Living with Tinnitus… how do you cope?

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Specific-Ad-916@reddit

I have tinnitus thanks to a slow growing cyst pressing up against my brain. It sucks tbh. I pretty much need background noise at all times. I’ve found meditation - with rainforest sounds to mask my tinnitus helps keep me sane - but there’s no such thing as peace and quiet in my life now. I’ve written a poem called “F*ck you tinnitus” and that also actually helped a bit.

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Steph171089@reddit

Go visit Mr Axon at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. He specialises in pulsatile tinnitus (which is what you have). I had an operation by him, to divert the sound of my blow flow away from my eardrum. He is one of the only surgeons in England to do this operation. It is extremely successful.

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Crafty_Birdie@reddit

Oh wow! Yes, I was told I'd have to live with it at Ipswich hospital! I will be heading back to my GP, thank you so much!

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Steph171089@reddit

Same here! Small world! I live in Ipswich!

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Crafty_Birdie@reddit

😂 it is a small world - Im just the other side lf Woodbridge. And you have made my day , I mean I know I'll have to wait, and fight my corner, but it would be wonderful to be free of the PT because it's starting in the other ear now too, and I also have regular tinnitus 🙄

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Steph171089@reddit

Well, I say I’m in Ipswich, but I’m in Claydon - if you know where that is. My family live in Woodbridge though. My journey with PT has taken so much time and effort. I have fought tooth and nail to get things sorted. All I can say is prepare for many set backs, and lots of letter writing. Did you see my reply to someone else, about going to Kings College Hospital in London - rather than Addenbrookes? I’ll DM you, if you want?

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Crafty_Birdie@reddit

Apologies for disappearing - I've been unwell all week and suddenly developed a fever. Apparently I have a kidney infection - fun times! It's calmed down now thankfully, and I'm awaiting my antibiotics. One of my husbands former colleagues lives in Claydon (be hilarious if he was your husband, 😆) I saw the comment, thank you. Realistically it's easier for me to go to Addenbrookes, but I'll have a think on it. Again thank you so much for sharing your experience!

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Steph171089@reddit

Had a fever over Christmas. I ate so much, but sweating made me lose weight. Pros and cons of being ill! Would rather not have a kidney infection though. Sounds painful! 😣 Regarding Addenbrookes, Mr Axon is an ENT surgeon. He is very good, and has pioneered the surgery to divert the sound away from your ear if it’s caused by bone loss, like mine was. But, if it’s not, then you’re better off seeing the neurology specialists at Kings London. Unlike Addenbrookes, they specialise in pulsatile tinnitus. Also, to be blunt, Mr Axon is a bit of a prick - his whole clinic are. Kings are fantastic. They wanted to help me sort it as soon as they received my referral letter. Addenbrookes, on the other hand, tried everything not to help me. Including telling me nothing was wrong for about two years, until I was finally ‘allowed’ to see Mr Axon - and not one of his team - and he admitted there was something wrong, and they would do this operation. Problem is, they only diverted the sound away from my ear, and wouldn’t offer me the operation which caused the bone to wear away in the first place. So, that’s why I wrote to Kings to ask if they would help - which they are. Anyway, sorry for the long reply. Don’t feel you have to respond. I just want you to have as much information as possible, so you can make an informed decision. But my advice - go straight to Kings. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have bothered with Addenbrookes. Hope that all makes sense, and I hope the kidney infection clears soon! 🤞 PS. Would have been funny if he was a colleague of your husband’s, but my other half has always been self employed. He went to a private school, then became a tattooist. Which is weird. 😆

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MysteriousBear11@reddit (OP)

Wow, that’s a reply I didn’t think I would get! I’ve made note and will reach out. Thank you very much!!!!

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Steph171089@reddit

Please do DM me. I want to share with you lots of information that will be of use - and which will hopefully make your journey with this, quicker and easier than mine was. x

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Sufficient_Bag_4551@reddit

I'm absolutely tickled pink to find out there's a neurosurgeon called Mr Axon

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Steph171089@reddit

Haha! Well actually he’s an ENT surgeon - not neuro.

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aFoxyFoxtrot@reddit

I always imagined that would be high risk given such a small area to work in and sensitive organ. What did the doc say about that?

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Trick-Station8742@reddit

The doctor said he'll just use an extra small scalpel

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Steph171089@reddit

This won’t hurt a bit - I promise!

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Steph171089@reddit

Actually, it is a relatively simple operation, and you’re out of the hospital the same day. I also have to have a stent because the main veins which carry the blood around the brain, have narrowed. And that’s what caused my pulsatile tinnitus in the first place. The turbulent blood had worn away the bone which diverts the sound of your blood away from your eardrum. So, I’ve had the bone graft to stop the sound, but now I need to get the stent to stop what caused the PT in the first place. It’s been a long and complicated journey. There’s not much I don’t know about vascular abnormalities of the head and neck.

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farmpatrol@reddit

I’m really excited for OP to come back and see this answer. Absolutely amazing input from you here, and great to know for anyone else that has this! 👏

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Steph171089@reddit

Thank you for your kind words - they mean a lot. It took almost 7 years of research and fighting to get it sorted. I was like a dog with a bone. I couldn’t accept that nothing could be done.

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Minimum_Cupcake@reddit

It's great that you were able to find OP's post and hopefully give them the help they need. I have had tinnitus for nearly 20 years now (including a stint of loud vibrating tinnitus for a couple of years which thankfully went away), and the regular stuff is bad enough but at least can be drowned out with other noise, can't imagine what it's like if you just hear your heartbeat all the time. Really hope this is the answer they were looking for and can get the help for it.

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Steph171089@reddit

Thank you! I have normal tinnitus too. I developed it over lockdown because of a noise exposure. My normal tinnitus sounds like the old internet dial up code. So many clicks, vibrations, chirps, tones etc. It was very distressing at the beginning, but after 4 years I’ve mostly habituated and the sound has decreased in volume, thankfully.

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ecotrimoxazole@reddit

Did yours go away completely? Can you give some information about the operation that you had and the referral process?

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Steph171089@reddit

My operation was specific to the cause of my pulsatile tinnitus (PT). I had a cortical mastoidectomy with resurfacing of the dehiscence with a autogenous bone graft. PT can be caused by a number of issues. My sigmoid sinus bone, which encases the sigmoid sinus (main vein which drains blood from you head away) had worn away from turbulent blood flow, caused by bilateral narrowing of the transverse sinuses which carry the blood around the brain. This was secondary to intracranial pressure. Regarding the intracranial pressure, I am now waiting for a stent which will be done at Kings College Hospital London. If you don’t know anything about vascular abnormalities of the head and neck, this can be confusing. I suggest doing all your research before going to the doctors and hospital. It helps to understand the condition so you know what you’re trying to get sorted. Google is a great tool! The referral process is not easy. Go to your doctor and tell them what you think you have, and that you want a referral to Mr Axon’s clinic at Addenbrookes. Be aware - you will not see Mr Axon straight away. You will see many other doctors at his clinic first. You only get to see him when and if they think you’re a suitable candidate for an operation. Buckle down, because it’s a long journey! Best of luck!

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ecotrimoxazole@reddit

Thank you for the detailed explanation.

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Steph171089@reddit

You’re more than welcome. I really hope you can get it sorted. Another great hospital which deals with PT, is Kings College Hospital in London. I would probably try there first. The neurology and ENT department are a lot friendlier and understand than those at Addenbrookes.

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WeakExamination3209@reddit

I had this a couple of weeks back for about a month and it was awful. I was frantically trying to look online for a way for it to stop. I read that it can be due to a lack of iron so I bought some iron and it went. Not saying it can help for everyone but for me it’s helped. I kept reading online that it was a symptom of another problem that I could of had so I’m guessing I needed iron. Hope you a way to make it stop it’s awful

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Jack_202@reddit

I have permanent white noise that goes into a single tone sometimes. You just have to accept it and try to ignore it.

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mynameisnotthom@reddit

Mine has gotten worse, it's 24/7 and it's fairly loud. Even when out and about I can still hear it in the background. I've tried the white noise stuff but I'm also cursed with being a really light sleeper so I just focus on that instead. I tried to go to bed at midnight and I'm still up because I can't drift off. I used to self medicate with booze and drugs but I'm also trying to stop that as I'm 40 this year and I can't really continue to live like that, plus it's fucking expensive! I'm booked in for a referral at Darlo but a date aint been set yet, hopefully soon though! Doc gave me Amitriptyline and that did help initially, I think my tolerance is up because the 10mg just don't cut it. Ironically I don't want to double drop. I am slightly worried I'm going mad, hopefully this Darlo appointment will offer some solutions. Good luck with yours OP

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SystemLordMoot@reddit

As a teenager I damaged my hearing and ended up with tinnitus from listening to music way too loud. These days I barely notice it unless I'm sat in silence. You really do just get used to it.

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wintsykia@reddit

That sounds dreadful I hope you follow the advice on here and get it managed somehow. I have tinnitus but it’s the classic hiss/ringing, I can hear two very high tones in my right ear, it’s all the time but I can only notice it when it’s quiet. And I’m so used to it now that I don’t actively think about it (I just noticed it right now for example). I think of it in the same way you don’t notice your nose until you think about it, and now it’s going to annoy you because it’s in your field of vision all the time. Or how your tongue feels in your mouth. Annoying right? It does however make it hard for me to hear conversations in loud places which is always awkward. I hope you get yours sorted in some way. Best of luck!

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longsock9@reddit

I have found that tree therapy works but got laughed at when I mentioned this on another forum. Walking amongst heavily wooded areas just seems to have a calming effect and I found that I couldn’t hear my T … even for a short while the relief was enjoyable

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the_donk_god@reddit

Noise. Constant noise. Tv, humming, music and talking.

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Saintesky@reddit

I got mine in 2007 and it was driving me to literal despair, I’ve got the one that sounds like you just done a stint in a nightclub, just a constant high pitched whistle. I had to go on anti depressants over it, and some other MH issues, and it has helped, but my biggest fear was losing my job, as I’m a train driver. So admitting having g it was the biggest issue to conquer. Since then, I’ve just tried all kinds of day of distraction techniques to not think about it. The most ridiculous one I had at work driving the trains was counting the pylons trackside but somehow it seemed to work.

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Some_Box8751@reddit

I've had mine for 4 years, it's a high pitched ring loud enough that I can hear it 24/7. There's no help on the NHS, been on the waiting list to see a "hearing therapist" for 3 years now so have just been forced to learn to live with it. I tell myself not to let the stupid fucking noise in my ears stop me from living my life but it really is hard sometimes, especially when it spikes to ridiculous levels (usually when I have a cold)

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clarice_loves_geese@reddit

33 and I've had tinnitus since I was a teenager, it runs rampant in the family (shit ears on both sides). I just tell myself it's proof my brain is on...

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Puzzled-Past3938@reddit

I got this exact thing at night sometimes. Luckily not constant

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uktravelthrowaway123@reddit

Tbh I don't really care about it too much... I have pulsatile tinnitus as well as the more classic kind. I get different pitches and tones all at once and it can be pretty noisy, but I've had it for years and I've just accepted it. The more you focus on it the worse it tends to get I think. Conversely, the less I think about it, the less I notice it to begin with. Sometimes when I'm very congested it gets noticeably louder and then it does annoy me a bit but luckily it doesn't keep me up or anything so I just carry on trying to ignore it lol

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Flat__Line@reddit

I have the high pitched pad sound constantly. I just keep busy all the time. At work I can't hear it but at home it's always at me.

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codeduck@reddit

I silently scream "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" back at it

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Crafty_Birdie@reddit

I have pulsatile tinnitus(the one you describe - and yes, heart rate goes up and I can hear it) for a year and regular tinnitus for 20. I just accept it. The pulsatile gas Bern harder in that regard, but since I cannot change it I don't find it. I don't mask it either - I'm sat in silence as I type. If I focused on masking it, I'd be putting too much focus on it. By accepting it, it can fade into the background. You can get training to learn how to manage your response to it, maybe you could look at trying that.

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ScaredyCatUK@reddit

The screaming voices in my head drown it out most of the time.

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GrouchyAlps612@reddit

Deal with it unfortunately, I certainly had fun at the hardcore shows but I wish I wore ear protection sooner

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Suspicious_Field_429@reddit

Had it for years, the " normal" white noise/ high pitched squealing and I get pulsatile now and again , I try to ignore it and that usually works until now that it has been mentioned........

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Turbulent_Candy1776@reddit

I've has tinnitus since I was 5 years old. It's gotten worse with age. Drives me crazy 😪😪😪😪

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Muskovado2@reddit

I’ve had the classic high pitched ringing all my life as a result of several ear infections as a child. You do get used to it, but it takes time. I mostly don’t notice it these days unless I’m stressed and then it can still consume my thoughts totally, but I’ve learnt a few mechanisms to cope. I have a hot shower which can interrupt the noise. I deliberately and consciously think about anything but the noise and draw my attention away if I start noticing it again. This is hard, but it can be done. I use mantras or rhymes to focus on, repeating them until it’s faded again. Sometimes, rarely, I can ‘push’ the noise away. I have to have had amazing sleep for this to work though! Music, films and white noise don’t work for me as my noise is louder or more pervasive. It’s like a mosquito inside my brain. Or a hair thin line of noise running between my ears. If I can distract myself however it does become background noise, like the feel of my glasses or wedding ring. I don’t feel those things unless I draw my attention to them. Gaming can help sometimes if I play something I’m terrible at and have to concentrate on rage quitting on!

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Fun-Consequence4950@reddit

Place both palms over your ears and use your fingers to drum on the back of your neck for 15-20 seconds. It should provide some relief from tinnitus

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Fluid-Act5517@reddit

I've had tinnitus for over 30years and at times it's unbearable but the only way to live with it is to try and not think about it, I've been told there's no cure. I also have loss of hearing and hearing aids do help with tinnitus but not completely

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Facelessroids@reddit

I only notice mine if I think about it.

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NoIntern6226@reddit

This or when it's silent for too long, and it enters my head that I can hear a ringing.

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Competitive-Ad-5454@reddit

As soon as I saw the thread title... yep, there it is.

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justdont7133@reddit

I'm the same, reading this thread has just made mine really loud because it drew my attention to it

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Ok-Cauliflower-7760@reddit

Oh God I get the exact same thing. Mine comes and goes though, it usually lasts about a week before going away for a few months then coming back. It drives me potty, have to have a podcast or something playing in the background to be able to get to sleep

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SlothBirdBeard@reddit

I have the constant ringing which is .. bearable, but I also developed Pulsatile Tinnitus a couple years ago and it drove me mad. I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking there's music in the distance but it's my heartbeat in my head. Thought it initially happened due to loud noises/music etc so went for a audiology appointment several months ago but there's no damage to my hearing, it's just "one of those things" supposedly. However I did not opt for an MRI (too expensive private + GP wouldn't refer me on NHS) so there may be a medical solution. Now it occurs for a couple of weeks at a time then dies down for maybe a week or so. Those downtimes are absolute bliss.

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Car-Nivore@reddit

Regular tinnitus here from working on jet engines for over two decades. It sucks but I tend to just try and not focus on that constant screech. Typing this, I'm aware of it but will soon be able to block it out if I concentrate on something else.

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tiggerlassie@reddit

I've had it for so many years I've forgotten when it started I work in heavy industry and have always worn ear protection . Though when younger there were so many concerts and even now when wearing earbuds/ headphones I play it louder than I should.... so that's where I'm guessing mine came from It's sounds like a high pitch whistle and hiss together when I notice it happening, usually after work when it's been louder than usual White noise/ "fan app" at night helps with sleeping

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mmoonbelly@reddit

Find the pitch of the tinnitus. Sing in that key - perfect backing note. Better than bagpipes

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Im_being_stalked@reddit

I have pulsatile as you. First noticed when I moved house from my parents and finally I had silence. It drove me a bit insane I had a call with 111 with just me crying a nurse trying to distract me. Initially I thought I had an aneurysm or tumor and I had no GP so I was proper going crazy. I had a head scan which was normal. It’s been about 4 years and I’ve somewhat learnt to live with it really. Mine comes on with certain positions of my neck so not always but about 80% of the time.

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Steph171089@reddit

You need several scans to find the origin of pulsatile tinnitus. And all have to be done with contrast dye. Best scans are CT with contrast, MRV and MRA. A standard MRI will not show anything. What scans did you have - if you don’t mind me asking? And sorry you have PT. I had an operation to get rid of mine. Didn’t want to just “learn to live with it”.

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Im_being_stalked@reddit

I just had the mri head with no contrast but don’t worry because I’m actually a radiographer and some sequences for mri you don’t actually need contrast anyways. I was a bit bummed my ent didn’t order a neck mri but I got an angry ent on the phone telling me my scan was normal and changes come with age, basically just told me to shut the fuck up and accept it. Which isn’t acceptable but I just didn’t have it in me to keep pursuing it at the time. I really think it’s related to whatever vessels I have in my neck.

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Steph171089@reddit

That’s rubbish of them! “Changes come with age”… so patronising. Well, when explaining that if I turned my neck to side, I could stop the sound, I was told by one ENT, that was the solution then! How awful is that! He was the head of the ENT department! I had several MRI scans before I told them I wanted a CT and MRV/A with contrast. I knew this was the most reliable way of seeing any vascular abnormalities of the head and neck. And from those scans, I was able to finally get a diagnoses.

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Defiant_Emergency949@reddit

Is that actually called tinnitus then? I was under the impression tinnitus was the high pitched noise created by the brain in response to damage to the inner ear hairs in the cochlea. As a tinnitus sufferer it annoyed the hell out of me for years, now I forget about it unless I'm in complete silence (rare). Your type sounds really annoying but maybe some therapy might help you learn to accept it a bit easier?

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Wishmaster891@reddit

Any noise you hear that isn’t from an external source is tinnitus. Mines like shhhh and on worse days it has this electrical buzzing alongside it

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stuaxo@reddit

There are all sorts; at a group I went to one guy had the sound of bells ringing all the time. Still, I'm not sure this one is exactly tinnutus, though techniques that work for it may help.

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Wishmaster891@reddit

Check your cholesterol levels. After ten years i have only recently realised the connection. I have seen gp’s and ENT’s who have had access to my medical records and none of them have made the connection. I am/was overweight but after eating healthier for the last two months i have seen a drastic reduction , most days i can even watch the tv without hearing it which is amazing. Source - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35859463/

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epinglerouge@reddit

Tinnitus and hearing loss post cancer - 15 years. It's annoying anc the worst thing can be not knowing what sounds are actually real. The biggest difference for me has been hearing aids with a side of not thinking about it. That's so much easier said than done, but with time and redirection I focus on it less. Of course right now it's really loud because I'm thinking about it.

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Apple22Over7@reddit

I've had ringing and pulsatile tinnitus for as long as I can remember. I just live with it. Most of the time I can ignore it, especially if there's background noise. The pulsatile version is generally worse for me, but even then it's not intolerable most of the time. Only exception to that has been whilst I've been pregnant. The added blood volume exacerbated the pulsatile tinnitus to the point that general background noise doesn't help much and so I have to live with consciously hearing it more often.

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ASpookyBitch@reddit

I’m lucky that my tinnitus is random and short lived/sporadic. Usually I can click my ears a few times and it’ll sort itself out.

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barriedalenick@reddit

I had a very serious mental health episode related to tinnitus about 10 years ago. I still have tinnitus but it just doesn't bother me. I have learnt to focus away from it and the habit has stuck so I never notice it until, well now actually as I am thinking about it. r/tinnitus was quite helpful at the time but also learning to relax properly as my tinnitus seems to vary in accordance with my anxiety levels... I think accepting that it can't damage me unless I let it get to me was one key moment.

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aFoxyFoxtrot@reddit

Same. It's usually OK but I can hear the tinnitus atax volume right now lol

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aFoxyFoxtrot@reddit

Interesting. I was told my blood vessels are too close to my eardrum too. But I don't experience the fluctuations that you mention. Mine is more a constant high-pitched trill. Ive had it for as long as I can remember but I think it changed for me when I just made peace with it - instead of wishing it wasn't there or using other noises to distract from it I just accepted that I'll always hear it. Now that I think of it mindfulness may have taught me that lesson. Anyway, these days my brain just tunes it out. And now that I'm thinking about tinnitus I can hear it really loudly but usually I don't even notice it

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MrNippyNippy@reddit

Pretty much the same situation as yourself and the other comment is so far. Had it about 10 years or so you “learn to live with it” and use distractionary techniques like music TV, et cetera et cetera It’s one of the reasons that I truly love being out hiking because nature in my experience is never “quiet” there’s always wind or water or when you’re camping the movement of the tent, et cetera. Something very different about the noise of nature versus man-made music, et cetera and it’s the only time I feel like I truly experience peace now. The biggest annoyance, although I’m incredibly lucky that I can afford this is sleeping in a separate room as my partner. She is a very light sleeper and can’t even deal with a pillow speaker let alone music or TV show or something from my laptop. Although she’s quite happy because I snore so she gets a night sleep as well.

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barriedalenick@reddit

Yeah riding my bike was so refreshing as the wind in my ears blocked out any sound my head was making!

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FartBrulee@reddit

I've had tinnitus for more than 20 years now and I have two types of tinnitus one that is constantly ringing and another which is reactive to sounds which sounds almost like morse code. The latter developed later in my life and is quite annoying to say the least 😅 I find that if I live healthy, lose weight, exercise and just generally look after myself it doesn't bother me. It is loud, I can hear it all the time but I have just become accustomed to it. I have bad days where it really upsets me and drives me up the wall but these generally correspond with bad/stressful times in my life. When it's particularly bothering you, try to do some activities that will take your mind off it - stretching, a walk, a shower etc. even if it's just a distraction it helps to feel like you have some control over it. Anyway, yeah don't get too upset about it, I've had it as long as I can remember and it's not ideal but it's a small part of my life!

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seklas1@reddit

Everyone has varied levels of tinnitus. I’ve discovered mine about 3 years ago (also 28 right now), and it was/is just a slightly louder pitch hiss. It’s constant, but generally not loud enough so everyday noise overpowers it. When it’s quiet, I hear it - mostly in bed. At first I was scared I’m gonna be deaf, but seen a doctor for tests - he was an older man in his 60s, also with tinnitus and talking to him just sort of helped me to calm down, as he lived with it for most of his life and so I sort of found peace with it. Generally, I don’t like loud noises anyways, so I use my airpods pro with noise cancelling on. Music is just loud enough so I can hear it and that’s what I do when I go to gym or out and about. I work from home and that involves listening to videos etc, so most of my time I spend doing other things that take my mind off it. But your situation is different and when I get on an elliptical and get my heart beat high, I can sometimes hear my heart beat inside my ear too and it’s uncomfortable for sure. But realistically, try to do something that makes it fade out and don’t overdo with volume as that will only increase the problem if anything. Sadly there is no fix for it at the moment, maybe in the future 🤞

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Thestickleman@reddit

I got used to it and now just ignore it. It get real bad when I have a cold or as you'd expect loud concerts but 🤷 it's my own fault and I normally always listening to something these days anyway

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redditreader1972@reddit

Good night's sleep, and not thinking about it. Today I did not hear the high pitched whine until I read your post. But yeah... sometimes it is a struggle. Keeping busy and having the radio on helps me a lot

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UnderpantsInfluencer@reddit

Constant gentle noise. Rain, traffic, radio, taskmaster

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SiteWhole7575@reddit

Absolutely have to have either radio dramas on or something to cut it down, even if I’m not really listening. Heartbeat with me (and also get that checked out, because it can be other stuff that isn’t cool (I know unfortunately). I do sort of go a bit loony sometimes when it’s quiet because it gets way too loud paradoxically but gentle constantly playing talk radio crap that I don’t particularly care for or the 11hr Twilight Zone Radio dramas on YT just make it easier to tune it out.

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CurvePuzzleheaded361@reddit

I had the same kind for 7 years and it drove me insane. Doc said it was probably caused by an infection at some point but never went away. By pure coincidence mine went away when i changed to a keto diet for other reasons. It hasnt come back in 6 years. To cope i used to play music quietly as i was falling asleep, as that was the worst time for noticing it, i would turn the music off when i got to a point i was about to fall asleep. It really did help. Having other noise like white noise can really help block it out. You have my sympathies because it can really ruin your life when all you want is peace.

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stuaxo@reddit

Dr sent me to a tinnutus awareness group. They said something I found annoying at the time that was actually useful: tell yourself it's just part of the background noise: you stop concentrating on it and it goes away. Of course when I'm reminded of it, it comes back e.g. reading this post. The more you concentrate on it the worse it is. You have to trick your brain into thinking it's a natural background noise, like the wind (or something unnatural like cars if you are in the city), it's tricky at first but really does help. I find it's way worse when I haven't slept enough or I'm hung over, so covering that helps too.

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Farty_McPartypants@reddit

i just got used to it i suppose. I find keeping hydrated helps me, mines the more standard squeal that came as a result of cancer treatment and I think that plays a part too, like its something to put up with, but the alternative would have been much worse... although quieter haha

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No_Surround8330@reddit

I had surgery on my ears when I was 6 years old, when I woke up I could hear this sound and just thought that that’s what hospitals sound like, I went home but the ringing never went away, 30 years in now and I’ve never heard silence since, I sat in a sound proofed room while my son was having some tests done and it’s was just unbearable, to this day sometimes the volume of the ringing just goes up on its own then dies down, it is just something I’ve gotten used to

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Head_Lie_1301@reddit

I'm 31. I've had it for as long as I can remember. So much so that I actually thought it was normal. I used to ask people if they could hear it (the ringing) lol. I'm just kinda used to it now. That said, it does annoy the hell out of me at times. The only thing I do is have the radio or TV on or listen to music. When I go to bed I have the TV on (thankfully with my TV you can turn off the screen but keep the sound playing). But yeah, unfortunately it is something you'll have to try and learn to ignore. I know it's easier said than done.

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zephyrmox@reddit

Yeah I'm similar but it doesn't annoy me... it's just... what things sound like, ha.

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hyper-casual@reddit

I always sleep with white noise and have background music/videos on. The only thing that's helped is reframing it. I have ADHD so my mind is constantly racing and jumping from thought to thought, often that distracts me from the ringing but since trying out meds, the ringing is more noticeable as the mental noise has gone down. I've just started to view the ring as a sign of mental calmness and it's stopped me getting annoyed by it.

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ecotrimoxazole@reddit

I’m the same age as you with the same exact condition. It was debilitating when it first started. Losing a significant amount of weight helped a little. It goes away when I position my head in a specific way and when I put pressure on my carotid artery. When I’m having a conversation in a quiet room (which is 99% of my job) I have to have one finger pressed on my neck to be able to listen. It sucks but I have to make peace with it.

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TheShakyHandsMan@reddit

Spent my working life in nightclubs/manufacturing plus a regular gig attendee. It is something you do get used to. I don’t sleep in silence. I usually have an audiobook/YT vid on to distract me from the constant ringing. I’ve got a pillow speaker to help with that.

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