Nesty

My Story:- I remember when, as young as 8 laying in bed one time hearing a very faint hum (it was very faint, I’d love to have that level back now), I thought everyone had it, but as it drowned out in everyday sounds it wasn’t an issue, I never mentioned it to my parents.

It wasn’t until my 20’s, when I things changed, I didn’t know much about Tinnitus and went to nightclubs without ear protection, I played sports, but when about 24, I noticed a hiss/ ringing, which didn’t go away. I went to Great Portland street Hospital, London they did a range of tests I was diagnosed with Tinnitus, the style of ear damage was due to a prior illness, not noise induced, I can only identify (according to my parents), Rubella (German measles), as a child (5), plausible, as I could recall Tinnitus from 8.

Since my mid 20’s, I have looked after my ears, never done concerts or headphones, if I rarely did like a wedding then I always had ear protection with me and for years I ticked along really ok. I would get reminded of tinnitus a few periods over the last 15 years, mainly at stressful times in my life, but somehow after a few months, it would naturally just fade away. I thought I had mastered my tinnitus and no longer part of my life, in that sense.

Sadly, in 2019, I went through bad health, I was issued medication (I should of questioned the drug at the time), about a few months after I noticed the noise had gotten louder & the pitch had changed, I am not sure if it was the medication or just the trauma, since then it been a daily battle. I never got to back to the zone of the prior years forgetting about my tinnitus for months and years at a time. I wish I could, but sadly my level of Tinnitus now, isn’t easy masked by everyday sounds.

Early 2022, I went through again trauma and the tinnitus again changed for the worse, probably worst it been, it's tuff, as generally I am more anxious about life in general, the Tinnitus is fairly prominent in my life.

My next step will probably be NHS hearing aids now, as I feel certain social things like in a pub, I struggle hearing my friends.