest, and brilliant, hearing aids came free of charge from the wonderful National Health Service in the UK. I've lived here all my life, so I appreciate it more than I can say. Both my parents worked in the NHS, with my mum being a senior SRN in charge of an operating theatre and my dad a family doctor.

I guess my main problem is that I avoid conversations if possible, and find too many "robotic" phone systems impossible to hear, even with my new hearing aids!

[IanBuzzed]

So sorry to hear you've been suffering for so long with tinnitus. And amazing to hear you say you are 'relaxed' about your tinnitus. Wish I could get to that !

[cheapo in reply to IanBuzzed]

Well, I guess my attitude to the T is because it does take a back seat if I'm concentrating on other stuff, like music, or flying an RC glider and other hobbies. Even cycling helps, but not all the time.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

Hi Cheapo

I've got to say that your attitude is commendable and I echo your comments on the NHS - these are trying times for all of us and they're no exception to that.

I wish that you were able to find the hearing aids more helpful in the examples you provided, but I struggle with those self-same phone systems too, so it seems to be a commonplace problem.

[happyrosie1]

thank you cheapo for posting

[Anasue]

thanks for sharing. I got Tinnitus after a flu during Covid period. It does get awful whenever I have the cold. I’m used to it now but am generally very sound sensitive e.g crowds, socialising etc I often wear earplugs now going out and it helps a lot especially when there is live or loud music and people talking. Also I’ve noticed caffeine abd chocolate make T more pronounced. Sending love to all who had this condition.

[Cookie24 in reply to Anasue]

Do you take you hearing aids out and put earplugs in when in a noisy crowd?

[cheapo in reply to Cookie24]

Not these new ones. I can use the app on my phone to "focus" on sounds ahead, or to one side or even behind me. Heh, and if I take them out I hear only the loudest and more bass type sounds like traffic, my hearing loss has entered the "severe" level according to my latest test, with the major part in the high to mid tones, which obviously include speech. When I was working my employers had earplugs for anyone that wanted them, and they were recommended in the machine workshops anyway. But earplugs just meant I was hearing tinnitus and nothing else all day, so I would use my aids instead. Even the first ones I had about 20years ago would damp down louder noises.

[Supervision6 in reply to Anasue]

You may want to check out a condition called Hypercausis??

[cheapo]

Yes I've had hyperacusis for a long time